Optical communication network node

An optical communication network node having both an ATM exchange function for exchanging ATM cells and an optical exchange function for exchanging optical signals as it is, comprising:

• a plurality of wavelength-multiplex receiving interfaces with buffers, having one input end and a
• plurality of output ends, for, after separating wavelength-multiplex optical signals input from said one input end through each of a plurality of first input optical transmission lines into a plurality of optical signals having different wavelengths, outputting said plurality of optical signals as it is from each of said plurality of output ends, or converting said plurality of optical signals into electric signals, temporarily storing ATM cells in said buffers, which are taken out from transmission frames, and after processing headers of said ATM cells output from said buffers, converting said electric signals into optical signals and outputting said optical signals from each of said plurality of output ends;
• a plurality of receiving interfaces with buffers, having one input end and one output end, for converting optical signals input from said input end through each of a plurality of second input optical transmission lines into electric signals, temporarily storing ATM cells in said buffers, which are taken out from transmission frames, and after processing headers of said ATM cells output from said buffers, converting said electric signals into optical signals and outputting said optical signals from said output end;
• a plurality of wavelength-multiplex transmitting interfaces, having a plurality of input ends and one output end, for converting each of optical signals on optical circuits, which are input from said plurality of input ends, into an optical signal having a predetermined wavelength as it is, or for, after storing ATM cells in transmission frames, which are taken out by converting each of optical signals from said plurality of input ends into electric signals, converting said electric signals into optical signals having said predetermined wavelength, combining said plurality of converted optical signals having said predetermined wavelength, outputting wavelength-multiplex optical signals from said one output end, and transmitting said signals to a plurality of first output optical transmission lines;
• a plurality of transmitting interfaces, having one input end and one output end, for, after storing ATM cells in transmission frames, which are taken out by converting each of optical signals input from said input end into electric signals, converting said electric signals into optical signals, outputting said optical signals from said output end, and transmitting said signals to a plurality of second output optical transmission lines;
• a first optical switch network, having a plurality of input ends and a plurality of output ends which are connected to each output end of said plurality of wavelength-multiplex receiving interfaces with said buffers, respectively, for setting said predetermined optical circuits between said plurality of predetermined input ends and output ends, or for exchanging said optical signals cell by cell under control by said plurality of wavelength-multiplex is receiving interfaces with said buffers;
• a second optical switch network, having a plurality of input ends and a plurality of output ends which are connected to each output end of said plurality of receiving interfaces with said buffers, respectively, for exchanging said optical signals cell by cell under control by said plurality of receiving interfaces with said buffers;
• and
• an optical distributing switch network, having a plurality of input ends and a plurality of output ends which are connected to said first and second optical switch networks, for switching optical signals from said plurality of input ends to said output ends which are connected to said input ends of said plurality of predetermined wavelength-multiplex transmitting interfaces and said input end of said plurality of transmitting interfaces.

An optical communication network node having both an ATM exchange function for exchanging ATM cells and an optical exchange function for exchanging optical signals as it is, comprising:

• a plurality of wavelength-multiplex receiving interfaces with buffers, having one input end and a plurality of output ends, for, after separating wavelength-multiplex optical signals input from said one input end through each of a plurality of first input optical transmission lines into a plurality of optical signals having different wavelengths, outputting said plurality of optical signals as it is from each of said plurality of output ends, or converting said plurality of optical signals into electric signals, temporarily storing ATM cells in said buffers, which are taken out from transmission frames, and after processing headers of said ATM cells output from said buffers, converting said electric signals into optical signals and outputting said optical signals from each of said plurality of output ends;
• a plurality of receiving interfaces with buffers, having one input end and one output end, for converting optical signals input from said input end through each of a plurality of second input optical transmission lines into electric signals, temporarily storing ATM cells in said buffers, which are taken out from transmission frames, and after processing headers of said ATM cells output from said buffers, converting said electric signals into optical signals and outputting said optical signals from said output end;
• a plurality of wavelength-multiplex transmitting interfaces, having a plurality of input ends and one output end, for converting each of optical signals on optical circuits, which are input from said plurality of input ends, into an optical signal having predetermined wavelengths as it is, or for, after storing ATM cells in transmission frames, which are taken out by converting each of optical signals from said plurality of input ends into electric signals, converting said electric signals into optical signals having said predetermined wavelengths, combining said plurality of converted optical signals having said predetermined wavelengths, outputting wavelength-multiplex optical signals from said one output end, and transmitting said signals to a plurality of first output optical transmission lines;
• a plurality of transmitting interfaces, having one input end and one output end, for, after storing ATM cells in transmission frames, which are taken out by converting each of optical signals input from said input end into electric signals, converting said electric signals into optical signals, outputting said optical signals from said output end, and transmitting said signals to a plurality of second output optical transmission lines;
• first and second optical selective switch networks, having a plurality of input ends and a plurality of output ends, for selectively sending optical signals from said plurality of input ends which are connected to said output ends of said plurality of wavelength-multiplex receiving interfaces with said buffers and said output end of said receiving interfaces with said buffers, respectively, to said predetermined one or more than one output ends;
• a plurality of first optical switches, having a plurality of input ends and one output end which are connected to said output ends of said first optical selective switch network, for setting predetermined optical circuits between said plurality of predetermined input ends and one output end, or for exchanging said optical signals cell by cell under control by said plurality of wavelength-multiplex receiving interfaces with said buffers;
• a plurality of second optical switches, having a plurality of input ends and one output end which are connected to said output ends of said second optical selective switch network, for exchanging said optical signals cell by cell under control by said plurality of receiving interfaces with said buffers;
• and
• an optical distributing switch network, having a plurality of input ends which are connected to output ends of said first and second optical switches, and an output end which is connected to said input ends of said plurality of wavelength-multiplex transmitting interfaces and said input end of said transmitting interfaces, for switching optical signals from said plurality of input ends to said predetermined output end.

An optical communication network node having both an ATM exchange function for exchanging ATM cells and an optical exchange function for exchanging optical signals as it is, comprising:

• a plurality of wavelength-multiplex receiving interfaces with buffers, having one input end and a plurality of output ends, for, after separating wavelength-multiplex optical signals input from said one input end through each of a plurality of first input optical transmission lines into a plurality of optical signals having different wavelengths, outputting said plurality of optical signals as it is from each of said plurality of output ends, or converting said plurality of optical signals into electric signals, temporarily storing ATM cells in said buffers, which are taken out from transmission frames, and after processing headers of said ATM cells output from said buffers, converting said electric signals into optical signals and outputting said optical signals from each of said plurality of output ends;
• a plurality of receiving interfaces with buffers, having one input end and one output end, for converting optical signals input from said input end through each of a plurality of second input optical transmission lines into electric signals, temporarily storing ATM cells in said buffers, which are taken out from transmission frames, and after processing headers of said ATM cells output from said buffers, converting said electric signals into optical signals and outputting said optical signals from said output end;
• a plurality of wavelength-multiplex transmitting interfaces, having a plurality of input ends and one output end, for converting each of optical signals on optical circuits, which are input from said plurality of input ends, into optical signals having predetermined wavelengths as it is, or for, after storing ATM cells in transmission frames, which are taken out by converting each of optical signals from said plurality of input ends into electric signals, converting said electric signals into optical signals having said predetermined wavelengths, combining said plurality of converted optical signals having said predetermined wavelengths, outputting wavelength-multiplex optical signals from said one output end, and transmitting said signals to a plurality of first output optical transmission lines;
• a plurality of transmitting interfaces, having one input end and one output end, for, after storing ATM cells in transmission frames, which are taken out by converting each of optical signals input from said input end into electric signals, converting said electric signals into optical signals, outputting said optical signals from said output end, and transmitting said signals to a plurality of second output optical transmission lines;
• a first optical switch network, having a plurality of input ends and a plurality of output ends which are connected to each output end of said wavelength-multiplex receiving interfaces, for setting said predetermined optical circuits between said plurality of predetermined input ends and output ends, or for exchanging said optical signals cell by cell under control by said plurality of wavelength-multiplex receiving interfaces with said buffers and said plurality of receiving interfaces with said buffers;
• a second optical switch network, having a plurality of input ends and a plurality of output ends which are connected to each output end of said receiving interfaces, for exchanging said optical signals cell by cell under control by said plurality of wavelength-multiplex receiving interfaces with said buffers and said plurality of receiving interfaces with said buffers;
• and
• an optical distributing switch network, having a plurality of input ends which are connected to each output end of said plurality of wavelength-multiplex receiving interfaces with said buffers and said plurality of multiplex interfaces with said buffers, and a plurality of output ends which are connected to said input ends of said first optical switch network and said inputs of said second optical switch network, for switching optical signals from said plurality of input ends to said predetermined output ends.

An optical communication network node having both an ATM exchange function for exchanging ATM cells and an optical exchange function for exchanging optical signals as it is, comprising:

• a plurality of wavelength-multiplex receiving interfaces with buffers, having one input end and a plurality of output ends, for, after separating wavelength-multiplex optical signals input from said one input end through each of a plurality of first input optical transmission lines into a plurality of optical signals having different wavelengths, outputting said plurality of optical signals as it is from each of said plurality of output ends, or converting said plurality of optical signals into electric signals, temporarily storing ATM cells in said buffers, which are taken out from transmission frames, and after processing headers of said ATM cells output from said buffers, converting said electric signals into optical signals and outputting said optical signals from each of said plurality of output ends;
• a plurality of receiving interfaces with buffers, having one input end and one output end, for converting optical signals input from said input end is through each of a plurality of second input optical transmission lines into electric signals, temporarily storing ATM cells in said buffers, which are taken out from transmission frames, and after processing headers of said ATM cells output from said buffers, converting said electric signals into optical signals and outputting said optical signals from said output end;
• a plurality of wavelength-multiplex transmitting interfaces, having a plurality of input ends and one output end, for converting each of optical signals on optical circuits, which are input from said plurality of input ends, into an optical signal having a predetermined wavelength as it is, or for, after storing ATM cells in transmission frames, which are taken out by converting each of optical signals from said plurality of input ends into electric signals, converting said electric signals into optical signals having said predetermined wavelength, combining said plurality of converted optical signals having said predetermined wavelength, outputting wavelength-multiplex optical signals from said one output end, and transmitting said signals to a plurality of first output optical transmission lines;
• a plurality of transmitting interfaces, having one input end and one output end, for, after storing ATM cells in transmission frames, which are taken out by converting each of optical signals input from said input end into electric signals, converting said electric signals into optical signals, outputting said optical signals from said output end, and transmitting said signals to a plurality of second output optical transmission lines;
• first and second optical selective switch networks, having a plurality of input ends and a plurality of output ends, for selectively dropping optical signals from said plurality of input ends into said predetermined one or more than one output ends;
• a plurality of first optical switches, having a plurality of input ends which are connected to each of the output ends of said first optical selective switch network, and one output end which is connected to each input end of each of said wavelength-multiplex receiving interfaces, for setting predetermined optical circuits between said plurality of predetermined input ends and one output end, or for exchanging said optical signals cell by cell under control by said plurality of wavelength-multiplex receiving interfaces with said buffers and said plurality of receiving interfaces with the buffers;
• a plurality of second optical switches, having a plurality of input ends which are connected to said output ends of said second optical selective switch network, and one output end, for exchanging said optical signals cell by cell under control by said plurality of wavelength-multiplex receiving interfaces with said buffers and said plurality of receiving interfaces with said buffers;
• and
• an optical distributing switch network, having a plurality of input ends which are connected to each of the output ends of said plurality of wavelength-multiplex receiving interfaces with said buffers, and a plurality of output ends which are connected to each of said input ends of said first optical selective switch network and said second optical selective switch network, for switching optical signals from said plurality of input ends to said predetermined output ends.

An optical communication network node having both an ATM exchange function for exchanging ATM cells and an optical exchange function for exchanging optical signals as it is, comprising:

• a plurality of wavelength-multiplex receiving interfaces with buffers, having one input end, a plurality of first output ends, and a plurality of second output ends, for, after separating wavelength-multiplex optical signals input from said one input end through each of a plurality of first input optical transmission lines into a plurality of optical signals having different wavelengths, outputting said plurality of optical signals as it is from each of said plurality of first output ends, or converting said plurality of optical signals into electric signals, temporarily storing ATM cells in said buffers, which are taken out from transmission frames, and after processing headers of said ATM cells output from said buffers, converting said electric signals into optical signals and outputting said optical signals from each of said plurality of second output ends;
• a plurality of receiving interfaces with buffers, having one input end and one output end, for converting optical signals input from said input end through each of a plurality of second input optical transmission lines into electric signals, temporarily storing ATM cells in said buffers, which are taken out from transmission frames, and after processing headers of said ATM cells output from said buffers, converting said electric signals into optical signals and outputting said optical signals from said output end;
• a plurality of wavelength-multiplex transmitting interfaces, having a plurality of first input ends, a plurality of second input ends, and one output end, for converting each of optical signals on optical circuits, which are input from said plurality of first input ends, into an optical signal having a predetermined wavelength as it is, or for, after storing ATM cells in transmission frames, which are taken out by converting each of optical signals from said plurality of second input ends into electric signals, converting said electric signals into optical signals having said predetermined wavelength, combining said plurality of converted optical signals having said predetermined wavelength, outputting wavelength-multiplex optical signals from said one output end, and transmitting said signals to a plurality of first output optical transmission lines;
• a plurality of transmitting interfaces, having one input end and one output end, for, after storing ATM cells in transmission frames, which are taken out by converting each of optical signals input from said input end into electric signals, converting said electric signals into optical signals, outputting said optical signals from said output end to said plurality of first output optical transmission lines;
• a first optical switch network, having a plurality of input ends which are connected to said first output ends of said wavelength-multiplex receiving interfaces with said buffers, and an output end which is connected to said input end of said plurality of wavelength-multiplex receiving interfaces, for setting said predetermined optical circuits between said plurality of predetermined input ends and output end;
• a second optical switch network, having a plurality of input ends which are connected to said second output ends of said wavelength-multiplex receiving interfaces with buffers, and a plurality of output ends which are connected to said input end of said transmitting interfaces through an optical combiner, for exchanging said optical signals cell by cell under control by said plurality of wavelength-multiplex receiving interfaces with said buffers;
• a third optical switch network, having a plurality of input ends which are connected to said output end of said plurality of receiving interfaces with said buffers through an optical separator, and a plurality of output ends which are connected to said input end of said transmitting interfaces through said optical combiner, for exchanging said optical signals cell by cell under control by said plurality of receiving interfaces with said buffers;
• and
• a fourth optical switch network, having a plurality of input ends which are connected to said output end of said plurality of receiving interfaces with said buffers through said optical separator, and a plurality of output ends which are connected to each of said second input ends of said plurality of wavelength-multiplex transmitting interfaces, for exchanging said optical signals cell by cell under control by said plurality of receiving interfaces with said buffers.