Optical switch for reciprocal traffic
AssigneeTellabs Operations, Inc.
InventorsJames D. Mills, Philip J. Lin, Roger P. Holmstrom
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A reduced component optical switch module includes a plurality of ports wherein each port includes an optical input and an optical output. A plurality of switchable deflectors in combination with a plurality of non-switchable deflectors can be used to establish transmission paths between pairs of ports to support traffic reciprocity. In one embodiment, the ports and switchable elements are configured so as to provide substantially constantly transmission paths within the respective module. In another embodiment, additional deflector elements can be provided to implement loop-back functionality at one or more of the ports.
Claims20
An optical switch comprising:
- a module;
- a plurality of input/output ports on the module, wherein each port can receive an optical input and can provide an optical output;
- a plurality of diagonally disposed, fixed, optical path altering elements wherein each element alters an optical path within the module which path extends to a respective port;
- and
- a plurality of multi-state optical path altering elements disposed on respective optical paths wherein each such element has a location between a respective port and a respective fixed element and wherein a transmission path is establishable between first and second ports in a selected direction and between the same two ports in an opposite direction.
A system of interconnected switches wherein at least some of the switches comprise:
- a plurality of input/output ports wherein each port can receive an optical input and can provide an optical output;
- a plurality of diagonally disposed fixed optical path defining elements carried within a respective switch wherein an optical path extends within the switch in part between a respective port and a respective element;
- and
- a plurality of multi-state path defining elements disposed on respective optical paths located within a respective switch wherein each such element has a location between a respective port and a respective fixed element and wherein a transmission path is establishable between first and second ports in a selected direction and between the same two ports in an opposite direction.
An optical switch comprising:
- a plurality of ports, some ports can at least receive an optical input and others can at least provide an optical output;
- and
- a plurality of multi-state, optical path altering elements disposed on a plurality of respective optical paths establishable between pairs of ports, the paths comprise a substantially common length, selected pairs of ports support reciprocal traffic.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.