Wavelength converting apparatus using optical source having fixed wavelength and an optical cross connect system adapting thereof

An optical cross connect system, in which an optical switch and a wavelength converting apparatus are connected to one or more wavelength division demultiplexers and one or more wavelength division multiplexers, and adding/dropping of beams are carried out at nodes of an optical transmission network by using a wavelength division multiplexing method, wherein the wavelength converting apparatus comprises:

• M light sources with fixed wavelengths for providing beams with fixed wavelengths, the wavelength being different from each other;
• M optical splitting means for splitting each of the beams outputted from the M light sources into N beams, each optical splitting mean being positioned at an output end of each of the M light sources;
• a switching means for receiving and switching the split N×M beams according to a request for wavelength conversion of a transmission signal, and outputting the switched beams as probe beams;
• and
• N×M wavelength converting means for receiving the probe beams from the switching means and the transmission signal, and converting a wavelength of the inputted transmission signal through cross gain modulation, cross phase modulation, or OEC conversion.

An optical cross connect system, comprising:

• N wavelength division demultiplexers, each wavelength division demultiplexer for demultiplexing an input signal into M signals;
• N fixed-wavelengths light sources for outputting beams having fixed wavelengths, the wavelength being different from each other;
• N optical splitting means for splitting each of the beams outputted from each of the light sources into N beams, each optical splitting mean being positioned at an output end of each of the N light sources;
• a first switching means for switching the split N×N output beams according to a request for wavelength conversion of a corresponding signals and providing the switched beams as probe beams;
• N×N wavelength converting means for receiving the probe beams from the first switching means and the signals from a corresponding demultiplexer, converting a wavelength of the inputted signal through cross gain modulation, cross phase modulation, or OEO conversion, and providing the converted signals with new wavelengths;
• at least one second switching means for receiving the signals with converted wavelengths, selecting paths of the inputted signals, and adding and dropping the signals;
• and
• N multiplexers for receiving M signals outputted from the second switching means and multiplexing the M signals for a fiber.

An optical cross connect system, comprising:

• N wavelength division demultiplexers, each wavelength division demultiplexer for demultiplexing an input signal into N signals;
• at least one first switching means for receiving the N×N demultiplexed signals, selecting paths of the inputted signals, and adding and dropping the signals;
• N optical sources of fixed wavelengths for outputting beams with fixed wavelengths, the wavelength being different from each other;
• N optical splitting means for splitting each of the beams outputted from optical sources into N probe beams, each optical splitting mean being positioned at the output of each of the N optical sources;
• N×N wavelength converting means for receiving the split probe beams and the signals from the first switching means, converting wavelengths of the signals through cross gain modulation, cross phase modulation, or OEO conversion;
• and N multiplexers for receiving the N signals outputted from the wavelength converting means and multiplexing the N signals for a link respectively.