Planar reconfigurable optical add/drop module
AssigneeFinisar Corporation
InventorsJan Lipson, Steven Wang, Mina Farr
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A reconfigurable optical add/drop module (ROADM) for dynamically adding or dropping various wavelengths of an optical signal without having to physically replace the module with a wavelength-specific add/drop module, and corresponding methods. A multiplexed optical signal in an optical network enters the reconfigurable optical add/drop module. Filters on the module separate various wavelengths of the optical signal along the module's various waveguides and a reconfigurable switching matrix directs the various wavelengths of the optical signal to be added, dropped and/or combined with other wavelengths.
Claims23
An add/drop module configurable for dynamically adding or dropping one or more wavelengths of an optical signal in an optical network without having to physically replace the module with a fixed, wavelength-specific module, the add/drop module comprising:
- a substrate;
- a plurality of waveguides on said substrate guiding at least one wavelength of an optical signal;
- one or more ports optically connected with at least one of said waveguides;
- a configurable switching matrix, said configurable switching matrix dynamically directing specific wavelengths of said optical signal along said waveguides to one or more of said ports;
- and
- a plurality of wavelength-specific holographic filters external to the configurable switching matrix, each of said holographic filters optically coupled to a port and optically coupled to the configurable switching matrix.
A method for dynamically dropping one or more wavelengths from an optical signal in an optical network without physically replacing a wavelength-specific add/drop module, the method comprising acts of:
- receiving an optical signal along at least one of a plurality of waveguides;
- directing the optical signal to a holographic filter;
- holographically directing at least a portion of said optical signal to a switching matrix;
- dynamically switching one or more specific waveguides within the switching matrix to direct said portion along one or more alternate waveguides;
- directing the optical signal to the holographic filter a second time;
- holographically directing one or more remaining portions of said optical signal to the switching matrix;
- and
- combining the one or more remaining portions of said optical signal within the switching matrix.
A method for dynamically adding one or more portions to an optical signal in an optical network without physically replacing a portion-specific add/drop module, the method comprising acts:
- receiving a plurality of optical signals, each along at least one of a plurality of waveguides;
- external to a optical switching matrix:
- holographically directing at least a portion of each of said received optical signals to one or more portion-specific waveguides of the optical switching matrix;
- within the optical switching matrix:
- dynamically switching at least one portion-specific waveguide to direct at least one portion of said received optical signals to one or more alternate waveguides;
- and
- combining said at least one portion of said received optical signals from said one or more alternate waveguides with at least another portion of said received optical signals from said one or more portion specific waveguides.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.