Hitless tunable filter
AssigneeVerizon Business Global LLC
InventorsTiejun J. Xia, David Z. Chen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for implementing a truly hitless tunable filter for use in adding and/or dropping channels in a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) network is disclosed. An exemplary method for filtering an optical signal may include providing a composite optical signal having several wavelengths including a first wavelength, a second wavelength and other wavelengths. The method may include passing the first wavelength through a filter and reflecting the second wavelength and the other wavelengths with the filter. The method may include making the first wavelength available to a drop port, and making the second wavelength and the other wavelengths available to an output port.
Claims15
A method for filtering an optical signal, comprising:
- providing a composite optical signal having a plurality of wavelengths including a first wavelength, a second wavelength and other wavelengths;
- passing the first wavelength through a filter and reflecting the first wavelength via a moveable mirror back to the filter;
- reflecting the second wavelength and the other wavelengths off of the filter to a fixed minor to form an association of reflected wavelengths;
- reflecting the association of reflected wavelengths back to a location on the filter;
- reflecting the association of reflected wavelengths from the location on the filter to an output port;
- and
- passing the first wavelength through the filter to the output port along with the association of reflected wavelengths.
A method comprising:
- providing a composite optical signal including a plurality of wavelengths;
- passing a first wavelength of the plurality of wavelengths though a filter;
- reflecting the first wavelength via a first mirror back though the filter to an output port;
- reflecting a second wavelength of the plurality of wavelengths with the filter;
- reflecting the reflected second wavelength off of a second mirr or back to a location on the filter;
- and
- reflecting the reflected second wavelength from the location on the filter to the output port, the first wavelength and the second wavelength arriving at the output port at substantially a same time.
A method comprising:
- providing an optical signal including a plurality of wavelengths;
- passing a first wavelength of the plurality of wavelengths through a filter to a drop port;
- reflecting a second wavelength of the plurality of wavelengths with the filter;
- reflecting the reflected second wavelength off of a second mirror back to a location on the filter;
- reflecting the reflected second wavelength from the location on the filter to an output port;
- and
- adjusting a position of the first minor, the adjusting causing a first wavelength to pass back through the filter to the output port.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.