Patent EP0223258A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0223258A2
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Wavelength division optical switching system having wavelength switching light modulators
Assignee: NEC Corp
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Filing: 1986-11-21
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-11-21
Abstract
Abstract A wavelength division optical switching system comprises a plurality of terminals (A,B,C,D) each generating a light signal on a particular wavelength division multiplexed channel and an optical multiplexer (10) connected to the terminals for multiplexing the light signals from the terminals. A processor (60) identifies the channel of a source terminal requesting a connection and the channel of a destination terminal. A reference light generator (70) generates a plurality of reference lightwaves of different wavelengths. A wavelength switch (30, 50) is provided for switching multiplexed channels by selecting the light signal of the identified source terminal channel and modulating the intensity of one of the reference lightwaves with the selected light signal so that the identified channel of the source terminal is switched to the identified channel of the destination terminal. An optical demultiplexer (20) is connected to the output of the wavelength switch for demultiplexing the switched multiplexed channels and applying the demultiplexed channels to the terminals, respectively.
Inventors
- 👤 Syuji C/O Nec Corporation Suzuki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 13:07
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04Q; H04Q11/00; H04Q11/0001; H04Q11/0005; H04Q2011/0007; H04Q2011/0011; H04Q2011/0024; H04Q2011/0037; H04Q2011/0039
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
An optical switching system comprising: an incoming highway to which wavelength division multiplexed incoming channels of light signals are applied and an outgoing highway from which wavelength division multiplexed outgoing channels of light signals are delivered; processing means for identifying an incoming channel on said incoming highway requesting a connection and an outgoing channel on said outgoing highway to which said connection is to be set up; reference light generating means for generating a plurality of reference lightwaves of different wavelengths; and wavelength switching means for selecting the light signal of the identified incoming channel and modulating the intensity of one of said reference lightwaves in accordance with the selected light signal such that the identified incoming channel is switched to the identified outgoing channel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
125 words
An optical switching system comprising: an incoming highway to which wavelength division multiplexed incoming channels of light signals are applied and an outgoing highway from which wavelength division multiplexed outgoing channels of light signals are delivered; processing means for identifying an incoming channel on said incoming highway requesting a connection and an outgoing channel on said outgoing highway to which said connection is to be set up; reference light generating means for generating a plurality of reference lightwaves of different wavelengths; and wavelength switching means for selecting the light signal of the identified incoming channel and modulating the intensity of one of said reference lightwaves in accordance with the selected light signal such that the identified incoming channel is switched to the identified outgoing channel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
60 words
An optical switching system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said wavelength switching means comprises: a plurality of wavelength selectors for selecting a light signal on said incoming highway in accordance with the identified incoming channel; and a plurality of wavelength modulators associated respectively with said wavelength selectors for modulating one of said reference lightwaves with the selected light signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
An optical switching system as claimed in claim 1 or 2,wherein each of said wavelength modulators has a nonlinear input-to-output optical characteristic which causes one of said reference lightwaves to be modulated in intensity with the light signal of said selected wavelength channel.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
101 words
An optical switching system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein each of said wavelength modulators comprises: means for optically combining one of said reference lightwaves and the light signal of the selected wavelength channel; a nonlinear optical device capable of generating a nonlinearly variable optical output as a function of the intensity of an optical input applied thereto, said nonlinear optical device being arranged to receive the output of said combining means to produce a modulated optical output; and means for optically extracting an optical component having the wavelength of said lightwave from said modulated optical output.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
53 words
An optical switching system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein said reference light generating means comprises: a plurality of reference light sources for generating said lightwaves; an optical multiplexer for multiplexing said lightwaves; and an optical transmission medium for transmitting said multiplexed reference wavelengths to said wavelength switching means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
68 words
An optical switching system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, further comprising space switching means having a plurality of crosspoints each having a plurality of selectable space-switch wavelength division multiplexed channels, said crosspoints being arranged to be connected to said wavelength switching means and responsive to said identified incoming and outgoing channels for establishing said connection through one of the space-switch wavelength division multiplexed channels.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
94 words
An optical switching system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said wavelength switching means comprises: incoming wavelength switching means having an incoming light waveguide for selecting the identified incoming channel and switching the selected incoming channel to one of the space-switch wavelength division multiplexed channels of the crosspoint for said connection and applying the switched channel through an outgoing light waveguide to said space switching means; and . outgoing wavelength switching means having an incoming light waveguide connected to said space switching means for switching the switched incoming channel to said identified outgoing channel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
164 words
An optical switching system comprising: a plurality of terminals each generating a light signal on a particular wavelength divided channel; an optical multiplexer connected to said terminals for multiplexing light signals from said terminals among which a connection is to be set up; processing means for identifying the channel of a source terminal requesting a connection and identifying the channel of a destination terminal to which the connection is to be set up; reference light generating means for generating a plurality of reference lightwaves of different wavelengths; wavelength switching means for switching wavelength division multiplexed channels by selecting the identified channel of the source terminal and modulating the intensity of one of said reference lightwaves in accordance with the light signal of the selected channel so that the channel of the source terminal is switched to the identified channel of the destination terminal; and an optical demultiplexer for demultiplexing said switched wavelength division multiplexed channels and applying the demultiplexed channels to said terminals, respectively.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
164 words
An optical switching system comprising: a plurality of terminals each generating a light signal on a particular wavelength divided channel; an optical multiplexer connected to said terminals for multiplexing light signals from said terminals among which a connection is to be set up; processing means for identifying the channel of a source terminal requesting a connection and identifying the channel of a destination terminal to which the connection is to be set up; reference light generating means for generating a plurality of reference lightwaves of different wavelengths; wavelength switching means for switching wavelength division multiplexed channels by selecting the identified channel of the source terminal and modulating the intensity of one of said reference lightwaves in accordance with the light signal of the selected channel so that the channel of the source terminal is switched to the identified channel of the destination terminal; and an optical demultiplexer for demultiplexing said switched wavelength division multiplexed channels and applying the demultiplexed channels to said terminals, respectively.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
71 words
An optical switching system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said wavelength switching means comprises: a plurality of wavelength selectors connected to the output of said multiplexer for selecting a light signal of said wavelength division multiplexed channels in accordance with the identified channel of the source terminal; and a plurality of wavelength,modulators associated respectively with said wavelength selectors for modulating one of said reference lightwaves with the selected light signal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
An optical switching system as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein each of said wavelength modulators has a nonlinear input-to-output optical characteristic which causes one of said reference lightwaves to be modulated in intensity with the light signal of said selected wavelength channel.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
101 words
as claimed 11. An optical switching system/in any of claims 8 to 10, wherein each of said wavelength modulators comprises: means for optically combining one of said reference lightwaves and the light signal of the selected wavelength channel; a nonlinear optical device capable of generating a nonlinearly variable optical output as a function of the intensity of an optical input applied thereto, said nonlinear optical device being arranged to receive the output of said combining means to produce a modulated optical output; and means for optically extracting an optical component having the wavelength of said lightwave from said modulated optical output.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
53 words
An optical switching system as claimed in any of claims 8 to 11, wherein said reference light generating means comprises: a plurality of reference light sources for generating said lightwaves; an optical multiplexer for multiplexing said lightwaves; and an optical transmission medium for transmitting said multiplexed reference wavelengths to said wavelength switching means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
70 words
An optical switching systemas claimed in any of claims 8 to 12, further comprising space switching means having a plurality of crosspoints each having a plurality of selectable space-switch wavelength division multiplexed channels, said crosspoints being arranged to be connected to said wavelength switching means and responsive to the identified channels of said source and destination terminals for establishing said connection through one of the space-switch wavelength division multiplexed channels.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
116 words
An optical switching system as claimed in claim 13, wherein said wavelength switching means comprises: incoming wavelength switching means having an incoming light waveguide connected to said multiplexer for selecting the identified channel of the source terminal and switching the selected channel to one of the space-switch wavelength division multiplexed channels of the crosspoint for said connection and applying the switched channel through an outgoing light waveguide to said space switching means; and outgoing wavelength switching means having an incoming light waveguide connected to said space switching means for further switching the switched channel to the identified channel of said destination terminal and applying the further switched channel through an outgoing light waveguide to said demultiplexer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
160 words
An optical communications network having a plurality of interconnected switching systems, comprising: a common reference light generating means including means for generating a plurality of reference lightwaves having different wavelengths; and optical transmission mediums for directing said reference beams to each of said switching systems; each of said switching systems comprising: an incoming highway to which a wavelength division multiplexed incoming channels of light signals are applied and an outgoing highway from which wavelength division multiplexed outgoing channels of light signals are delivered; processing means for identifying an incoming channel on said incoming highway channel requesting a connection and an outgoing channel on said outgoing highway to which said connection is to be set up; and wavelength switching means for selecting the light signal of the identified incoming channel and modulating the intensity of one of said directed reference lightwaves in accordance with the selected light signal such that the identified incoming channel is switched to the identified outgoing channel.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
160 words
An optical communications network having a plurality of interconnected switching systems, comprising: a common reference light generating means including means for generating a plurality of reference lightwaves having different wavelengths; and optical transmission mediums for directing said reference beams to each of said switching systems; each of said switching systems comprising: an incoming highway to which a wavelength division multiplexed incoming channels of light signals are applied and an outgoing highway from which wavelength division multiplexed outgoing channels of light signals are delivered; processing means for identifying an incoming channel on said incoming highway channel requesting a connection and an outgoing channel on said outgoing highway to which said connection is to be set up; and wavelength switching means for selecting the light signal of the identified incoming channel and modulating the intensity of one of said directed reference lightwaves in accordance with the selected light signal such that the identified incoming channel is switched to the identified outgoing channel.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
147 words
An optical communications network having a plurality of interconnected switching systems, comprising: a common reference light generating means including means for generating a plurality of reference lightwaves having different wavelengths; and optical transmission mediums for directing said reference beams to each of said switching systems; each of said switching systems including a plurality of terminals to which particular wavelength division multiplexed channels are respectively assigned for transmisssion of light signals, an optical multiplexer for multiplexing said light signals, and wavelength switching means for switching wavelength division multiplexed channels between different ones of said multiplexed light signals, said wavelength switching means comprising a plurality of wavelength modulating means for modulating one of said directed reference lightwaves with the light signal of a source terminal requesting a connection, and an optical demultiplexer for demultiplexing the switched multiplexed light signals and applying the demultiplexed light signals to said terminals, respectively.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
147 words
An optical communications network having a plurality of interconnected switching systems, comprising: a common reference light generating means including means for generating a plurality of reference lightwaves having different wavelengths; and optical transmission mediums for directing said reference beams to each of said switching systems; each of said switching systems including a plurality of terminals to which particular wavelength division multiplexed channels are respectively assigned for transmisssion of light signals, an optical multiplexer for multiplexing said light signals, and wavelength switching means for switching wavelength division multiplexed channels between different ones of said multiplexed light signals, said wavelength switching means comprising a plurality of wavelength modulating means for modulating one of said directed reference lightwaves with the light signal of a source terminal requesting a connection, and an optical demultiplexer for demultiplexing the switched multiplexed light signals and applying the demultiplexed light signals to said terminals, respectively.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
77 words
An optical communications network as claimed in claim 15, wherein said common reference light generating means includes an optical multiplexer for multiplexing said reference lightwaves into a single multiplexed beam, said optical transmission mediums directing said multiplexed light beam to each of said switching systems, each of said switching system comprising a beam splitter for splitting said directed light beam into several beams of said reference lightwaves and applying the last-mentioned beams to said wavelength modulating means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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