Patent EP0690651A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0690651A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Network comprising a space division photonic switch and a terminal
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1995-06-21
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2015-06-21
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides a communications network in which a space division photonic switch connects waveguides from two terminals and one of the terminals impresses data on an input signal to form an output signal which results in an efficient and secure network.
Inventors
- 👤 Nicholas J. Frigo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 09:39
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04Q; H04Q11/00; H04Q11/0001; H04Q11/0062; H04Q11/0067; H04Q11/0005; H04Q2011/0037; H04Q2011/0039; H04Q2011/009; H04Q2011/0092
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
166 words
An apparatus for providing communications between terminals in a telecommunications network comprising: at least one primary terminal comprising at least one waveguide loop; a remote node comprising a space division photonic switch, the space division photonic switch being responsive to control signals from a control network; a plurality of secondary terminals, each comprised of at least one waveguide loop and a first circuit comprised of a receiver and a modulator, the first circuit responsive to signals from a processor; wherein the space division photonic switch connects a waveguide loop of a primary terminal with a waveguide loop of a secondary terminal in response to a control signal from the control network; and wherein the first circuit of the secondary terminal receives an input data signal from the primary terminal via the connected waveguide loops, receives data from the processor, impresses the processor data on a portion of the input data signal to form an output data signal, and sends the output data signal to another terminal.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
99 words
A method of providing communications between terminals in a telecommunications network comprising: connecting a waveguide loop of a primary terminal with a waveguide loop of one of a plurality of secondary terminals in response to a control signal; receiving an input data signal at the secondary terminal from the primary terminal; separating the input data signal into first and second portions; sending the first portion of the input data signal to a processor; impressing data on the second portion of the input data signal to form an output data signal; and sending the output data signal to another terminal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 1 or the method of claim 2, wherein the output data signal is sent to the primary terminal, for example via the connected waveguide loops.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of remote nodes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor data is received either by wireless communication by the first circuit, or through a hardwired electrical connection by the first circuit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
109 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the space division photonic switch comprises an upstream switch and a downstream switch; the waveguide loop of the primary terminal comprises an input waveguide and an output waveguide; the waveguide loop of the secondary terminal comprises an input and an output waveguide; the downstream switch connects the output waveguide of the primary terminal with the input waveguide of the secondary terminal in response to a first control signal from the control network; and the upstream switch connects the input waveguide of the primary terminal with the output waveguide of the secondary terminal in response to a second control signal from the control network.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 1, or the method of claim 2, wherein the connected waveguide loops are optical fiber loops.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 6, or the method of claim 13, wherein the connected waveguide loops are optical fiber loops and the connected input and output waveguides are input and output optical fibers, respectively.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus of claim 1, or the method of claim 2, wherein the space division photonic switch is responsive either to an electrical control signal, or to a wireless control signal, or to a control signal derived from a terminal through a waveguide loop.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 1, or the method of claim 2, wherein the control signal is provided as a function of time.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 1, or the method of claim 2, wherein the primary terminal is a central office and each of the plurality of secondary terminals are optical network units.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
55 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first circuit of each of the plurality of secondary terminals is comprised of a coupler and a signal source, and wherein the coupler couples the signal from the signal source with the output data signal to form a coupled signal and sends the coupled signal to another terminal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
75 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the step of connecting a waveguide loop of a primary terminal with a waveguide loop one of a plurality of secondary terminals comprises either connecting an input waveguide of the primary terminal with an output waveguide of the secondary terminal in response to a control signal, or connecting an output waveguide of the primary terminal with an input waveguide of the secondary terminal in response to a control signal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the control signal is either an electrical control signal, or is an optical signal derived from a waveguide of a terminal, or is provided through wireless communication.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 2, further comprising coupling the output data signal with a signal from a separate signal source to form a coupled signal and sending the coupled signal to another terminal.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2972493A
Cited
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