Fiber optic switching network

Claim 1

An optical network, said network comprising a plurality of node switches coupled to a first waveguide at a plurality of bypass portions of said first waveguide, each of said node switches including a second and a third waveguide and transducer means operative to controllably coupled said second and third waveguides to said first waveguide at an associated bypass portion therealong, said network also including control means responsive to input signals for applying command signals to said transducer means in a manner to selectively couple the associated second and third waveguides to said first waveguide along the associated bypass portion thereof, wherein each said transducer means is connected to said control means, wherein said waveguides comprise optical fibers, wherein said network includes a pair of receiving and transmitting nodes adapted for receiving from and transmitting information into said second and third optical fibers, respectively, of an associated one of said node switches, each said node switch being constructed to connect the associated pair of receiving and transmitting nodes to said first fiber through said associated ones of said second and third fibers, respectively, when said associated ones of said second and third fibers are coupled to the associated bypass portion of said first fiber, wherein said control means includes a control logic circuit arrangement for each said node switch, each said control logic circuit arrangement applying said command signals to the associated node switch in response to said input signals, and wherein said control means further includes central timing means for selectively supplying control signals to said control logic circuit arrangements.