Dark fiber switched bandwidth filter

Claim 1

A device for affecting an individual bit rate limitation for each of a plurality of wavelength channels propagating in an optical fiber link, said device comprising: a directional coupler inserted into said optical fiber link, and a recirculation path extending between an output of said coupler and an input of said coupler, said coupler serving to direct a fraction of the power propagating in said optical fiber link to said recirculation path, said recirculation path including a wavelength division multiplexing means for the purpose of separating said fraction of said power into said plurality of wavelength channels and a plurality of delay elements for delaying each of said wavelength channels in said recirculation path by an individual amount.

Claim 2

A device for affecting an individual bit rate limitation for each of a plurality of wavelength channels propagating in an optical fiber link, said device comprising: a directional coupler inserted into said optical fiber link, and a recirculation path extending between an output of said coupler and an input of said coupler, said coupler serving to direct a fraction of the power propagating in said optical fiber link to said recirculation path, said recirculation path including a wavelength division multiplexing means for the purpose of separating said fraction of said power into said plurality of wavelength channels and a plurality of delay elements for delaying each of said wavelength channels in said recirculation path by an individual amount.

Claim 3

A device for affecting bit rate limitations for a plurality of individual wavelength channels propagating in an optical fiber link, said device comprising a directional coupler inserted into said optical fiber link, a recirculation path extending between an output of said coupler and an input of said coupler, said coupler serving to direct a fraction of the power propagating in said optical fiber link to said recirculation path, said recirculation path including wavelength division multiplexing means for the purpose of separating said fraction of said power into said plurality of wavelength channels, optical delay means, and switch means located between said demultiplexing means and said delay means for selectively transmitting selected ones of said channels to said delay means, whereby wavelength channels transmitted by said switch means for bit rate limited and wavelength channels not transmitted by said switch means are not bit rate limited.

Claim 4

A device for affecting bit rate limitations for a plurality of individual wavelength channels propagating in an optical fiber link, said device comprising a directional coupler inserted into said optical fiber link, a recirculation path extending between an output of said coupler and an input of said coupler, said coupler serving to direct a fraction of the power propagating in said optical fiber link to said recirculation path, said recirculation path including wavelength division multiplexing means for the purpose of separating said fraction of said power into said plurality of wavelength channels, optical delay means, and switch means located between said demultiplexing means and said delay means for selectively transmitting selected ones of said channels to said delay means, whereby wavelength channels transmitted by said switch means for bit rate limited and wavelength channels not transmitted by said switch means are not bit rate limited.

Claim 7

A device for affecting bit rate limitations for a plurality of individual wavelength channels propagating in an optical fiber link, said device comprising a directional coupler inserted into said optical fiber link, a recirculation path extending between an output of said coupler and an input of said coupler, said coupler serving to direct a fraction of the optical power propagating in said optical fiber link to said recirculation path, said recirculation path including: wavelength division multiplexing means connected to said output of said coupler, a plurality of optical delay elements havingdifferent delay values, and switch means for connecting individual wavelength channels outputted by said multiplexing means to different ones of said delay elements so that individual ones of said wavelength channels may be bit rate limited by different amounts.

Claim 8

A device for affecting bit rate limitations for a plurality of individual wavelength channels propagating in an optical fiber link, said device comprising a directional coupler inserted into said optical fiber link, a recirculation path extending between an output of said coupler and an input of said coupler, said coupler serving to direct a fraction of the optical power propagating in said optical fiber link to said recirculation path, said recirculation path including: wavelength division multiplexing means connected to said output of said coupler, a plurality of optical delay elements havingdifferent delay values, and switch means for connecting individual wavelength channels outputted by said multiplexing means to different ones of said delay elements so that individual ones of said wavelength channels may be bit rate limited by different amounts.

Claim 9

A device for affecting an individual bit rate limitation for each of a plurality of individual wavelength channels propagating in an optical fiber lin, said device comprising first and second propagation paths, means associated with said optical fiber link for dividing the optical power propagating in said fiber link between said first and second propagation paths, means located in said second propagation path for separating optical radiation propagating in said second propagation path into said individual wavelength channels, and a plurality of delay elements located in said second propagation path for providing each of said wavelength channels with an individual delay relative to said first propagation path, so that each of said individual wavelength channels is bit rate limited by a different amount.

Claim 10

A device for affecting an individual bit rate limitation for each of a plurality of individual wavelength channels propagating in an optical fiber lin, said device comprising first and second propagation paths, means associated with said optical fiber link for dividing the optical power propagating in said fiber link between said first and second propagation paths, means located in said second propagation path for separating optical radiation propagating in said second propagation path into said individual wavelength channels, and a plurality of delay elements located in said second propagation path for providing each of said wavelength channels with an individual delay relative to said first propagation path, so that each of said individual wavelength channels is bit rate limited by a different amount.

Claim 12

A device for affecting bit rate limitations for a plurality of wavelength channels propagating in an optical fiber link, said device comprising first and second propagation paths, said second propagation path providing a delay for optical power propagating therein relative to said first propagation path, means associated with the optical fiber link for dividing the optical power propagating therein between the first and second propagation paths, and optical switch means for selectively enabling particular ones of said wavelength channels to propagate in said second propagation path.

Claim 13

A device for affecting bit rate limitations for a plurality of wavelength channels propagating in an optical fiber link, said device comprising first and second propagation paths, said second propagation path providing a delay for optical power propagating therein relative to said first propagation path, means associated with the optical fiber link for dividing the optical power propagating therein between the first and second propagation paths, and optical switch means for selectively enabling particular ones of said wavelength channels to propagate in said second propagation path.