Optical crossconnect apparatus and optical transmission system
| Title: | Optical crossconnect apparatus and optical transmission system |
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| Patent Number: | 7,272,314 |
| Publication Date: | September 18, 2007 |
| Appl. No: | 10/924976 |
| Application Filed: | August 25, 2004 |
| Abstract: | An optical crossconnect apparatus which includes one terminal connected to a transmission path from one optical transmission terminal station and another terminal connected to a transmission path from another optical transmission terminal station, a first optical signal switch having “M1” ports and “N1” ports, through which the optical signal can pass, a second optical signal switch having “M2” ports and “N2” ports, through which the optical signal can pass, and “L” optical signal repeaters, one end connected to the “N1” ports of the first optical signal switch, and the other end connected to the “N2” ports of the second optical switch. The “N1” and the “N2” ports are equal to “L” optical signal repeaters. The “M1” ports of the first optical signal switch connected to the one terminal, and the “M2” ports of the second optical signal switch connected to the other terminal are larger than, or equal to 2. |
| Inventors: | Fukashiro, Yasuyuki (Yokohama, JP); Hayashi, Yukio (Fujisawa, JP); Kitajima, Shigeki (Kawasaki, JP); Kanetake, Tatsuo (Kawasaki, JP); Takatori, Masahiro (Yokohama, JP); Hanatani, Shoichi (Richardson, TX, US); Sano, Hirohisa (Dallas, TX, US) |
| Assignees: | Hitachi, Ltd. (Tokyo, JP) |
| Claim: | 1. An optical crossconnect apparatus, comprising: a plurality of optical signal input units which receive optical signals from optical transmission paths, respectively, a plurality of optical signal output units which transmit optical signals to other optical transmission paths, respectively, an optical signal switching unit which sets arbitrarily an optical signal path between a plurality of inputs and a plurality of outputs in which part of the plurality of inputs are connected to the respective optical signal input units and part of the plurality of outputs are connected to the respective optical signal output units, which provides an optical signal path between the optical signal switching unit providing optical signal paths between the optical signal input units and the optical signal output units; a first optical signal repeater, which is connected to a first output and a first input of the optical signal switching unit, receives an optical signal from the first output, and applies a predetermined process to the received optical signal to be supplied to the first input; a second optical signal repeater, which is connected to a second output and a second input of the optical signal switching unit, receives an optical signal from the second output, and applies a predetermined process to the received optical signal to be supplied to the second input; and a control unit which provides optical paths between the inputs and the outputs of the optical signal switching unit and monitors the first optical signal repeater and the second optical repeater, wherein when the optical signal switching unit supplies an optical signal from an arbitrary input to the first output and supplies the optical signal which passed through the first optical signal repeater from the first input to an arbitrary output, the control unit sets an optical path between the arbitrary input and the second output and between the second input and the arbitrary output in order to use the second optical signal repeater, when the first optical signal repeater has a failure and the control unit recognizes the second optical repeater as being in a normal condition. |
| Claim: | 2. The optical crossconnect apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the optical signal repeater includes an optical amplifier and/or regenerative repeater. |
| Current U.S. Class: | 398/56 |
| Patent References Cited: | 5069521 December 1991 Hardwick 5091796 February 1992 Nishimura et al. 5109296 April 1992 Fukushima et al. 5416769 May 1995 Karol 5442623 August 1995 Wu 5457556 October 1995 Shiragaki 5663820 September 1997 Shiragaki 5724167 March 1998 Sabella 5751868 May 1998 Bala et al. 5754320 May 1998 Watanabe et al. 5774245 June 1998 Baker 5805320 September 1998 Kuroyanagi et al. 5870212 February 1999 Nathan et al. 5914798 June 1999 Liu 5923449 July 1999 Doerr et al. 6005694 December 1999 Liu 6038044 March 2000 Fee et al. 6046832 April 2000 Fishman 6160928 December 2000 Schroeder 6192172 February 2001 Fatehi et al. 6256125 July 2001 Uehara 6317230 November 2001 Kitajima et al. 6362905 March 2002 Fukashiro et al. 6414771 July 2002 Al-Salameh et al. 6532089 March 2003 Asahi 03149527 June 1991 07336296 December 1995 08008819 January 1996 08186559 July 1996 |
| Other References: | “A Novel Optical Cross-connect System for Hitless Optical Network Reconfiguration”, Shiragaki et al, Autumn, 1993, IEICE. cited by other “Novel Optical Cross-connect Architecture for Restoration in Backbone Networks”, Sano et al, Apr. 1997, Royal Institute of Technology. cited by other Japanese Electronic Telecommunication Institute Communication Society Conference, 1996, B-1070, pp. 555, “Supervising of Optical Paths Utilizing Pilot Toues in Optical Path Transport Network” by Y. Hamazumi et al. cited by other Japanese Electronic Telecommunication Communication Institute, Autumn Conference, 1993, SB-8-1, 4-371, 4-372, “A Novel Optical Cross-connect System for Hitless Optical Network Reconfiguration” by T. Shiragaki et al. cited by other Japanese Electronic Telecommunication Institute Communication Society Conference, 1996, B-1083, “Characteristics of Low Insertion Loss Optical Cross-connect System for Large Capacity Transmissions”, by S. Kitajima, et al. cited by other M. Bischoff, et al “Operation and Maintenance for an All-Optical Transport Network”, IEEE Communications Magazine, IEEE Service Center, vol. 34, No. 11, Nov. 1996, pp. 136-142. cited by other A. Himeno, et al “Photonic Inter-Module Connector using 8×8 Optical Switches for Near-Future Electronic Switching Systems” IEICE Transactions on Communications, Communications Society, vol. E77-B, No. 2, Feb. 1, 1994, pp. 155-162. cited by other |
| Assistant Examiner: | Wang, Quan-Zhen |
| Primary Examiner: | Chan, Jason |
| Attorney, Agent or Firm: | Mattingly, Stanger, Malur & Brundidge, P.C. |
| Accession Number: | edspgr.07272314 |
| Database: | USPTO Patent Grants |
| Language: | English |
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