Add Or Drop Patents (Class 398/83)
  • Patent number: 7349629
    Abstract: An optical network provides a digital interconnect fabric allowing nodes to seamlessly communicate with each other. Each node is connected to a bi-directional optical bus through passive optical interface devices. The optical interface devices route signals from each node onto the bus in both directions and also route signals traveling along the bus in either direction to each node. The optical interface devices and optical bus are passive and do not involve any regeneration of the electrical signals. The nodes are assigned wavelengths of transmission and have tunable receivers for selecting a wavelength of reception. The digital interconnect fabric facilitates Ethernet, Fibre Channel, and other digital communication protocols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: John Jesse Soderberg, Nelson Corby
  • Patent number: 7349628
    Abstract: A device and method for multiplexing or demultiplexing M optical signals, each having a different wavelength ?m. An MMI waveguide has a length such that each optical signal that propagates into the MMI waveguide at an i:th access waveguide, where i?N, and N is greater than or equal to 2, produces N self-images inside the MMI waveguide at a respective distance Im from the access waveguides. Each of M wavelength selective reflectors is arranged near a respective distance Im, wherein the m:th reflector reflects the optical signal carried by the m:th wavelength, where 2?m?M, while being substantially transparent to all other wavelengths. Each of M phase adjustors is arranged relative to a corresponding reflector, wherein the m:th phase adjustor adjusts the phase of the self-images of the optical signal carried by the m:th wavelength to create a single self-image at a selected output access waveguide when reflected by the m:th reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventor: Torsten Augustsson
  • Patent number: 7343096
    Abstract: System and methods for upgrading an optical add-drop multiplexer (OADM) to higher degree wavelength selective router (WSR)/wavelength selective switch (WSS) are disclosed. For example, an OADM of degree-2 may be provisioned for upgrades to degree-3 and higher. The existing links power and signal-to-noise (SNR) budgets are not significantly affected when the node is upgraded to a higher degree WSS/WSR. Cascaded power dividers and combiners may be used in conjunction with optical amplifiers and reconfigurable blocking filters to increase the number of paths over which an optical signal can be routed/switched without affecting the paths already utilized. Prior to enabling service on either an input or output fiber, taps and combiners are pre-provisioned so as to ensure that at least one additional transmission path is always available.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Ciena Corporation
    Inventor: Vipul Bhatnagar
  • Patent number: 7343066
    Abstract: A reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer (ROADM) includes a first optical dynamic gain equalization filter (DGEF) having a first input for receiving an initial wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) signal, a first output for sending a phase shifted WDM signal, and a second output connected to a demultiplexer for demultiplexing a WDM drop signal thereby producing a plurality of drop channels. A second DGEF having a first input for receiving the phase shifted WDM signal, a second input connected to a multiplexer, for multiplexing a plurality of add channels to produce thereby a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) add signal, and an output for sending a second adjusted WDM signal. The ROADM allows for the channels from the initial WDM signal to be dropped, added and equalized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Richard Doerr, Jean Gerardus Leonardus Jennen
  • Patent number: 7340176
    Abstract: An optical telecommunications network (1000), of metropolitan area type, having a ring type core (10), and secondary rings (41, 42; 43, 44). In each sending access node (11), transmitters (111) for sending information-carrying optical signals use a wavelength belonging to a group of wavelengths dedicated to the secondary ring (41, 42) to which this sending access node (11) is connected. In each destination access node (21), receivers (212) are capable of receiving all the wavelengths used by sending nodes (11) of the network. Communication nodes (1, 2) comprise all-optical devices (100, 101, 10; 201, 20) for inserting, into the core fiber (10), optical signals sent by a sending access node connected to the communication nodes. Optical couplers (31, 32), for taking from the core fiber (10) a so-called representative signal formed of a fraction of the power of each information-carrying signal, are respectively coupled to the receivers of the destination nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: ALCATEL
    Inventors: Francois Dorgeuille, Ludovic Noirie, Claude Artigue, Amaury Jourdan
  • Patent number: 7340174
    Abstract: A programmable optical add/drop multiplexer (OADM) implements add/drop function of optical signals from a number of cross-connected optical systems while treating issues of coherent cross-talk, chromatic dispersion, slope of dispersion and amplitude equalization. Input WDM (wavelength division multiplexed) optical signals from a number of optical systems are each de-multiplexed into a number of optical path signal that are routed through switches and then multiplexed into a number of output WDM optical signals. Problems with coherent cross-talk in optical path signals are eliminated by introducing equivalent optical path lengths between paths through which the optical path signals propagate and by introducing dead-bands between consecutive optical path signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: David W. Boertjes, Mark R. Hinds, Kieran J. Parsons, Simon Parry
  • Patent number: 7340175
    Abstract: Hierarchical hybrid optical networking is based on balancing cost and performance of optical networks by providing transparent (optical) switching of subsets of wavelengths in addition to opaque (electrical) switching of individual light paths. Effective use of wavelength-subset switching requires aggregating and deaggregating wavelength subsets in a simple, cost-effective manner. Non-uniform wavebands are introduced and analyzed their performance advantage as compared with uniform wavebands. Also proposed are several architectural options for a hierarchical hybrid optical cross-connect system that combines non-uniform wavebands and improved utilization of OEO ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Ting Wang, Rauf Izmailov, Ruixue Fan, Stephen Weinstein
  • Patent number: 7340172
    Abstract: An optical WDM-TDM network includes a plurality of devices, each of the devices including at least one optical add/drop device adapted to drop optical signals of at least one channel of a plurality of received channels and pass through the remaining channels, at least one receiver, for receiving the at least one dropped channel from the at least one optical add/drop device, an aggregation device for assembling optical signals from the at least one receiver into original data formats, at least one transmitter for transmitting wavelength division multiplexed optical signals on the plurality of channels, a de-aggregation device for disassembling input data into blocks of data to be transmitted as optical signals by the at least one transmitter, and a controller for processing a global timing schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Randy C. Giles, Iraj Saniee, Martin Zirngibl
  • Patent number: 7336901
    Abstract: A reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer is disclosed that enables Optical Multiplex Section (OMS) shared protection rings. The ROADM comprises a first optical supervisory module, coupled to a first amplifier module, which in turn is coupled to a first broadcast and select module, where the first broadcast and select module is coupled to both a first multiplexer/demultiplexer module and the first optical supervisory module. Each optical supervisory module has an optical tap for tapping a fraction of an outgoing OMS signal that is fed back or looped back to a 2×1 optical switch in the optical supervisory module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Avanex Corporation
    Inventor: Mark J. Soulliere
  • Patent number: 7330650
    Abstract: A bi-directional wavelength division multiplexing self-healing optical ring network is disclosed, in which N optical signals are processed at both first and second ring network so that a protection switch mechanism is performed when a link failure occurs in any one of the first and second ring networks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-Kwon Kim, Ki-Cheol Lee, Jun-Ho Koh
  • Publication number: 20080031627
    Abstract: An optical communication system having nodes that include add/drop units. The add/drop unit includes: a network input port for receiving optical energy having a plurality of different wavelengths from other nodes in the network; a network output port for coupling to destination nodes in the network; an add port for receiving optical energy having the plurality of different wavelengths from a local source for transmission to other nodes in the network; and a drop node for receiving optical energy from other nodes in the network for local processing. A wavelength demultiplexer is included to separate the plurality of wavelengths received by the network input port so that the electronically controllable beam steerer can process them individually. A wavelength multiplexer is included to combine the plurality of wavelengths received from the electronically controlled beam steerer for delivery to the network output port for transmission to other nodes in the network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2006
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Inventors: Irl W. Smith, William J. Miniscalco, Terry A. Dorschner
  • Patent number: 7327960
    Abstract: A receiver transponder to be used in an optical add and drop multiplexer connected in short haul type networks receives light signals from two opposite directions on input fibers (21, 23). The optical input signals are converted to electrical signals by O/E converters (51, 53). The output terminals of the converters are connected to an electronic switch (61) which handles protection switching in a protected ring type network. The output of the switch can be monitored (65) before, it enters a reshaping circuit (67) in which the signal is reshaped, cleansed from a supervisory channel and given a proper drive level for a following laser (69). The optical signal from the laser can travel a significant distance through a fiber (71) to a client receiver or sustain other forms of attenuation and still have a sufficient signal power for reliable detection. An electrical output signal can be provided (73) by the reshaping circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Cisco Systems (Sweden) AB
    Inventor: Lars Egnell
  • Patent number: 7324268
    Abstract: An optical amplification apparatus is provided comprising a plurality of fiber amplification media segments which are concatenated in series wherein subsequent to each fiber amplification media segment one or more wavelengths is dropped so as to exploit a gain versus fiber amplification media physical length characteristic. By exploiting the gain versus fiber amplification media physical length characteristic in such a manner it is possible to achieve a substantially flat gain response for a multi-wavelength output of the optical amplification apparatus. Some embodiments of the invention combine noise suppression and additional gain flattening on one or more wavelengths. Embodiments of the optical amplification apparatus can be used in red-band wavelength range applications of coarse wavelength division multiplexing (CWDM). Some embodiments of the invention also provide that the optical amplification apparatus can be used as a hybrid dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) and CWDM optical amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: BTI Photonic Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Lijie Qiao, Paul J. Vella
  • Patent number: 7321729
    Abstract: An optical network includes an optical ring having a plurality of subnets. The subnets each include one or more add/drop nodes that are coupled to the optical ring and that passively add and drop traffic to and from the optical ring in one or more wavelengths. The optical network also includes a plurality of gateway nodes that are each coupled to the optical ring at a boundary between neighboring subnets. Each gateway node forwards a first copy of a received optical signal to a multiplexer/demultiplexer unit of the gateway node, which selectively forwards or terminates the traffic in each wavelength of the first copy. The gateway nodes also forward a second copy of the received optical signal to a regeneration element. The gateway nodes selectively forward or terminate the traffic in each wavelength of the first copy at the multiplexer/demultiplexer unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Ashwin Anil Gumaste, Susumu Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 7321704
    Abstract: A wavelength cross connect is provided in which there is a dispersive arrangement per port for each input port and each output port. Some of the dispersive arrangements have differing characteristics so as to result in different performances at the ports. The dispersive arrangements can differ in the selection of different dispersive elements or differing coupling optics. A particular implementation features a first set of waveguide dispersive elements having first performance characteristics, and a second set of waveguide dispersive elements having second performance characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: JDS Uniphase Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Ducellier, Alan Hnatiw, Puja Sehgal, Eliseo Ranalli
  • Publication number: 20080013953
    Abstract: An optical node includes a reconfigurable optical add drop multiplexer (ROADM) core configured to transmit optical signals of multiple-wavelengths to and receive optical signals of multiple-wavelengths from another optical node via a network interface, and to add optical signals thereto and to drop optical signals therefrom. The node also includes two of a colorless optical add/drop device, a colored optical add/drop device, and a spur optical device configured to receive signals from the network interface and output the received signals from a spur interface, to add signals that are output from the spur interface without passing through the network interface, to receive signals from the spur interface and transmit the received signals to the ROADM core and the network interface, and to receive signals from the spur interface and drop the received signals without passing through the network interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2007
    Publication date: January 17, 2008
    Applicant: TELLABS OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Mark E. Boduch, Kimon Papakos, Gilbert A. Buescher
  • Publication number: 20080013954
    Abstract: An optical node includes a reconfigurable optical add drop multiplexer (ROADM) core configured to transmit optical signals of multiple wavelengths to and receive optical signals of multiple wavelengths from another optical node. The ROADM core is also configured to add optical signals thereto and to drop optical signals therefrom. The node also includes two different types of add-on devices, each connected to the ROADM core device and configured to process optical signals of multiple wavelengths. As a result, a multifunctional and reconfigurable optical node can be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2007
    Publication date: January 17, 2008
    Applicant: TELLABS OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Mark E. Boduch, Kimon Papakos, Gilbert A. Buescher
  • Publication number: 20070286605
    Abstract: A tunable bidirectional multiplexer/demultiplexer (MUX/DEMUX) is disclosed for adding and dropping wavelength channels between an optical transmission system and at least one optical transceiver. The MUX/DEMUX includes at least one add port for adding wavelength channels to the optical transmission system, at least one drop port for dropping wavelength channels from the optical transmission system, and at least one first optical circulator coupled to the at least one drop port and the at least one add port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2006
    Publication date: December 13, 2007
    Inventors: Mark D. Feuer, Sheryl L. Woodward
  • Patent number: 7308205
    Abstract: In an optical transmission apparatus in which a plurality of nodes are optically connected to one another via an optical transmission path, a light signal which is coded so that a mixture ratio of 1 and 0 constituting data is made close to 50% is transmitted through the optical transmission path. When a light signal is not emitted from all of the nodes, a dummy signal which is an AC-like signal is emitted to the optical transmission path. Therefore, an optoelectric conversion section can be always set to an active state, and the signal recognizability can be prevented from being lowered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinobu Ozeki, Akira Toshima, Masao Funada, Kenichi Kobayashi, Hidenori Yamada, Takeshi Kamimura, Yoshihide Sato, Junji Okada, Takehiro Niitsu, Shinya Kyozuka, Kazuhiro Sakai, Kazuhiro Suzuki, Tomo Baba, Tsutomu Hamada, Masaru Kijima, Osamu Takanashi, Masaaki Miura, Osamu Ueno
  • Patent number: 7308201
    Abstract: A node is provided in an optical communications network that utilizes a first set of add/drop filter elements for extracting and combining optical signals that are carried on wavelength division multiplexed channels in a first wavelength band. Additionally, an extraction element and a combining element for dropping and adding a service channel associated with the wavelength division multiplexed channels. The extraction element is arranged downstream of the add/drop filter elements. The extraction and combining elements are additionally adapted to drop and add, respectively, at least one further wavelength band carrying at least one optical traffic data channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Ulf A. Persson, Magnus G. Öberg
  • Publication number: 20070274724
    Abstract: In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, wavelength selective switch (WSS) design configurations for mesh light-trails are provided. In a particular embodiment, a node included in an optical network comprises a first light access unit operable to add or drop local traffic and a first WSS assembly communicatively coupled to the first light access unit and comprising at least four WSSs, at least two input ports, and at least four output ports, the four WSSs configured to direct any input traffic in any wavelength received at one of the input ports to the first light access unit and/or to any of the output ports.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2006
    Publication date: November 29, 2007
    Inventor: Ashwin A. Gumaste
  • Patent number: 7302138
    Abstract: The present invention comprises an arrayed waveguide grating member, a taper multimode interference coupler and a taper optical attenuator to uniform and flatten a passband in an optical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Way-Seen Wang
    Inventor: Hung-Chih Lu
  • Patent number: 7295744
    Abstract: A frequency-selective light coupler-decoupler device comprising a component of photonic crystal structure in which there is formed a waveguide having at least one longitudinal edge with a small number of rows of periodic elements of the photonic crystal so as to form coupling zones between the waveguide and the outside of the photonic crystal at coupling frequencies that are determined in particular by the width of the waveguide and/or by the spatial period of the photonic crystal elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Centre National de la Recherche
    Inventors: Henri Benisty, Emilie Schwoob
  • Patent number: 7295777
    Abstract: A communication system includes a plurality of nodes and a plurality of point-to-point links that interconnect the plurality of nodes into a network. Each node includes an optical switch to controllably route a plurality of in-ports of the optical switch into a plurality of out-ports of the optical switch. Each point-to-point link includes a free space optical channel. A first free space optical channel couples to a first node through a receive path and through a transmit path. The receive path couples to a respective in-port of the optical switch of the first node, and the transmit path couples to a respective out-port of the optical switch of the first node. In an alternative embodiment, a communication hub includes a plurality of neighborhood links to corresponding users, an optical switch coupled to the plurality of neighborhood links, and a trunk coupled between the optical switch and a free space optical channel link to the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: David M. Britz, Jeevan Prakash Dodley, Lih-Yuan Lin, Robert R. Miller
  • Patent number: 7292786
    Abstract: A system for a re-configurable optical de-multiplexer, multiplexer or add/drop multiplexer is provided. A re-configurable de-multiplexer system comprises a wavelength selective switch having an input port, an output port and an internal port; a wavelength division de-multiplexer (WDM) optically coupled to the internal port and a plurality of dropped-channel ports optically coupled to the WDM. The wavelength selective switch receives a plurality of input wavelength-division multiplexed channels from the input port and routes a first subset of the channels to the output port and a second subset of channels to the internal port and then to the WDM. The WDM separates each of the dropped channels to a different respective one of the channel ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Avanex Corporation
    Inventors: Giovanni Barbarossa, Song Peng, Ming Li
  • Patent number: 7292787
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the selected-wavelength tuning apparatus which is provided with an AOTF, a radio-frequency signal generator, an optical detector, and a controller for detecting lights emitted from the AOTF with the optical detector and for controlling a frequency of the radio-frequency generator so as to detect a light of predetermined wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Yutaka Kai, Hiroshi Onaka, Yoshihiro Saito, Kazumasa Kubotera
  • Patent number: 7286763
    Abstract: An optical add/drop multiplexer (OADM) adapted to route optical signals having at least two different bit rates. The OADM has at least two sets of DWDM channels, e.g., with channels in a first set having a first bandwidth value suitable for the transmission of 10-Gb/s signals and channels in a second set having a second bandwidth value suitable for the transmission of 40-Gb/s signals. The first and second sets occupy two different spectral bands and the first set has two subsets of interleaved channels. In one embodiment, the OADM has first and second optical branches adapted to process optical signals corresponding to first and second groups of channels, respectively. The first group includes a first subset from the first set while the second group includes the second set and a second subset from the first set. Advantageously, OADMs of the invention may be used to create independent processing paths for different groups of channels. As a result, a communication system having those OADMs can be upgraded, e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel A. Fishman, Xiang Liu, Vincent John Silverio, William A. Thompson, Jinpin Ying
  • Patent number: 7286760
    Abstract: Wavelength assignment schemes that provide full-connectivity in RANs with fixed-tuned OADMs. In the first scheme, wavelengths are assigned to nodes according to Hadamard code, and in the second scheme, bands of contiguous wavelengths are assigned to nodes. Simulation results show that on the average, the Hadamard wavelength assignment schemes approach the performance of RANs with OADMs that add-drop all wavelengths, while saving 50% of the TDM terminals. The saving of TDM terminals by using wavelength tunable OADMs vary in different cases. Tunable OADMs are advantageous for lower traffic granularity and more interactions of a RAN with the outside network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: AT&T, Corp.
    Inventors: Cedric F. Lam, Aleksandra Smiljanic
  • Patent number: 7286764
    Abstract: An optical add and drop multiplexer system comprising a first module for providing a first signal; a second module for providing a second signal; and a modulator for receiving a channel of the first signal at a first location, the first location configured to actuate between a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein the modulator directs the channel of the first signal as an output signal when the first location is in the first configuration. The modulator may direct the channel of the first signal as a dropped signal when the first location is in the second configuration. The modulator may also receive a channel of the second signal from the second module at a second location configured to independently actuate between the first configuration and the second configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Silicon Light Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jahja I. Trisnadi, Clinton B. Carlisle
  • Patent number: 7283740
    Abstract: An optical network includes a plurality of subnets. The subnets each include a plurality of add/drop nodes coupled to the optical ring and operable to passively add and drop traffic to and from the optical ring. The network further includes a plurality of gateway nodes. The gateway nodes are each coupled to the optical ring at a boundary between neighboring subnets and operable to selectively pass and terminate wavelengths between subnets to allow wavelength reuse in the subnets and to provide protection switching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Susumu Kinoshita, Koji Takeguchi, Ashwin Anil Gumaste
  • Patent number: 7283749
    Abstract: This invention provides a new architecture for a communication system between head-ends and end-users which expands bandwidth and reliability of the communication system. A mux-node receives communication signals from a head-end and forwards the received communication signals to one or more mini-fiber nodes. The connection to the head-end is via a small number of optical fibers and the connections to each of the mini-fiber nodes may be via one or more optical fibers that may provide full duplex communication. The head-end may communicate with the mux-node using digital or digital and analog signals. The mini-fiber nodes may combine the signals received from the head-end with loop-back signals used for local media access control prior to forwarding the signals to the end-users. Upstream data are received by the mini-fiber nodes and transmitted to the mux-node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Charles D. Combs, Thomas Edward Darcie, Bhavesh N. Desai, Alan H. Gnauck, Xiaolin Lu, Esteban Sandino, Oleh J. Sniezko, Anthony G. Werner, Sheryl Leigh Woodward
  • Patent number: 7283739
    Abstract: An optical network includes an optical ring and at least three subnets. Each subnet includes a plurality of add/drop nodes coupled to the optical ring. The add/drop nodes are operable to passively add a first traffic stream in a first direction on the optical ring and a second traffic stream in a second direction on the optical ring. The first traffic stream comprises different content than the second traffic stream, and the first traffic stream and the second traffic stream are transmitted on the same wavelength. The network also includes a plurality of gateway nodes. The gateway nodes are each coupled to the optical ring at a boundary between neighboring subnets and are operable to selectively pass and terminate wavelengths between subnets to allow wavelength reuse in the subnets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Susumu Kinoshita, Koji Takeguchi, Ashwin Anil Gumaste
  • Patent number: 7280761
    Abstract: An optical level calculator calculates optical powers of individual wavelengths of a through wavelength division multiplexed signal based on an input level monitor, network information, and insertion loss information 5, and obtains an optimum level for an add signal. An optical level controller controls a power of the add optical signal to the optimal level based on the calculated result, and multiplexes the through wavelength division multiplexed signal and the add optical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Aono
  • Patent number: 7280758
    Abstract: An optical multi-ring network for burst data communication is disclosed. The multi-ring network includes a plurality of optical single-ring networks having a plurality of optical add/drop routers connected with each other through fiber links, and a core optical router for supporting communication between the optical single-ring networks. The core optical router includes a wavelength division demultiplexing section for demultiplexing optical signals received from the each single-ring network and outputting the demultiplexed optical signals as channels whose wavelengths are different from each other; a branching section for branching off and outputting a portion of each channel; and a switching section for switching each channel to a path directed to the destination of each channel according to a first control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang-Hyun Doh, Se-Kang Park, Ki-Cheol Lee, Yun-Je Oh, Byung-Chang Kang
  • Patent number: 7280720
    Abstract: A tunable optical filter comprises an optical switch having a single first optical port and a plurality of second optical ports; a plurality of band pass filters, each one of the band pass filters optically coupled to a respective second optical port; and an optical multiplexer having a plurality of inputs and a single output, each input optically coupled to a respective band pass filter, wherein the optical switch delivers a plurality of optical channels to a selected one of the band pass filters, the selected band pass filter transmitting a single selected optical channel to an input of the optical multiplexer. Alternatively, the multiplexer may be substituted by a second optical switch. Optionally, the band pass filters may reflect other channels back to the plurality of second optical ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Inventors: Giovanni Barbarossa, Ming Li, Song Peng
  • Patent number: 7280754
    Abstract: Disclosed is a two-fiber optical ring network having a plurality of nodes linked by first and second fiber optic links, wherein each node comprises a first splitting section for splitting optical signals from optical signals traveling through the first fiber into the protection channels; a first add/drop section for performing adding and/or dropping optical signals passing through the first splitting section to a plurality of channels; a first switching section for combining optical signals in the protection channels to the first fiber when there is no link failure between adjacent nodes and for combining optical signals in the protection channels to the second fiber when there is a link failure between adjacent nodes; and, a controlling section for identifying whether or not the optical link failure occurs in the fibers and for generating a control signal to activate a restoration process according to the identified outcome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang-Hyun Doh, Ki-Cheol Lee, Yun-Je Oh
  • Patent number: 7280760
    Abstract: An OADM includes optical input and output; first and second bandpass filters with a first pass band, optically coupled to the optical input and output, respectively; third and fourth bandpass filters with a second pass band, optically coupled to reflection ports of the first and second bandpass filters, respectively; first and second cascaded series of channel filter assemblies optically coupled to the transmission ports of the first and second bandpass filters, respectively, and third and fourth cascaded series of channel filter assemblies optically coupled to the transmission ports of the third and fourth bandpass filters, respectively. The OADM may be extended or upgraded so as to accommodate the throughput of additional channels or wavelengths by extending the number of filters within each cascaded series of bandpass filters, where the transmission ports of the additional bandpass filters are optically coupled to respective additional cascaded series of channel filter assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Avanex Corporation
    Inventors: Li Zou, Giovanni Barbarossa
  • Patent number: 7277640
    Abstract: The present invention overcomes problems associated with switch isolation, noise and crosstalk suppression, insertion loss, spurious reflections, wavelength tolerance, and compactness that are present in varying degrees in other add/drop systems. The present invention includes devices or components that include, but are not limited to high efficiency switchable gratings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Avago Technologies Fiber IP (Singapore) Pte Ltd
    Inventor: Thomas W. Stone
  • Patent number: 7277639
    Abstract: Disclosed is a bi-directional optical add/drop multiplexer connected to an optical fiber for transmitting optical signals multiplexed in a wavelength division multiplexing optical network and which performs adding/dropping of the optical signals. The optical add/drop multiplexer includes a first wavelength division multiplexer provided with a multiplexing port functioning as a path for forward or backward optical signals and with a plurality of demultiplexing ports, each functioning as a path of demultiplexed channels. A plurality of add/drop parts, each performing adding/dropping of preset channels, and connected with the demultiplexing ports of the first wavelength division multiplexer in one-to-one. A second wavelength division multiplexer connected with the plurality of add/drop parts in one-to-one, provided with a plurality of demultiplexing ports, each functioning as a path for demultiplexed channels and with a multiplexing port functioning as a path for forward or backward optical signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-Kwon Kim, Ki-Cheol Lee, Seong-Taek Hwang, Jun-Ho Koh
  • Patent number: 7277638
    Abstract: An add-drop multiplexer has a group filter that divides an incoming WDM signal into several channel groups of corresponding adjacent WDM channels. A reconfiguration module is connected to each channel group. A first type of module makes it possible to perform a manual configuration of the Add-Drop channels and the coupled WDM channel while a second type of module makes it possible to carry out remote configuration. A fourth type of module enables remote configuration of the drop-continue channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Detlef Stoll, Patrick Leisching, Harald Bock, Hubert Jäger
  • Patent number: 7274878
    Abstract: Dispersion compensation values are set so as to be transmittable to any path groups in a WDM optical communication system having OADM nodes, which includes transmitting-end and receiving-end terminal nodes; a WDM optical communication transmission line including a plurality of spans each having an optical fiber, the plurality of spans joining the transmitting-end and receiving-end terminal nodes; and a plurality of add drop multiplexing (OADM) nodes disposed on the optical communication transmission line; wherein when taking as the reference a residual dispersion target value of between the transmitting-end terminal and receiving-end terminal nodes, a residual dispersion target value for a node segment between one of the terminal nodes and one of the add drop multiplexing (OADM) nodes and a residual dispersion target value for a node-to-node segment between two of the add drop multiplexing (OADM) nodes are set so as to be proportional to ratios of the span counts in the node segment and in the node-to-node se
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Motoyoshi Sekiya, Kazuo Yamane, Ryosuke Goto, Satoru Okano, Takehito Okeno
  • Patent number: 7272311
    Abstract: Disclosed is an optical ring network for burst data communication having a plurality of core nodes connected with each other through fiber links. Each core node comprises a demultiplexer for demultiplexing a received optical signal into a plurality of channels by wavelength, an add/drop section for dropping channels selected from the plurality of channels based on a control signal, a multiplexer for multiplexing and outputting the plurality of channels inputted through the add/drop section, a branching section arranged between the demultiplexer and the add/drop section for branching off channel portions from each channel, and a controller for recognizing destinations for frames with each channel modulated and outputting the control signal for dropping the selected channels to the add/drop section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang-Hyun Doh, Ki-Cheol Lee, Se-Kang Park, Yun-Je Oh
  • Patent number: 7269356
    Abstract: An add-side laser in an optical device, such as an add/drop multiplexer OADM, provides not only a source for an add-side wavelength to be added to an output of the device, but also a reference for a receive-side coherent receiver that is included in the optical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Peter J. Winzer
  • Patent number: 7266299
    Abstract: A tunable add/drop&continue or drop&continue module comprises two optical filters where at least one is tunable and that are arranged following one another between a branching unit for optical signals and an insertion unit follow a branching unit for optical signals. The reflection attenuation of the one tunable optical filter is lower and the transmission attenuation higher than that of the other optical filter, as a result of which the drop&continue function of the module can be realized without high circuit-oriented expense.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Harald Bock, Patrick Leisching, Alexander Richter, Detlef Stoll
  • Patent number: 7266297
    Abstract: A bit-rate-transparent electrical space-division switching matrix is employed in an optical cross-connect and the input/output stage is constructed from simple, broadband optical receivers and transmitters. Since the switching matrix operates in unclocked manner, i.e. its switching function is not based on internal bit timing and frame timing, arbitrary signals can be switched though transparently at almost any bit rate, independently of the protocol-type being used. The inputs and outputs likewise operate fully independently of bit rate and protocol, since they only implement an O/E conversion or O/E conversion. By virtue of this structure, a simply constructed but extremely powerful optical cross-connect is created that can be employed equally for all types of optical signals within the stipulated wavelength-range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Alcatel
    Inventors: Udo Schafer, Thoams Diehl, Hermann Zoll
  • Patent number: 7266295
    Abstract: A modular reconfigurable multi-server system with hybrid optical and electrical switching fabrics for high-speed networking within a wavelength-division-multiplexed based photonic burst-switched (PBS) network with variable time slot provisioning. An optical high-speed I/O module within the multi-server system includes an optical switch with the control interface unit. A server module of the multi-server system statistically multiplexes IP packets and/or Ethernet frames to be transmitted over the PBS network, generate control and data bursts and schedule their transmission. Then, the server E-O converts the bursts, and then transmits the optical bursts to the optical I/O module. The optical I/O module then optically transmits the bursts to the next hop in the optical path after processing the optical control burst to configure the optical switch, which then optically switches the optical data burst without performing an O-E-O conversion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Shiomo Ovadia, Mario Paniccia, Kirk R. Hayden
  • Patent number: 7266300
    Abstract: A bi-directional path switched ring optical transmission node has simple configuration which reduces the influence of a wave reflected by an obstacle on optical line.The BPSR optical transmission node connects to a first optical line through which an odd channel signal and an even channel signal are transmitted to and from the BPSR optical transmission node in direction opposite to each other. The BPSR optical transmission node further connects to a second optical line through which the odd channel signal and the even channel signal are transmitted from and to the BPSR optical transmission node in direction opposite to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-Kee Kim, Young-Hun Joo, Seong-Taek Hwang
  • Patent number: 7257120
    Abstract: Associated with an optical transport system, a packet oriented supervisory network provides differentiated classes of service (CoS) for a plurality of WDM layer applications on diverse nodes such that as soon as a higher priority application or packet arrives, the lower priority application is affected in favor of the higher one. One or more optical control channels (OSC) are used as the physical medium for implementing the packet oriented supervisory network of the invention. This new functionality of the optical control channel (OSC) enables multiple services by allowing each application to use up to 100% of the OSC bandwidth, if no other application is using it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Ross Alexander Saunders, Vipul Rawat, Enos Avid Lemus-Tejada, Masood Ehsen Azad, Ketan Bhalla, Dan Fossum
  • Patent number: 7254333
    Abstract: A WDM (Wavelength Division Multiplex) terminal device located in a WDM network includes a multiplexing unit that multiplexes a wavelength of a client signal having a single wavelength or a wavelength of at least one of a first plurality of client signals whose wavelengths are multiplexed, to wavelengths of a second plurality of client signals received with their wavelengths being multiplexed, and transmits the second plurality of client signals. Thus, the WDM terminal device can multiplex wavelengths of a plurality of client signals received from a metro WDM terminal device located at a distant place, to a wavelength of another client signal without separating the plurality of client signals by each wavelength, thereby achieving accommodation of a plurality of client signals whose wavelengths are multiplexed, at low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Takayuki Shimizu
  • Patent number: 7254336
    Abstract: A method is provided for seamless migration from a scaleable optical add/drop multiplexer to a network switching node in an optical transport network. The method includes: providing a pre-deployed optical add/drop multiplexer (OADM) at a network node in the optical transport network; introducing an additional optical add/drop multiplexer (OADM) at the network node; and interconnecting the pre-deployed OADM to the additional OADM using a photonic cross-connect switch, where the photonic cross-connect switch is operable to route optical signals amongst the optical transport lines connected to the pre-deployed OADM and the upgraded OADM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Gordon Harney, Jonathan Bosloy, Hanan Anis, Reza Paiam, John Gruber