Ronald Keith Garrison

US Patent:

6493119, Dec 10, 2002

Filed:

Aug 25, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/648518

Inventors:

Chien-Yu Kuo - Cupertino CA 95014
Niraj Gupta - Fremont CA 94539
Ronald Garrison - Richardson TX 75082

International Classification:

H04B 1020

US Classification:

359128, 359124, 359117

Abstract:

A network switch connecting N input optical fibers and N output optical fibers, each optical fiber carrying M wavelength channels. The network switch has a control unit, a plurality of demultiplexers connected to the input output optical fibers, a plurality of tunable channel units, a switch fabric and a plurality of combiners connected to the output optical fibers. The demultiplexers and tunable channel units provide the wavelength routing function and the switch fabric, which has MÃN switch points, switches signals from input optical fiber to output fiber so that the switch can switch signals from one wavelength channel to another and from one input optical fiber to one or more output optical fibers of the optical network. The switch fabric is formed from a plurality of switch modules, one switch module for each incoming wavelength channel. The switch modules are also formed from partitionable arrangements of switch elements and combiners so that the switch fabric and switch can be scaled up and reconfigured on an âas neededâ basis.