Reconfigurable Optical Add-Drop Multiplexer

Abstract

A reconfigurable optical device including input and output ports, and add or drop ports, has a high degree of flexibility such that any wavelength channel from any optical signal introduced through the add ports may be added to any of the optical signals transmitted through the output ports. In addition, any wavelength channel from any optical signal received through the inputs ports may be dropped through any of the drop ports. Furthermore, the optical device is configurable to allow the same wavelength channel from two different optical signals supplied respectively through any two inputs ports to be simultaneously directed to two different drop ports.

1 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A method of adding or dropping wavelength channels to and from optical signals passing through a reconfigurable optical device having an array of filter switches each of which includes a mirror that is rotatable about first and second axes, the method comprising:
 rotating a mirror of one of the filter switches about a first axis to select one of the optical signals and about a second axis to select a wavelength channel in the selected optical signal to be output through a drop port.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 rotating a mirror of another one of the filter switches about a first axis to select a different one of the optical signals and about a second axis to select a wavelength channel in the different optical signal to be output through another drop port.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the wavelength channel in the selected optical signal and the wavelength channel in the different optical signal, to be output through respective drop ports, are the same wavelength channel. 
     
     
         15 . A method of adding or dropping wavelength channels to and from optical signals passing through a reconfigurable optical device having an array of filter switches each of which includes a mirror that is rotatable about first and second axes, the method comprising:
 rotating a mirror of one of the filter switches about a first axis to select a wavelength channel corresponding to an optical signal supplied through an add port and about a second axis to select an output port to which the wavelength channel corresponding to the optical signal supplied through the add port is to be directed.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 rotating a mirror of another one of the filter switches about a first axis to select a wavelength channel corresponding to an optical signal supplied through another add port and about a second axis to select an output port to which the wavelength channel corresponding to the optical signal supplied through said another add port is to be directed.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the wavelength channel corresponding to the optical signal supplied through the add port and the wavelength channel corresponding to the optical signal supplied through said another add port are different and are directed to the same output port. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the wavelength channel corresponding to the optical signal supplied through the add port and the wavelength channel corresponding to the optical signal supplied through said another add port are the same and are directed to different output ports. 
     
     
         19 . A method of selectively dropping wavelength channels from optical signals passing through an optical device, the method comprising:
 splitting each of a first plurality of wavelength division multiplexed signals into a plurality of portions;   directing a portion of each of the first plurality of wavelength division multiplexed signals to each of a plurality of optical filter switches;   configuring a first optical filter switch of the plurality of optical filter switches to select a wavelength channel of a first wavelength division multiplexed signal of the first plurality of wavelength division multiplexed signals; and   directing the first wavelength channel of the first wavelength division multiplexed signal to a first drop port that corresponds to the first optical filter switch.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the first optical filter switch includes a mirror that is rotatable about first and second axes. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein configuring the first optical filter switch comprises:
 rotating the mirror about the first axis to select the wavelength channel; and   rotating the mirror about the second axis to select the wavelength division multiplexed signal.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 configuring a second optical filter switch of the plurality of optical filter switches to select the same wavelength channel of a second wavelength division multiplexed signal of the plurality of wavelength division multiplexed signals; and   directing, at the same time as the first wavelength channel of the first wavelength division multiplexed signal is directed to the first drop port, the same wavelength channel of the second wavelength division multiplexed signal to a second drop port that corresponds to the second optical filter switch.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 receiving a second plurality of wavelength division multiplexed signals;   splitting each of the second plurality of wavelength division multiplexed signals into a plurality of portions, wherein each of the first plurality of wavelength division multiplexed signals is a portion of a corresponding one of the second plurality of wavelength division multiplexed signals;   directing a portion of each of the second plurality of wavelength division multiplexed signals to each of a plurality of wavelength selective switches;   configuring a first wavelength selective switch of the plurality of wavelength selective switches to select at least one wavelength channel of at least one of the second plurality of wavelength division multiplexed signals; and   directing the selected at least one wavelength channel to an output port corresponding to the first wavelength selective switch.   
     
     
         24 . A method of selectively adding wavelength channels from optical signals passing through an optical device, the method comprising:
 receiving a plurality of optical input signals, each optical input signal received at a corresponding add port;   directing each of the plurality of optical input signals to a corresponding one of a plurality of optical filter switches;   configuring a first optical filter switch of the plurality of optical filter switches to select a first combiner of a plurality of combiners and a first wavelength channel of a first input signal of the plurality of input signals, the first input signal corresponding to the first optical filter switch;   directing the first wavelength channel of the first optical input signal to the first combiner; and   combining one or more wavelength channels directed to the first combiner to generate a first wavelength division multiplexed signal.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the first optical filter switch includes a mirror that is rotatable about first and second axes. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein configuring the first optical filter switch comprises:
 rotating the mirror about the first axis to select the first wavelength channel; and   rotating the mirror about the second axis to select the first combiner.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 configuring a second optical filter switch of the plurality of optical filter switches to select the first combiner and a second wavelength channel of a second optical input signal of the plurality of optical input signals, the second wavelength channel different than the first wavelength channel, and the second optical input signal corresponding to the second optical filter switch; and   directing the second wavelength channel to the first combiner.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 configuring a second optical filter switch of the plurality of optical filter switches to select the first wavelength channel of a second optical input signal and a second combiner of the plurality of combiners, the second optical input signal corresponding to the second optical filter switch, and the second combiner different than the first combiner; and   directing the first wavelength channel of the second optical input signal to the first combiner.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 receiving a plurality of wavelength division multiplexed signals at a plurality of input ports;   directing a portion of each of the plurality of wavelength division multiplexed signals to a wavelength selective switch;   directing the first wavelength division multiplexed signal generated by the first combiner to the wavelength selective switch;   configuring the wavelength selective switch switches to select at least one wavelength channel of at least one of the portions of the plurality of wavelength division multiplexed signals; and   directing the selected at least one wavelength channel to an output port corresponding to the wavelength selective switch.