Patent ID: 9654851
Date: 2017-05-16
CPC Classifications: H04J,H04Q

Claim:
1. An optical cross-connect apparatus disposed in each of optical nodes in an optical network in which the optical nodes are each mutually connected through a plurality of internode connection optical fibers, the optical cross-connect apparatus comprising: multiple optical cross-connect portions each having internode connection input ports and internode connection output ports respectively connected to the plurality of internode connection optical fibers, as well as internal connection input ports and internal connection output ports, the multiple optical cross-connect portions each being connected such that an internal connection output port of a predetermined optical cross-connect portion is directly connected to an internal connection input port of another optical cross-connect portion and is indirectly connected via said another optical cross-connect portion to an internal connection output port of a further optical cross-connect portion, at least one optical cross-connect portion of the multiple optical cross-connect portions also having an internal connection input port for expansion and an internal connection output port for expansion, which are connected to an optical cross-connect portion for expansion and which are not connected to the other optical cross-connect portions, the optical cross-connect portion for expansion having: internode connection input ports and internode connection output ports respectively connected to the plurality of internode connection optical fibers; an internal connection output port and an internal connection input port respectively connected to the internal connection input port for expansion and the internal connection output port for expansion of the at least one optical cross-connect portion, and an internal connection output port for expansion and an internal connection input port for expansion respectively connected to an internal connection input port and an internal connection output port of another optical cross-connect portion for expansion, and said another optical cross-connect portion for expansion having the same number of internode connection input ports, internode connection output ports, internal connection input ports, internal connection output ports, internal connection output ports for expansion, and internal connection input ports for expansion as said optical cross-connect portion for expansion, respectively.