Patent ID: 6288812
Filing Date: 2001-09-11
Classification: H04J,H04Q

Abstract:
A bidirectional optical network including an optical bridge for selectively transferring optical channels from one bidirectional wavelength division multiplexed optical waveguide to another bidirectional wavelength division multiplexed optical waveguide comprising:a first bidirectional optical waveguide carrying a first bidirectional wavelength division multiplexed optical communication signal, the first bidirectional wavelength division multiplexed optical communication signal comprising a first wavelength division multiplexed optical communication signal including a plurality of first optical channels propagating in a first direction and further comprising a second wavelength division multiplexed optical communication signal comprising a plurality of second optical channels propagating in a second direction;a second bidirectional optical waveguide carrying a second bidirectional wavelength division multiplexed optical communication signal, the second bidirectional wavelength division multiplexed optical communication signal comprising a third wavelength division multiplexed optical communication signal including a plurality of third optical channels propagating in a third direction and further comprising a fourth wavelength division multiplexed optical communication signal comprising a plurality of fourth optical channels propagating in a fourth direction;an optical bridge interposed between the first bidirectional optical waveguide and the second bidirectional optical waveguide, the optical bridge comprising:first optical coupling means and first channel selecting means configured to select one or more first optical channels from the first wavelength division multiplexed optical communication signal;second optical coupling means and second channel selecting means configured to select one or more second optical channels from the second wavelength division multiplexed optical communication signal;at least one optical path positioned between the first bidirectional optical waveguide and the second bidirectional optical waveguide;means for placing at least the selected one or more first optical channels onto the optical path;combining means optically communicating with the second bidirectional optical waveguide for combining the selected one or more first optical channels with either the third wavelength division multiplexed optical communication signal propagating in the third direction or the fourth wavelength division multiplexed optical communication signal propagating in the fourth direction on the second bidirectional optical waveguide.