Patent ID: 6606427
Filing Date: 2003-08-12
Classification: G02B,H04Q

Abstract:
An optical cross-connect switch, comprising:a plurality of optical switching matrices, each switching matrix having multiple input ports, multiple output ports, at least one inter-matrix input port and at least one inter-matrix output port, each switching matrix being operable to switch an optical channel signal arriving on any input port to either any one of a plurality of the output ports or an inter-matrix output port, and being operable to switch an optical channel signal arriving on any inter-matrix input port to an output port, and each switching matrix being operable to switch optical channel signals having a respective distinct wavelength; and a wavelength-converting inter-matrix switch connected between the inter-matrix output ports of the switching matrices and the inter-matrix input ports of the switching matrices, the wavelength-converting inter-matrix switch being operable to switch a signal arriving from any inter-matrix output port of any switching matrix to an inter-matrix input port of any of a plurality of the other switching matrices and being operable, in switching a first channel signal having a first wavelength from an inter-matrix output port of a first switching matrix to an inter-matrix input port of a second switching matrix, to convert the first channel signal having the first wavelength to a second channel signal having a second wavelength.