Patent ID: 6609840
Filing Date: 2003-08-26
Classification: H04B,H04J,H04Q

Abstract:
An optical router for routing data signals from an optical fiber to a selected destination, the optical fiber carrying a single optical signal which has multiplexed data signals modulated at different light wavelengths, a marker wavelength signal, and a data sequence corresponding to a selected data signal encoded on the different light wavelengths of the data signals, the router comprising:an optical buffer having: an optical data detector coupled to the optical fiber, the optical data detector having detector units which each sense light at a different wavelength and sense the marker wavelength signal, the detector producing an output indicative of the presence of a selected data sequence in the data sequence; a fiber optic delay loop which holds the optical signal; a data output channel; an optical switch which is coupled to the optical fiber and the data channel; wherein the fiber optic delay loop has a length sufficient to delay the optical signal for a time interval sufficient to detect the selected data sequence and activate the optical switch; and a processor unit coupled to the buffer and the optical switch, wherein the processor unit reads the output of the detector of the buffer and controls the optical switch to divert the light signal to the data channel on detection of the selected data sequence.