Patent ID: 6154585
Filing Date: 2000-11-28
Classification: G02B,H04J,H04Q

Abstract:
An add-drop optical circuit comprising:a first demultiplexor/multiplexor for demultiplexing a composite optical signal having a plurality of channels;a second multiplexor/demultiplexor for multiplexing a plurality of signals into a composite optical signal;waveguides disposed between the first demultiplexor/multiplexor and the second multiplexor/demultiplexors; anda plurality of 11/2.times.2 optical switches coupled to at least some of the optical waveguides for adding and dropping optical signals to and from the optical waveguides respectively, the optical switches each having only one connection between only two ports in a first state and having two simultaneous connections, connecting a first port with a drop port, and a third port with an add port in a second state, the optical switches disallowing/preventing optical signals from propagating from an add port to a drop port in the first state.