Patent ID: 7164859
Filing Date: 2007-01-16
Classification: G02B,H04J

Abstract:
1. An apparatus comprising: an input port for a multi-wavelength optical signal including N spectral channels, each of said spectral channels corresponding to a unique wavelength, and a plurality of output ports; a diffraction grating that spatially separates said multi-wavelength optical signal by wavelength into said N spectral channels; a beam focuser that focuses said spectral channels; at least first and second arrays of channel micromirrors, corresponding respectively with at least first and second channel groups, each of said channel micromirrors being individually controllable to direct a corresponding spectral channel into a selected one of any of at least two of said output ports; a channel-interleaving assembly that interleaves said spectral channels separated by said diffraction grating into said at least first and second channel groups, wherein said at least first and second channel groups each include at least two spectral channels, directing unique ones of said spectral channels onto corresponding unique ones of said channel micromirrors of said at least first and second arrays.