Patent ID: 8000568
Filing Date: 2011-08-16
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. An optical system comprising two or more optical switches for switching one or more optical signals, the signals comprising one or more optical wavelengths, each optical wavelength constituting a work piece, each said switch comprising: a plurality of input fiber ports, each said input fiber port serving as an external interface for introducing the at least one input optical signal into a first optical switch of said two or more optical switches; a plurality of output fiber ports, said output fiber port serving as an external interface for extracting the output optical signal from said optical switch of said two or more optical switches; at least one shared arrayed switching element for receiving at least one wavelength from said plurality of input fiber ports and for switching the at least one wavelength from one of said plurality of input fiber ports to one of said plurality of output fiber ports according to a state of at least one switch of said at least one shared arrayed switching element; at least one shared wavelength dispersive element for spatially separating at least one first wavelength of the input optical signal from at least one other wavelength of the input optical signal and for recombining at least one first wavelength of the output optical signal with at least one other wavelength of the output optical signal; at least one shared arrayed steering element for steering the at least one wavelength from at least one of said plurality of input fiber ports onto said at least one shared arrayed switching element, and for steering the at least one wavelength from said at least one shared arrayed switching element to at least one of said plurality of output fiber ports; one or more shared optical elements, wherein each said optical element focuses the optical signals of said at least one of said plurality of input fiber ports and said at least one of said plurality of output fiber ports; and wherein said one or more of shared arrayed switching elements, shared wavelength dispersive elements, shared arrayed steering elements, and shared optical elements are adapted to be utilized by each said optical switch of said two or more optical switches.