Patent ID: 8369706
Filing Date: 2013-02-05
Classification: H04Q

Abstract:
1. An apparatus, comprising: a first transceiver comprising a first wavelength-locked light source to generate a first set of optical signals corresponding to a first service provider and a second transceiver comprising a second wavelength-locked light source to generate a second set of optical signals corresponding to a second service provider, wherein each of the first wavelength-locked light source and the second wavelength-locked light source includes one of a Fabry-Perot laser diode, a Reflective Semiconductor Optical Amplifier (“RSOA”), and other optical transmitter configured to operate below a lasing threshold when being suppressed by an injected spectral light signal; a cross-connect coupled to the first transceiver and the second transceiver, the cross-connect having a first input connected to the first wavelength-locked light source associated with the first service provider and a second input connected to the second wavelength-locked light source associated with the second service provider, the cross-connect having a first output and a second output, wherein the cross-connect is configured to connect any of the inputs with any of the outputs, wherein the cross-connect is configured to receive at the first input the first set of optical signals corresponding to the first service provider and to receive at the second input the second set of optical signals corresponding to the second service provider transmitted in a first direction; a first wavelength division multiplexing (“WDM”) multiplexer/de-multiplexer having a first wavelength channel and a second wavelength channel coupled to the cross-connect to multiplex the first set and the second set of the optical signals to transmit to a remote location in the first direction, the cross-connect is to supply the first set to the first wavelength channel and to supply the second set to the second wavelength channel, and a broadband light source coupled to the first multiplexer/de-multiplexer to transmit an injection signal to the cross-connect, wherein the cross-connect is configured to receive the injection signal from the broadband light source and a third set of optical signals from a first remote user at the first output, wherein the injection signal from the broadband light source and the third set of optical signals from the first remote user are transmitted through one of the optical cross-connect outputs to the first input in a second direction opposite to the first direction, wherein the cross-connect is configured to switch the transmission of the injection signal and the third set of optical signals through the one of the optical cross-connect outputs to the second input to switch a wavelength of the second set of optical signals corresponding to the second service provider to a wavelength channel of the third set of optical signals of the first remote user to automatically switch an optical connection of the first remote user from the first service provider to the second service provider; a first switch having a first port to connect to the one of the optical cross-connect inputs, and a second port to connect to one of the optical cross-connect outputs; a first monitoring unit connected to the first switch to monitor the integrity of optical links between service providers and the cross-connect when the first switch is in a first position, and wherein the first monitoring unit monitors the integrity of optical links between remote users and the optical cross-connect when the first switch is in a second position; a second switch connected between the first WDM multiplexer/de-multiplexer and a second multiplexer/de-multiplexer at the remote location; and a second monitoring unit connected to the second switch, wherein the second monitoring unit monitors the optical power of the optical signals transmitted in the first direction when the second switch is in a first position, and wherein the second monitoring unit monitors the optical power of the optical signals transmitted in the second direction when the second switch is in a second position.