Patent ID: 8737835
Filing Date: 2014-05-27
Classification: H04J,H04Q

Abstract:
1. An optical signal switching device, comprising: An input section able to receive an optical signal comprising data packets carried by wavelength channels, An output section able to transmit an optical signal comprising data packets carried by wavelength channels, An extraction section able to demodulate data packets carried by at least one of the wavelength channels received in the input section, An insertion section able to generate optical data packets on at least one wavelength channel to be transmitted by the output section, A spectral separator to separate several of said wavelength channels received by the input section, An optical combiner to recombine the wavelength channels separated by said spectral separator, A transit section comprising optical paths to transparently pass the respective wavelength channels between the spectral separator and the optical combiner, Several selector elements each cooperating with a respective optical path and able to be switched in packet mode to selectively block or allow an individual data packet carried by the wavelength channel using said optical path to pass, and A control unit capable of receiving signalling information about the data packets received in the input section and defining, for a data packet, a wavelength channel and a time window that contains said data packet, and controlling a selector element corresponding to said wavelength channel synchronously with said time window to block or allow said data packet to pass, said control unit maintaining the selector element in a blocking state during the time windows in which no data packets are received on said wavelength channel.