Patent ID: 7356217
Filing Date: 2008-04-08
Classification: H04J

Abstract:
1. A cross-connect device for routing optical and electrical signals comprising: a photonic cross-connector; an electrical cross-connector, wherein the photonic cross-connector contains a plurality of add-drop devices adapted to be fed with an optical wavelength multiplex signal, each add-drop device comprising: a through-path comprising at least one adjustable wavelength selective element, which allows only tributary through-signals to pass; a drop branch adapted to be fed with a dropped multiplex drop signal and which contains further wavelength-selective elements for the selection of tributary drop signals; and an add branch adapted to add tributary add signals and to combine the tributary add signals with tributary through-signals routed by way of the through-path to form a multiplex signal; wherein the through-path comprises a signal branching facility configured to feed through-signals to further add-drop devices and a signal combiner configured to receive through-signals from further add-drop devices and to combine the received through-signals with the tributary through-signals routed by way of the through-path; wherein at least one adjustable wavelength-selective element for the preselection of a wavelength multiplex (WDM) drop signal composed of tributary drop signals is arranged in the drop branch; wherein drop routing elements for routing the tributary drop signals are arranged downstream of the further wavelength-selective elements; wherein adjustable filter elements for performing an individual selection of the tributary drop signals are arranged downstream of the drop routing elements; wherein add routing elements for routing tributary add signals are arranged in the add branch, and wherein the add routing elements are adapted to combine the tributary add signals to form a wavelength multiplex (WDM) add signal; and wherein the add-drop devices are operatively coupled via the signal branching facilities and the signal combiners thereof.