Patent ID: 6665460
Filing Date: 2003-12-16
Classification: H04Q

Abstract:
A selector assembly to select and deselect signal components from optical signals, said selector assembly comprising:an input optical connection for optically connecting an input optical signal carrier to said selector assembly; an output optical connection for optically connecting said selector assembly to an output optical signal carrier; a signal demultiplexer operatively positioned relative to said input optical connection so that optical signals passing into said selector assembly are demultiplexed by said demultiplexer into signal components, each signal component having a respective signal component beam path; a signal selector located in each of said signal component beam paths, each of said signal selectors being electrically switchable between at least a selecting state and a deselecting state such that each of said signal components may be either selected or deselected; a controller coupled to said selector element for creating the electric field for switching said selectors; and a signal multiplexer operatively positioned between said signal selector and said output optical connection for multiplexing said selected signal components together after selection.