Patent ID: 7620321
Filing Date: 2009-11-17
Classification: H04J,H04Q

Abstract:
1. An optical transmitting apparatus comprising: optical path switching means having a plurality of first input ports connected to a plurality of input optical transmission paths for transmitting wavelength division multiplex signal light and a plurality of first output ports connected to a plurality of output optical transmission paths for transmitting wavelength division multiplex signal light, capable of selecting signal light of one or more wavelength included in the wavelength division multiplex signal light received from any of the first input ports and outputting the selected signal light from any of the first output ports; add wavelength output means which combines add signal light of a plurality of wavelengths to obtain combined signal light and selectively couples add signal light having one or more wavelengths included in the combined signal light, as signal light to be multiplexed to wavelength division multiplex signal light to any of the output optical transmission paths, to any of the first output ports of the optical path switching means; and drop wavelength output means which selectively receives and combines the signal light having one or more wavelengths included in the wavelength division multiplex signal light input to each of the first input ports of the optical path switching means and selectively outputs signal light included in the combined signal light on a wavelength unit basis, wherein the optical transmitting apparatus is an apparatus to which wavelength division multiplex signal light of the maximum N wavelengths (where N denotes an integer of 2 or larger) is input from each of K pieces (where K denotes an integer of 2 or larger) of input optical transmission paths and which outputs wavelength division multiplex signal light of the maximum N wavelengths to each of the K pieces of output optical transmission paths, when the minimum integer of integers M satisfying the relation of M≧I_add/N where wavelength of add signal light to be output to any of the output optical transmission paths is set as I_add and wavelength of drop signal light to be dropped from any of the input optical transmission paths is set as I_drop is M_add and the minimum integer of integers M′ satisfying the relation of M′≧I_drop/N is M_drop, the optical path switching means comprises; the add wavelength output means has M_add pieces of add wavelength multiplexing and selecting units each of which is connected to one of the second input ports, multiplexes the add signal light of N wavelengths at the maximum, and selectively outputs add signal light of one or more arbitrary wavelengths to any of the K pieces of (K+M_add−1)-input 1-output multiplexers, and the drop wavelength output means has M_drop pieces of drop wavelength multiplexing and selecting units each of which is connected to one of the second output ports, multiplexes outputs of the K pieces of 1×(K+M_drop−1) wavelength selecting switches, and selectively outputs drop signal light having arbitrary wavelength.