Patent ID: 7072584
Filing Date: 2006-07-04
Classification: H04J

Abstract:
1. A network hub for providing 1:N protection connected over a Dense Wave Division Multiplexing (DWDM) optical ring network to a plurality of access nodes, comprising: N transceivers, each transceiver adapted to transmit and receive over a different wavelength, wherein N is a positive integer; a tunable transceiver adapted to transmit and receive over a plurality of wavelengths, wherein in the event of a failure of one of said N transceivers, said tunable transceiver configured to transmit and receive using the wavelength of said failed transceiver; a mux/demux adapted to multiplex N transmit signals output of said N transceivers to yield a multiplexed transmit signal, and to demultiplex a multiplexed receive signal into N receive signals input to said N transceivers; means for optically coupling said multiplexed transmit signal with the output of said tunable transceiver to yield a combined transmit signal; a first optical splitter adapted to split said combined transmit signal into an east transmit signal and a west transmit signal and simultaneously transmit said east transmit signal and said west transmit signal in opposite directions over said optical ring; an optical switch adapted to select, in accordance with a predetermined criteria, one of an east receive signal or a west receive signal received from opposite directions of said ring and to output a multiplexed receive signal therefrom; and a second optical splitter adapted to split said multiplexed receive signal for input to said tunable transceiver and said mux/demux.