Patent ID: 7043158
Filing Date: 2006-05-09
Classification: H04J,H04Q

Abstract:
1. An optical path cross-connect device for accommodating an inter-office transmission line for transferring wavelength-multiplexed optical signals and a plurality of intra-office transmission lines for transferring a wavelength-non-multiplexed optical signal, comprising: an optical branching unit provided with said inter-office transmission line, for branching the wavelength-multiplexed optical signals entered from said inter-office transmission line into “m (symbol “m” being an integer and also being larger than 1)” pieces of first optical path groups, while maintaining wavelength-multiplexed state; an intra-office signal input unit provided with said intra-office transmission lines, for repeating the wavelength-non-multiplexed optical signal entered from each of said intra-office optical transmission lines; “m” pieces of routing units for routing an optical signal within a pre-allocated wavelength range from optical signals outputted from said optical branching unit and said intra-office signal input unit to an intra-office signal output unit, and for converting said optical signal within said pre-allocated wavelength range into a desirable wavelength to route a wavelength-converted optical signal to a second optical path group, said “m (symbol “m” being an integer and also being larger than 1)” pieces of routing units being subdivided in a unit of at least “n (symbol “n” being an integer and also being larger than 1)” wavelengths as wavelength ranges to be processed by the respective routing unit are different from each other; an optical combining unit for accommodating thereinto said second optical path group and for selectively wavelength-multiplexing said wavelength-converted optical signal; and an intra-office signal output unit for accommodating thereinto said second optical path group and for selectively repeating said wavelength-converted optical signals, wherein: said intra-office signal input unit is constituted by an optical space switch; said routing unit is arranged by a wavelength-division demultiplexer, an optical space switch, a wavelength converter and a wavelength-division multiplexer; and said intra-office signal output unit is arranged by an optical space switch.