Patent ID: 7171072

Claim:
An optical switching node comprising: a plurality of input demultiplexers, each of said plurality of input demultiplexers adapted to receive a multi-channel link and demultiplex said multi-channel link into a plurality of input wavelength channels; a spectral-translation module adapted to receive said plurality of input wavelength channels and emit a plurality of internal optical signals; a wavelength router; and a plurality of star couplers, each of said plurality of star couplers including: a plurality of input ports, each of said plurality of input ports adapted to receive a particular internal optical signal of said plurality of internal optical signals; and an output port emitting a combined signal to said wavelength router, said combined signal including said particular internal optical signal received by each of said plurality of input ports; wherein said spectral-translation module comprises a plurality of wavelength converters, each of said plurality of wavelength converters adapted to: receive one of said plurality of input wavelength channels, where each of said plurality of input wavelength channels occupies a first wavelength band; and translate said first wavelength band to a second wavelength band.