Patent ID: 8254793

Claim:
A tuning module, comprising: a splitter configured to define a data duplicate of a multiplexed optical data signal; a tunable element arranged to receive the data duplicate of the multiplexed optical data signal, the tunable element receptive to a plurality of optical data channels of the multiplexed optical data signal, each of the plurality of optical data channels having a different respective wavelength, and the tunable element being responsive to a plurality of different stimuli in such a way that a plurality of passbands of the tunable element are defined, each of the passbands corresponding to a respective stimulus and each passband including no more than one of the wavelengths of the plurality of optical data channels; an optical detector in communication with the tunable element, the optical detector being receptive to no more than one optical data channel from the tunable element at any given time, an output of the optical detector comprising an electrical data signal that corresponds to the optical data channel received by the optical detector from the tunable element; a controller in communication with the tunable element and operable to tune the tunable element from one optical data channel to the other by causing application of a corresponding stimulus to the tunable element; and a metrics analyzer coupled to the controller, wherein the different stimuli cause a temporary change in a crystalline structure of the tunable element without requiring any mechanical movement or repositioning of the tunable element so as to define the plurality of passbands which pass a particular optical data channel while blocking the other optical data channels.