Patent ID: 8861402

Claim:
A switching node for an optical communication system, the switching node comprising: an optical input path, and an optical output path, and at least one other output, of optical or other type; an input converter to convert optical signals on the optical input path to electrical input signals; an output converter to convert output electrical signals to output optical signals; an electrical switch, coupled to switch electrical signals from the input converter to a selected one of the outputs; a framer for reading or writing optical transport overhead information from or to the electrical signals; an interface for coupling the framer to the electrical switch, so as to provide a bypass path so that at least some of the signals being switched by the electrical switch can be switched selectively onto the bypass path to bypass the framer and be output without reading or writing of their optical transport overhead information; and an interface for coupling to a wavelength routing management system, wherein the interface for coupling to the wavelength routing management system is configured to receive control signals from the wavelength routing management system to configure the switching node subsystem to configure which of the electrical signals are added or dropped or passed through.