Patent ID: 7602772

Claim:
An optical network access switch, comprising: first and second banks of individually selectable optical inputs, the first and second banks being independent of each other; first and second groups of individually controllable optical outputs, the first and second groups being independent of each other; first and second multiplexers, the first multiplexer being connected to the optical inputs of the first bank and the optical outputs of the first group, and the second multiplexer being connected to the optical inputs of the second bank and the optical outputs of the second group; a configuration interface in communication with the first and second multiplexers and configured to receive a switching command, where the switching command specifies at least one of: connection of a particular optical input to a particular optical output; and, disconnection of a particular optical input from a particular optical output; a plurality of optical input indicators, each of which is associated with a respective optical input, and each optical input indicator being configured to provide information regarding: whether or not the respective optical input is connected to an optical output; and the optical output to which the respective optical input is connected, if any; a plurality of optical output indicators, each of which is associated with a respective optical output, and each optical output indicator being configured to provide information regarding whether or not any optical inputs are connected to the respective optical output; and a plurality of optical input indicator pairs, each indicator in a pair being associated with a respective half of an optical input with which the pair is associated, and each indicator in the pair configured to provide information regarding any optical power received at the respective half of the optical input.