Patent ID: 7010226

Claim:
A packet router for optical transmission networks, said router including input ports for receiving packets and for transmitting them in optical form with carrier wavelengths in corresponding relationship to said input ports, said carrier wavelengths defining a plurality of operating wavelengths, said router further including an input system for applying time-delays to said packets and broadcasting them to spatial selector systems for receiving said packets and transmitting them to spectral selector systems, in which router said input system includes: a multiplexer disposed to receive and wavelength division multiplex said packets transmitted by said input ports, time-delay system including a single time-delay unit disposed to receive said multiplexed packets, said unit having for each of said time-delays one primary internal terminal having said time-delay, a broadcaster system including a plurality of spectral splitters, each of said splitters having an input connected to an associated primary internal terminal, and a plurality of outputs, each of said outputs being connected to a plurality of distribution terminals, said outputs being respectively associated with groups of wavelengths comprising respective fractions of said plurality of operating wavelengths, said respective fractions being the same for all said splitters.