Patent ID: 7266297

Claim:
A network element for switching optical communications signals in an optical transport network on the physical layer, comprising: a number of broadband optical inputs, each for receiving an optical communications signal with a single wavelength channel, each optical input comprising an O/E converter for converting the received optical communications signal into an electrical communications signal; a number of optical outputs, each for transmitting an optical communications signal with a single wavelength channel, each optical output comprising an E/O converter for converting an electrical communications signal into the optical communications signal to be transmitted; a transparent space switching matrix operating in an unclocked manner to transparently switch signals of different types, said switching matrix being electrically connected on the input side to the optical inputs and on the output side to the optical outputs, for interconnection of the electrical communications signals from the optical inputs to the optical outputs; a monitor adapted to monitor signals of one or more predefined types, said monitor being connected to the switching matrix for receiving an electrical communications signal from the switching matrix, and monitoring this communications signal for transmission errors; and a controller controlling said switching matrix such that only signals of any of the predefined types are switched to the monitor while signals of other types are switched transparently to the respective outputs.