Patent ID: 7580636

Claim:
An optical switch for setting optical paths of input optical signals, said optical switch comprising: an optical matrix switch having a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports, said optical matrix switch outputting an input optical signal coming from one of the input ports to one of the output ports; and an optical path decision section comprising: a plurality of switch connection request adjustment sections for setting optical paths between each of the output ports of said optical matrix switch and one of the input ports, a plurality of wavelength filters for receiving input optical signals, and outputting optical signals having individual wavelengths to respective output ports, a plurality of optical couplers for dividing said input optical signals having a different wavelength from each other into two branches respectively, supplying input optical signals of a first divided branch to said input ports, and supplying input optical signals of a second divided branch to said plurality of wavelength filters, a plurality of photodiodes for connecting each port of the wavelength filters, and photoelectrically converting each optical signal into a corresponding electrical signal, and a plurality of connection request transmitters for deciding a wavelength of a selected optical signal depending on the corresponding electrical signal from one of the photodiodes, and outputting connection request signal to one of the connection request adjustment sections for connecting a first input port to a first output port, wherein said first input port is one of the input ports of the optical matrix switch where the selected optical signal was supplied from the first divided branch, wherein said first output port is one of the output ports of the optical matrix switch for the one of the connection request adjustment sections, and wherein the connection request adjustment section receiving the connection request signal sets the optical path depending on the received connection request signal.