Patent ID: 7606494

Claim:
An optical communications system comprising: a plurality of transmitters; a plurality of receivers; a plurality of optical paths connecting the transmitters and the receivers; a node connecting at least two optical paths, wherein the node includes an optical switch connected to the at least two optical paths, a DWDM terminal connected to the optical switch, and a cross-connect connected to the DWDM terminal, wherein all traffic entering the node and not being dropped at the node passes through the optical switch and exits the node without undergoing an optical-electrical-optical conversion, wherein all traffic entering the node and not being dropped at the node passes through the optical switch and exits the node without passing through the DWDM terminal, and wherein local traffic is added and dropped through the cross-connect and DWDM terminal; a first additional node connecting at least two optical paths, wherein the first additional node includes an additional optical switch connected to the at least two optical paths connected to the first additional node, an additional DWDM terminal connected to the additional optical switch, and wherein the first additional node does not includes a cross-connect connected to the additional DWDM terminal.