Patent ID: 7167610

Claim:
An optical multiplexer device for inserting/dropping optical resources for a line for an optical transmission line for transmitting multiplexed optical resources, the line comprising at least one upstream optical fiber and at least one downstream optical fiber, and the device comprising: a first multiplexer and demuliplexer means having at least a first primary inlet and outlet connected to said upstream fiber and to L internal multiplexing and demultiplexing channels connected to L first secondary inlets and outlets, and at least one second primary inlet and outlet connected to M internal multiplexing and demultiplexing channels connected to M second secondary inlets and outlets connected to M send and/or receive modules, wherein L is an integer greater than 1 and M is an integer greater than 0; a second multiplexer and demultiplexer means comprising at least a first primary inlet and outlet connected to said downstream fiber and L internal multiplexing and demultiplexing channels connected to L first secondary inlets and outlets and at least one second primary inlet and outlet connected to N, internal demultiplexing/multiplexing channels connected to N second secondary in 1 ets and outlets connected to N receive and/or transmit modules, wherein N is an integer greater than 0; L external coupling channels interconnecting said L first secondary inlets and outlets of the first and second multiplexer and demultiplexer means, and each fitted with a respective optical processor means, suitable for responding to an order to place each respective optical processor means in one state selected from at least a through state and a blocking state respectively allowing and preventing an optical resource to be transferred between said first and second multiplexer and demultiplexer means; and an external drop and/or insert channel connected to said upstream fiber and to said second primary inlets and outlets of said second multiplexer and demultiplexer means, and an external insert and/or drop channel connected to said downstream fiber and to said second primary inlet and outlet of the first multiplexer and demultiplexer means.