Patent ID: RE39411

Claim:
An optical apparatus comprising: a) a one-dimensional input-output-port array, providing multiple input ports including an input port for a multi-wavelength optical signal and a plurality of add ports, and multiple output ports including a pass-through port and a plurality of drop ports, wherein each drop port has a pairing add port; b) a wavelength-separator, for separating said multi-wavelength optical signal by wavelength respectively into incoming spectral channels; c) a beam-focuser, for focusing said incoming spectral channels into corresponding focused spots; and d) an array of channel micromirrors positioned such that each channel micromirror receives a unique one of said incoming spectral channels, said channel micromirrors being individually and continuously pivotable to reflect said incoming spectral channels into selected ones of said output ports; wherein said wavelength-separator and said beam-focuser further direct one or more add spectral channels from said add ports onto corresponding ones of said channel micromirrors, and wherein said input-output-port array is configured such that each channel micromirror is able to reflect an incoming spectral channel to a drop port and an impinging add spectral channel from a pairing add port to said pass-through port.