Patent ID: 8521021

Claim:
A system for switching optical signals containing subbands of optical wavelengths, the system comprising: a first plurality of blocking wavelength selective switches (WSSs), each including (i) a first interface with an input port configured to receive optical signals containing subband optical wavelengths received at input lines of the system and (ii) a second interface with a plurality of output ports; a second plurality of blocking WSSs, including (i) a first interface with an output port configured to output the subbands of optical wavelengths or combinations thereof toward output lines of the system and (ii) a second interface with a plurality of input ports; splitters optically coupled to the first plurality of blocking WSSs and combiners optically coupled to the second plurality of WSSs, and wherein either (i) the splitters are optically coupled to input ports of the first plurality of WSSs and the combiners are optically coupled to input ports of the second plurality of WSSs, or (ii) the splitters are optically coupled to output ports of the first plurality of WSSs and the combiners are optically coupled to output ports of the second plurality of WSSs; and optical paths associating output ports of the second interface of the first plurality of blocking WSSs with input ports of the second interface of the second plurality of blocking WSSs, wherein the first and second pluralities of WSSs, splitters, combiners, and optical paths define an arrangement that causes subbands of optical wavelengths to be split/combined and switched between the input lines and output lines of the system to form reconstituted, switched, optical signals at output lines of the system.