The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 14, 2002
Filed:
Nov. 12, 1998
William Edward Stephens, Belle Mead, NJ (US);
Joseph Hy Abeles, Highland Park, NJ (US);
John Charles Connolly, Clarksburg, NJ (US);
Sarnoff Corporation, Princeton, NJ (US);
Abstract
A wavelength division multiplex optical crossconnect system and add/drop multiplexer including a dense wavelength division multiplexed (DWDM) source which preferably includes a multiwavelength mode-locked (MWML) external cavity laser as a fundamental sub-circuit for optically crossconnecting several multi-wavelength data channels onto similar data channels having an interchanged set of optical wavelengths. The optical crossconnect architecture allows the rearrangement of multiple logical channels in a timely manner to support protection switching, traffic grooming, and other telecommunications network functions. The crossconnect architecture further supports multiple physical fibers into and out of the crossconnect, where each fiber carries multiple logical channels on multiple wavelengths of light which are assigned particular wavelength carriers, crossconnected onto any other physical fiber, and assigned another wavelength carrier. The add/drop multiplexer provides a completely optical passthrough for received optical signals.