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:
Jan. 22, 2008
Filed:
May. 29, 2003
Ashwin Anil Gumaste, Richardson, TX (US);
Susumu Kinoshita, Plano, TX (US);
Ashwin Anil Gumaste, Richardson, TX (US);
Susumu Kinoshita, Plano, TX (US);
Fujitsu Limited, Kawasaki, JP;
Abstract
An optical network includes an optical ring having a plurality of subnets. The subnets each include one or more add/drop nodes that are coupled to the optical ring and that passively add and drop traffic to and from the optical ring in one or more wavelengths. The optical network also includes a plurality of gateway nodes that are each coupled to the optical ring at a boundary between neighboring subnets. Each gateway node forwards a first copy of a received optical signal to a multiplexer/demultiplexer unit of the gateway node, which selectively forwards or terminates the traffic in each wavelength of the first copy. The gateway nodes also forward a second copy of the received optical signal to a regeneration element. The gateway nodes selectively forward or terminate the traffic in each wavelength of the first copy at the multiplexer/demultiplexer unit. Moreover the gateway nodes selectively perform one of the following on the traffic in each wavelength of the second copy at the regeneration element: terminate the traffic, forward the traffic after regenerating the traffic, or forward the traffic after regenerating and converting the wavelength of the traffic.