Reconfigurable optical networks

Abstract

Switching technology may be incorporated into various systems, components, and/or architectures in a fiber optic network to promote network reconfigurability and design flexibility. A signal access unit comprises an input, an output, an access port, a switch arrangement including a switch, and a controller. The switch optically couples the input to the output and not to the access port when in a first configuration, and optically couples the access port to at least one of the input and the output without optically coupling the input and the output together when in a second configuration. The controller is configured to receive an indication of a selected wavelength and to operate the switch arrangement to change the switch between the first and second configurations based on the indication of the selected wavelength.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A signal access unit comprising:
 a demultiplexer configured to separate optical signals received at an input onto a plurality of demultiplexer outputs based on wavelength;   a multiplexer configured to combine optical signals received at a plurality of multiplexer inputs and to direct the combined signal to an output, each of the multiplexer inputs being optically coupled to a respective one of the demultiplexer outputs via a first number of optical channels;   a second number of access ports; and   a switch arrangement including a third number of switches, the third number being less than a multiple of the first number and the second number, each switch being disposed along a respective one of the optical channels, each switch being configured to transition between a first configuration and a second configuration, each switch allowing optical signals to pass along the respective optical channel when the switch is disposed in the first configuration, and each switch optically coupling a respective one of the access ports to the respective optical channel when disposed in the second position;   wherein each access port is optically coupled to only some of the optical channels by the switch arrangement.   
     
     
         3 . The signal access unit of  claim 2 , wherein only one switch of the switch arrangement is disposed along each optical channel. 
     
     
         4 . The signal access unit of  claim 2 , further comprising a controller configured to receive an indication of a selected wavelength and to operate the switch arrangement to change the switches between the first and second configurations based on the indication of the selected wavelength. 
     
     
         5 . The signal access unit of  claim 2 , wherein the switches include adiabatic switches. 
     
     
         6 . The signal access unit of  claim 2 , wherein the switches include total internal reflection (TIR) switches. 
     
     
         7 . The signal access unit of  claim 2 , wherein the switches include micro electromechanical optical switches. 
     
     
         8 . The signal access unit of  claim 2 , further comprising an optical tap disposed between one of the switches and the respective access port, the optical tap having a tap input, a first tap output, and a second tap output, the optical tap directing part of an optical signal received at the tap input to the first tap output and directing another part of the optical signal to the second tap output, the second part being less than the first part; wherein the switch optically couples the tap input to the respective demultiplexer output and optically couples the first tap output to the respective multiplexer input; and wherein the second tap output is optically coupled to the respective access port. 
     
     
         9 . The signal access unit of any of  claim 2 , wherein the access port is a drop port. 
     
     
         10 . The signal access unit of any of  claim 2 , wherein the access port is an add port. 
     
     
         11 . The signal access unit of  claim 2 , further comprising a plug-in module disposed at the access port, the plug-in module being configured to receive a WDM optical transceiver, the plug-in module also defining a plug port to receive a non-WDM optical transceiver, and the plug-in module being configured to convert signals between the non-WDM optical transceiver and the WDM optical transceiver. 
     
     
         12 . The signal access unit of  claim 11 , wherein the non-WDM optical transceiver is a standard optical transceiver. 
     
     
         13 . The signal access unit of  claim 11 , wherein the non-WDM optical transceiver is an electrical connector. 
     
     
         14 . The signal access unit of  claim 13 , wherein the electrical connector is an SFP connector. 
     
     
         15 . The signal access unit of  claim 2 , further comprising a body defining an environmentally sealed interior, the body including a first environmentally sealed port defining the input, a second environmentally sealed port defining the output, and a plurality of environmentally sealed ports defining the access ports. 
     
     
         16 . The signal access unit of  claim 2 , wherein the switch arrangement is a first switch arrangement, the demultiplexer is a first demultiplexer, and the multiplexer is a first multiplexer, and wherein the signal access unit further comprises:
 a second demultiplexer configured to separate optical signals received at a second input onto a plurality of second demultiplexer outputs based on wavelength;   a second multiplexer configured to combine optical signals received at a plurality of second multiplexer inputs and to direct the combined signal to a second output, each of the second multiplexer inputs being optically coupled to a respective one of the second demultiplexer outputs via a plurality of second optical channels;   a plurality of second access ports; and   a second switch arrangement including a plurality of switches, each switch of the second switch arrangement being disposed along a respective one of the second optical channels, each switch of the second switch arrangement being configured to transition between a first configuration and a second configuration, each switch of the second switch arrangement allowing optical signals to pass along the respective second optical channel when the switch is disposed in the first configuration, and each switch of the second switch arrangement optically coupling a respective one of the second access ports to the respective second optical channel when disposed in the second position.   
     
     
         17 . A fiber optic device comprising:
 a fiber optic cable having pre-manufactured breakout locations integrated with the fiber optic cable prior to deployment of the fiber optic cable, the fiber optic cable including a plurality of optical fibers that extend through a length of the fiber optic cable, each breakout location defining a demateable connection location; and   an optical switch arrangement disposed at one of the breakout locations, the optical switch arrangement being optically coupled to at least some of the optical fibers, the optical switch arrangement being configured to optically couple a selected one of the at least some of the optical fibers to the demateable connection location.   
     
     
         18 . The fiber optic device of  claim 17 , wherein the breakout locations are sealed by overmolds in which the optical switches are contained. 
     
     
         19 . The fiber optic device of  claim 17 , wherein a tether extends from the breakout location and is terminated by an optical connector defining the demateable connection location. 
     
     
         20 . A fiber optic device comprising:
 a body defining an input, an output, and an access location defining a module port;   a switching matrix disposed within the body, the switching matrix being configured to provide an interface between the input, the output, and the access location; and   a module selectively and releasably mountable to the body at the module port to optically couple the module to the switching matrix, the module including an optical power splitting module or a wavelength division multiplexing or demultiplexing module.   
     
     
         21 . The fiber optic device of  claim 20 , wherein the module is one of a plurality of modules, each module having different splitting or multiplexing characteristics.