JPH04314016A - Optional connection type matrix optical switch - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To constitute a complete group for switching plural routes. CONSTITUTION:The optional connection of four routes can be attained by bisecting respective optical fiber cable routes 1 to 4 by means of optical branching/combining parts 12 to 15 and connecting respective 1st and 2nd divided ports 122, 123, 132, 133, 142, 143, and 152, 153 to switching ports 111a, 111b, 112a, 112b, 113a, 113b, and 114a, 114b. Consequently a wiring route for constructing a flexible and highly reliable optical route network can be optionally set up.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optionally connected matrix optical switch that allows selection of a plurality of switching routes without blocking them.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Means for configuring a matrix optical switch that can select a plurality of switching routes without blocking them include (1) a method in which switching is performed by mechanically operating an optical element such as a prism or a mirror; 2) Those that utilize electro-optic effects and acousto-optic effects to perform switching by changing the refractive index within the optical waveguide.

0003

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] However, since these matrix optical switches are intended for switching between opposing optical fibers or optical waveguides, it is difficult to connect routes arranged in the same column. , it is impossible to construct a complete set of switches for multiple routes.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to provide an optional connection type matrix optical switch that enables a complete group configuration for switching multiple routes.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, claim 1 provides an optional connection type matrix optical switch that can arbitrarily connect a plurality of optical fiber cable routes. A matrix optical switch that can connect multiple opposing optical fiber cable routes without blocking each switching port, and can split or combine propagating optical power at any branching ratio. At least one optical branching/coupling unit and at least one optical fiber cable route among the plurality of optical fiber cable routes are connected to a coupling port of the optical branching/coupling unit, and the optical branching/coupling unit The divided ports of each section were respectively connected to opposing switching ports of the matrix optical switch.

[0006] Furthermore, in a second aspect of the present invention, the optical branching/coupling section is constituted by a 1×2 optical switch.

[0007]

According to claim 1, an optical signal propagated through an optical fiber cable route is split at a predetermined branching ratio at the optical branching/coupling section. Here, for example, an optical signal divided into one divided port is sent to the corresponding divided port of the matrix optical switch.
The signal reaches the switching port on one side, which is connected to the port. In the matrix optical switch, predetermined switching control is performed and the switch is connected to one of the switching ports on the opposite side. This allows the optical signal to be propagated to the same optical fiber cable route via another split port, or to any other optical fiber cable route.

On the other hand, the optical signal split into another split port by the optical branch/coupler reaches the other switching port connected to the split port of the matrix optical switch. In the matrix optical switch, predetermined switching control is performed and the matrix optical switch is connected to one of the switching ports on the opposing side. As a result, the optical signal is guided to the switching port on the opposite side,
The signal is propagated again to any optical fiber cable route through one split port, or to any remaining optical fiber cable route.

According to claim 2, an optical fiber cable
The optical signal propagated through the blue route is subjected to a predetermined switching action by a 1.times.2 optical switch and is divided into division ports. In addition, the optical signals propagated through the split ports after port switching in the matrix optical switch are coupled to the coupling port through a predetermined switching action in the 1×2 optical switch, and then connected to the optical fiber cable. - propagated to

0010

[Embodiment 1] Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of a 4-route arbitrary connection type matrix optical switch according to the present invention, and Fig. 2 shows an optical line configuration using a 4-route arbitrary connection type matrix optical switch. It is a figure showing an example.

In the figure, 1 is a first optical fiber cable route, 2 is a second optical fiber cable route, 3 is a third optical fiber cable route, 4 is a fourth optical fiber cable route, and 5 is an optical fiber cable route. - Bull, 6 is a telephone office, 10 is a 4-route arbitrary connection type matrix optical switch,
11 is a 4x4 matrix optical switch, 12, 13, 14
, 15 are optical branching/coupling sections.

The 4×4 matrix optical switch 11 has four pairs of switching ports 111a, 111b, 112a, 112b.
, 113a, 113b, 114a, 114b, between opposing ports, specifically the subscript a column (111a to 11
4a) and the subscript b row (111b to 114b) can be connected without being blocked.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a matrix optical switch having such a function. For simplicity, FIG. 3 shows a 2×2 matrix optical switch, and in the figure, FB is an optical fiber, CN is an optical connector, PZ is a prism, and SL is a solenoid.

The matrix optical switch shown in FIG. 3 has switching ports 111a and 112a in row a arranged in parallel at a predetermined interval, and switching ports 111b and 112a in row b.
2b are arranged in parallel at a predetermined interval in a direction perpendicular to the a-row, and furthermore, the position where the extension line of the switching ports 111a, 112a of the a-row intersects with the extension line of the b-row switching ports 111b, 112b. A prism PZ that reflects the incident light in a direction perpendicular to the direction of incidence is disposed in each of the prisms PZ. Each prism PZ is arranged so as to be movable in the vertical direction in the figure by a solenoid SL, and when it is at the reference position, it reflects the incident light, and when it is moved upward, it causes the incident light to travel straight.

The matrix optical switch shown in FIG. 3 enables connection between opposing ports without blocking them by arbitrarily driving and controlling the solenoid SL by a control system (not shown). 4×4 matrix optical switch 1 in Figure 1
1 also has the same configuration as the case of FIG. 3, except that the number of ports and the number of prisms are increased.

The optical branching/coupling sections 12, 13, 14, 15 are as follows:
For example, it is composed of optical couplers, each with one coupling port.
121, 131, 141, 151, and the first and second
split ports 122 and 123, 132 and 133
, 142 and 143, 152 and 153, and split the propagating light at a predetermined branching ratio and also combine them.

The optical branching/coupling unit 12 has a coupling port 121 connected to the first optical fiber cable route 1, and
The first divided port 122 is connected to the switching port 111a of the matrix optical switch 11, and the second divided port 123 is connected to the switching port 111b.

The optical branching/coupling section 13 has a coupling port 131 connected to the second optical fiber cable route 2, and
The first divided port 132 is connected to the switching port 114a of the matrix optical switch 11, and the second divided port 133 is connected to the switching port 114b.

The optical branching/coupling unit 14 has a coupling port 141 connected to the third optical fiber cable route 3, and
The first divided port 142 is connected to the switching port 112a of the matrix optical switch 11, and the second divided port 143 is connected to the switching port 112b.

The optical branching/coupling unit 15 has a coupling port 151 connected to the fourth optical fiber cable route 4, and
The first divided port 152 is connected to the switching port 113a of the matrix optical switch 11, and the second divided port 153 is connected to the switching port 113b.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be explained.

For example, the optical signal propagated through the optical fiber cable route 1 is transmitted to the coupling port 121 of the optical branching/coupling section 12.
It is divided after entering. Here, for example, the optical signal guided to the first division port 122 is transmitted to the matrix optical switch 1.
1 switching port 111a. The matrix optical switch 11 is connected to one of the switching ports 111b to 114b in row b by solenoid drive control as described above.

With this switching control, for example, switching port 1
The optical signal guided to 12b is guided to the second splitting port 143 of the optical branching/coupling unit 14, and propagated to the third optical fiber cable route 3 via the coupling port 141. . Similarly, the optical signal guided to the switching port 113b by the switching control is guided to the second splitting port 153 of the optical branching/coupling section 15, and is transmitted to the fourth optical signal via the coupling port 151. It is propagated to the fiber cable route 4 and is switched to the switching port by switching control.
The optical signal guided to the port 114b is guided to the second splitting port 133 of the optical branching/coupling section 13, and propagated to the second optical fiber cable route 2 via the coupling port 131. Ru.

Furthermore, the arbitrary connection type matrix optical switch shown in FIG. 1 allows the optical signal propagated through the first optical fiber cable route 1 to be transferred to the second The first
It has a so-called loopback function for returning the signal back to the optical fiber cable route 1.

In addition, contrary to the above, the wave is guided to the second split port 123 of the optical branching/coupling section 12 and is transferred to the switching port 111b.
The optical signal propagated through the optical fiber cable route 1 that has reached the
a to 114a, guided to first division ports 122 to 152 of each optical branching/coupling unit 12 to 15, and propagated to each optical fiber cable route 1 to 4.

Other optical fiber cable routes 2, 3, 4
Similarly to the above, the optical signals propagated through are arbitrarily propagated to the remaining optical fiber cable routes 1 to 4 in reverse.

As explained above, according to this embodiment,
Optical fiber cable routes 1, 2, 3, 4 are divided into two using optical branching/coupling units 12, 13, 14, 15, and respective first and second split ports 122, 123, 1
32 and 133, 142 and 143, 152 and 153 are the opposite switching ports 111a and 111b, 112a and 112b, 113a of the matrix optical switch 11
and 113b, and 114a and 114b, it is possible to construct a matrix optical switch capable of arbitrary connection of four routes.

Therefore, the 4-route optional connection type optical switch 1
0, as shown in FIG. 2, can connect optical cables, and can freely set wiring routes for constructing a flexible optical line network in case of cable failure, core wire flexibility, etc.

[0029]

Embodiment 2 FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of a 4-route arbitrary connection type matrix optical switch according to the present invention.

The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is that the loopback function for the optical fiber cable routes 1 and 2 is removed, and the switching port of the matrix optical switch 11 is changed.
The purpose of this invention is to construct a four-route arbitrary connection type matrix optical switch in which the number of ports is reduced to three pairs.

Therefore, in FIG. 4, the optical branching and coupling sections 12 and 13 and the switching port 111b,
The configuration is such that 114a is removed.

[0032] In this embodiment as well, the same effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained.

[0033]

Embodiment 3 FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a third embodiment of a 4-route arbitrary connection type matrix optical switch according to the present invention.

The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is that instead of configuring the optical branching/coupling units 12, 13, 14, and 15 with optical couplers, 1×2 optical switches 16, 17, 18, and 1
This is because it was constructed using 9.

According to this embodiment, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, there is an advantage that branch loss can be reduced.

[0036]

[Embodiment 4] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a fourth embodiment of a four-route arbitrary connection type matrix optical switch according to the present invention.

The difference between this embodiment and the second embodiment is that, like the third embodiment, the optical branching and coupling sections 12, 13, 14, 15
Instead of configuring with an optical coupler, a 1×2 optical switch 1
6, 17, 18, and 19.

According to this embodiment, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, there is an advantage that branching loss can be reduced.

[0039]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to claim 1, it is possible to construct a flexible and highly reliable optical line network that can cope with cable failures, fiber interchange due to the occurrence of a large number of subscribers, etc. It is possible to realize an optical switch that allows the wiring route to be freely set.

According to claim 2, in addition to the effects of claim 1, there is an advantage that branch loss can be reduced.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of a four-route arbitrary connection type matrix optical switch according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an optical line configuration using a four-route arbitrary connection type matrix optical switch.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a configuration example of a matrix optical switch.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing a second embodiment of a four-route arbitrary connection type matrix optical switch according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing a third embodiment of a four-route arbitrary connection type matrix optical switch according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing a fourth embodiment of a four-route arbitrary connection type matrix optical switch according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1...First optical fiber cable route 2...Second optical fiber cable route 3...Third optical fiber cable route 4...Fourth optical fiber cable route 5...Optical fiber cable 6...Telephone office 10...4 routes optional Connection type matrix optical switch 11...
Matrix optical switches 111a to 114a, 111b to 114b...Switching ports 12, 13, 14, 15...Optical branching and coupling parts (optical couplers)
122, 132, 142, 152...first divided port 1
23, 133, 143, 153...second divided port 16
, 17, 18, 19...Optical branching/coupling unit (1×2 optical switch)

Claims (2)

[Claims] Claim 1: An arbitrary connection type matrix optical switch that can arbitrarily connect a plurality of optical fiber cable routes, which has a plurality of pairs of switching ports, and can connect a plurality of optical fiber cables without blocking each switching port. a matrix optical switch capable of connecting opposing optical fiber cable routes; at least one optical branching/coupling section capable of splitting or coupling propagating optical power at an arbitrary branching ratio; and the plurality of optical fiber cables. At least one optical fiber cable route among the optical fiber routes is connected to a coupling port of the optical branching/coupling section, and a splitting port of the optical branching/coupling section is connected to an opposing switching port of the matrix optical switch. An optional connection type matrix optical switch characterized by being connected to each. 2. The optional connection type matrix optical switch according to claim 1, wherein the optical branching/coupling section is constituted by a 1×2 optical switch.