IP Library Patent Application 18699955
Patent Application
App. No. 18/699,955

OPTICAL COMMUNICATION APPARATUS, OPTICAL COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND TRANSMISSION METHOD

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
18/699,955
Abstract

An optical communication device includes: a first optical switch that is connected to a plurality of optical transmission lines and outputs an optical signal input from any of the optical transmission lines to another optical transmission line; a second optical switch that is connected to a plurality of optical transmission lines and outputs an optical signal input from any of the optical transmission lines to another optical transmission line; and a transfer unit configured to transfer an optical signal transmitted from a first device connected to the first optical switch to a specific second device connected to the second optical switch.

Claims (33)

1 . An optical communication device comprising:

a first optical switch that is connected to a plurality of optical transmission lines and outputs an optical signal input from any of the optical transmission lines to another optical transmission line;

a second optical switch that is connected to a plurality of optical transmission lines and outputs an optical signal input from any of the optical transmission lines to another optical transmission line; and

a transferer configured to transfer an optical signal transmitted from a first device connected to the first optical switch to a specific second device connected to the second optical switch.

2 . The optical communication device according to claim 1 , wherein

the transferer includes

one or more first multiplexing/demultiplexing devices that multiplex optical signals transmitted from the first device connected to the first optical switch and output the multiplexed optical signal or that output an optical signal having a set wavelength among optical signals transmitted from the first device, and

one or more second multiplexing/demultiplexing devices that demultiplex the optical signal output from the first multiplexing/demultiplexing device or an optical signal based on the optical signal output from the first multiplexing/demultiplexing device and outputs the demultiplexed optical signals to the optical transmission line to which the second optical switch is connected or that output the optical signal having the set wavelength to the optical transmission line to which the second optical switch is connected.

3 . The optical communication device according to claim 2 , wherein:

the transferer further includes

a transfer wavelength controller configured to set a wavelength to be output by at least one of the one or more first multiplexing/demultiplexing devices or the one or more second multiplexing/demultiplexing devices; and

the transfer wavelength controller sets a wavelength used for communication between the first device and the second device to at least one of the one or more first multiplexing/demultiplexing devices or the one or more second multiplexing/demultiplexing devices.

4 . The optical communication device according to claim 3 , wherein:

the one or more first multiplexing/demultiplexing devices and the one or more second multiplexing/demultiplexing devices are wavelength selective optical switches; and

the transfer wavelength controller sets the wavelength used for communication between the first device and the second device to the one or more first multiplexing/demultiplexing devices and the one or more second multiplexing/demultiplexing devices.

5 . The optical communication device according to claim 3 , wherein:

the one or more first multiplexing/demultiplexing devices are wavelength selective optical switches;

the one or more second multiplexing/demultiplexing devices output an input optical signal to a path corresponding to the wavelength; and

the transfer wavelength controller sets the wavelength used for communication between the first device and the second device to the one or more first multiplexing/demultiplexing devices.

6 . The optical communication device according to claim 2 , wherein:

the one or more first multiplexing/demultiplexing devices are a plurality of first multiplexing/demultiplexing devices;

the one or more second multiplexing/demultiplexing devices are a plurality of second multiplexing/demultiplexing devices; and

the optical communication device further includes

one or more host first multiplexing/demultiplexing devices that multiplex or separate and output a plurality of optical signals output from the respective plurality of first multiplexing/demultiplexing devices, and

one or more host second multiplexing/demultiplexing devices that separate the optical signal multiplexed by the one or more host first multiplexing/demultiplexing devices and output the separated optical signals to the plurality of second multiplexing/demultiplexing devices or that multiplex the optical signals separated by the one or more host first multiplexing/demultiplexing devices and output the multiplexed optical signal to the plurality of second multiplexing/demultiplexing devices.

7 . An optical communication system comprising:

a first optical switch that is connected to a plurality of optical transmission lines and outputs an optical signal input from any of the optical transmission lines to another optical transmission line;

a second optical switch that is connected to a plurality of optical transmission lines and outputs an optical signal input from any of the optical transmission lines to another optical transmission line; and

a transferer configured to transfer an optical signal transmitted from a first device connected to the first optical switch to a specific second device connected to the second optical switch.

8 . A transfer method comprising:

causing a first optical switch connected to a plurality of optical transmission lines to output an optical signal input from any of the optical transmission lines to another optical transmission line;

causing a second optical switch connected to a plurality of optical transmission lines to output an optical signal input from any of the optical transmission lines to another optical transmission line; and

transferring an optical signal transmitted from a first device connected to the first optical switch to a specific second device connected to the second optical switch.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 3, 2025
From: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
To: NTT, INC.
Reel/Frame 072998/0094 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 10, 2024
From: SHIBATA, NAOTAKA; KANEKO, SHIN
To: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 067059/0123 →