Optically controlled optical switching module, method of optically controlling an optical switching network, and optical switching network

U.S. Patent Number: 5739933

Abstract: The invention concerns an optically controlled optical switching module (SM1), as well as a method of optically controlling an optical switching network, and an optical switching network. The optical switching module (SM1) is equipped with at least one optical switch (OCOSW), which is controlled through an optical control input (CONTR), which switches a useful optical signal. The optical switching module (SM1) furthermore has an optical pulse shaper (PW) that is connected to this control input (CONTR), which produces switching pulses that are suitable for the optical switch (OCOSW), from an optical control signal. The optical switching network contains at least one optical switching module (SM1). Control bits from an optical data packet are individually masked out in the optical switching network by means of optical switches (OSW), and the optical control signals corresponding to the respective control bits (CB1 to CB4) are fed to one of the optical pulse shapers (PW).

Inventors: Dembeck; Lars (Stuttgart, DE); Schmitz; Jorg (Bergisch-Gladbach, DE); Lach; Eugen (Marbach, DE)

Assignee: Alcatel N.V. (Rijswijk, NL)

Application Number: 08/653,539

Issued: 1998-04-14

Expired: 2006-04-14

Classes: 398/45 ; 398/54

Field of search: 359/117,128,139,158,176,179

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