Optical communications apparatus and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9641917-B2
Application number	US-201615331268-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 21, 2016
Priority date	Apr 22, 2014
Publication date	May 2, 2017
Grant date	May 2, 2017

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide an optical communications apparatus, where the apparatus includes: an input system, a first optical switch array, and an output system, where the input system includes N input ports that are one-dimensionally arranged on a first plane, a first beam expander, a demultiplexer, and a first optical path changer; the first optical switch array includes N×K first optical switch units that are two-dimensionally arranged on a second plane, and the first optical switch units can rotate in a first axial line direction and a second axial line direction; and the output system includes a second optical path changer, a second beam expander, a second optical switch array, and M output ports that are two-dimensionally arranged.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical communications apparatus comprising: an input system, a first optical switch array, and an output system, wherein the input system comprises N input ports that are one-dimensionally arranged on a first plane, a first beam expander, a demultiplexer, and a first optical path changer; the first optical switch array comprises N×K first optical switch units that are two-dimensionally arranged on a second plane, wherein K is a quantity of sub-signal lights that are comprised in signal light, center wavelengths of the sub-signal lights are different from each other, the second plane is perpendicular to a main axis direction, the main axis direction is a transmission direction of signal light that is output from the input ports, the first plane is perpendicular to the second plane, the first optical switch units can rotate in a first axial line direction and a second axial line direction, the first axial line direction is a direction of an intersecting line between the first plane and the second plane, the second axial line direction is a direction of an intersecting line between a third plane and the second plane, the third plane is perpendicular to the second plane, the third plane is perpendicular to the first plane, one first optical switch unit is configured to receive only one beam of sub-signal light that is from one input port, and input ports and sub-signal lights corresponding to the first optical switch units are different from each other; and the output system comprises a second optical path changer, a second beam expander, a second optical switch array, and M output ports that are two-dimensionally arranged, wherein the second switch array comprises M second optical switch units that are two-dimensionally arranged, one second optical switch unit is configured to receive, within a same period of time, only sub-signal lights that are from a same input port, the second optical switch units can rotate at least in the second axial line direction, and the second optical switch units correspond one-to-one to the output ports, wherein
a target input port of the N input ports is configured to: when receiving target signal light, transmit the target signal light to the first beam expander, wherein a flare of the target signal light that is output by the target input port is a circle, and the target signal light comprises at least two beams of sub-target signal lights;
the first beam expander is configured to perform first beam expansion processing on the target signal light, to change the flare that is of the target signal light and in a direction of the second plane from the circle to an ellipse, and transmit the target signal light on which the first beam expansion processing has been performed to the demultiplexer, wherein a major axis direction of the ellipse is the second axial line direction, a minor axis direction of the ellipse is the first axial line direction, and a major axis length of the ellipse is determined based on the following parameters:
bandwidth of the target signal light, a spacing between adjacent sub-target signal lights of the at least two beams of sub-target signal lights, center wavelengths of the at least two beams of sub-target signal lights, and diffraction parameters of the demultiplexer;
the demultiplexer is configured to perform demultiplexing processing on the target signal light, to obtain the at least two beams of sub-target signal lights by splitting the target signal light, so that the sub-target signal lights disperse on the third plane, and transmit the sub-target signal lights to corresponding first optical switch units by using the first optical path changer;
the first optical path changer is configured to perform first optical path change processing on the sub-target signal lights, so that the sub-target signal lights are incident, parallel to each other, into the corresponding first optical switch units;
the first optical switch array is configured to: based on output ports corresponding to the sub-target signal lights, control rotation of the first optical switch units corresponding to the sub-target signal lights, so as to transmit the sub-target signal lights to corresponding second optical switch units by using the second optical path changer and the second beam expander;
the second optical path changer is configured to perform second optical path change processing on the sub-target signal lights, wherein a projection that is of the sub-target signal light and on the third plane, on which the second optical path change processing has been performed, is parallel to a projection that is of the corresponding sub-target signal light and on the third plane before the first optical path change processing;
the second beam expander is configured to perform second beam expansion processing on the sub-target signal lights, so as to change flares that are of the sub-target signal lights and in the direction of the second plane from ellipses to circles, wherein diameters of the circles are determined based on a transmission requirement of the output ports; and
the second optical switch array is configured to control rotation of the second optical switch units corresponding to the sub-target signal lights, to transmit the sub-target signal lights to the corresponding output ports.

2. The optical communications apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the output system further comprises:
a multiplexer, located between the second optical path changer and the second beam expander, and configured to:
when, for one output port, there are at least two beams of sub-target signal lights that need to be received, combine the at least two beams of sub-target signal lights that need to be received into one beam of signal light, and transmit the one beam of signal light to the second optical switch array by using the second beam expander; and
when, for one output port, there is only one beam of sub-target signal light that needs to be received, adjust optical power distribution within a bandwidth range of the sub-target signal light.

3. The optical communications apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the demultiplexer and the multiplexer comprise at least one grating.

4. The optical communications apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein the multiplexer and the demultiplexer share the at least one grating.

5. The optical communications apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first beam expander is configured to perform first beam expansion processing on the target signal light, so that a beam waist position that is of the target signal light, on the third plane, and between the first beam expander and the first optical path changer is located on the demultiplexer.

6. The optical communications apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second beam expander is configured to perform second beam expansion processing on the sub-target signal lights, so that beam waist positions that are of the sub-target signal lights output from the second beam expander and on the third plane are located on the output ports.

7. The optical communications apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first optical path changer and the second optical path changer comprise at least one lens.

8. The optical communications apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the first optical path changer and the second optical path changer share the at least one lens.

9. The optical communications apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein when the first optical path changer and the second optical path changer share one lens,
on the third plane, an incidence point that is of the target signal light and on the demultiplexer is located on an axial line is of the first optical path changer and in the main axis direction.

Assignees

• Huawei Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yan Yunfei
• Feng Zhiyong
• Zhao Han
• Zong Liangjia

Classifications

• G02B6/266

  the optical element being an attenuator · CPC title

• H04Q2011/0052

  Interconnection of switches · CPC title

• H04Q11/0005 Primary

  Switch and router aspects · CPC title

• G02B6/2713

  cascade of polarisation selective or adjusting operations · CPC title

• H04Q11/0062 Primary

  Network aspects · CPC title