Device and method for routing optical signals

Abstract

The present disclosure describes an optical routing circuit (ORC) which may be used to route an input optical signal to one or more optical output channels of the ORC. The ORC comprises a network of nodes for carrying out the task of optical signal routing. The nodes may be controlled by a node control system through electrical node control channels. The ORC may simplify the electrical interface between the nodes and the node control system by sharing an electrical node control channel among a subset of nodes of the ORC. Nodes of the ORC may transmit electrical signals between the nodes. The present disclosure also describes a node which may be used to construct the ORC and a method of routing an optical signal. The present disclosure may enable a large ORC with many nodes to be practically implemented.

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