N-port smart data switch for an optical data network

Abstract

The N-port smart data switch (SSW) comprises: i) a switching matrix module (SMM) having Y circuit switches (OCS1, OCS2..OCSY) being placed in parallel, each circuit switch (OCS1, OCS2..OCSY) having N / C inputs and N / C outputs; ii) an N-to-N*Y optical distribution block (PDB1) placed between the N optical inputs (xNi) and the switching matrix module (SMM); iii) a C-to-1-combiner stage (CBM1) placed between the N-to-N*Y optical distribution block (PDB1) and the switching matrix module (SMM), iv) an N-to-N*C optical distribution block (PDB2) placed between the switching matrix module (SMM) and the optical outputs; and v) a Y-to-1 combiner stage (CBM2) placed between the N-to-N*C optical distribution block (PDB2) and the optical outputs, wherein N is the number of optical inputs (xNi) and the number of optical outputs (xNo), wherein N is an integer equal to or larger than two, and wherein Y is the number of circuit switches (OCS1, OCS2..OCSY) within the switching matrix module (SMM), wherein Y is an integer equal to or larger than one, and C is the oversubscription factor of the N-port smart data switch (SSW), wherein C is an integer equal to or larger than two. The use of smaller switching matrices in the current invention leads to a significantly increased yield when implementing these functions in photonic integrated circuit.

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