Wavelength Demultiplexer with Variable Splitting Switches
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wavelength demultiplexing technologies are limited to handling radio over fiber signals with a single prescribed frequency interval, failing to accommodate variations in frequency intervals and signal strengths across channels.
Innovation Solution
A wavelength demultiplexer incorporating a spectroscopic means and a light path switching device with variable-splitting-ratio switches, delay means, and polarization-independent components to manage multiple frequency intervals and adjust signal strengths, allowing flexible channel allocation and polarization maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional wavelength demultiplexing technology is used, then the system can handle radio over fiber signals, but it is limited to a single prescribed frequency interval and cannot accommodate variations in frequency intervals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the demultiplexer reconfigurable through variable splitting ratios in the optical switches. This allows the system to adapt to different frequency intervals dynamically rather than being fixed, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and complexity by enabling flexible configuration only when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the splitting ratio parameter of optical switches to accommodate different frequency intervals. By adjusting this parameter, the demultiplexer can handle various frequency configurations without requiring complete hardware redesign, thus improving adaptability while controlling complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional wavelength demultiplexing technology is used, then the system operates with fixed channel configurations, but it cannot adjust signal strengths across different channels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic signal strength adjustment by incorporating variable splitting ratios in optical switches for each channel. This allows independent control of signal levels across channels, enabling adaptation to different signal strength requirements without fixed configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by allowing each channel to have independent signal strength control through individual variable splitting ratios. This enables localized adjustment of signal levels for specific channels while maintaining overall system functionality, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and complexity.
3Extent of automation
If repeated light path splitting is performed to switch light paths, then the system can dynamically allocate channels, but the splitting loss increases with the number of channels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces insertion loss by dynamically configuring optical switches to establish direct light paths between input and output ports. This eliminates the need for repeated splitting operations, thereby maintaining low loss while achieving automated channel allocation through controlled switching.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the unnecessary repeated splitting operations from the light path switching process. By using optical switches to directly route light paths, the system removes the cumulative splitting loss that occurs in conventional cascaded splitting architectures, reducing energy loss while maintaining dynamic allocation capability.
4Adaptability or versatility
If optical couplers are used for power combining, then the system can multiplex optical signals, but the characteristics of optical couplers do not include wavelength selectivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing wavelength-selective filtering at specific points in the multiplexing structure. Rather than requiring the entire optical coupler to have wavelength selectivity, the system uses wavelength-selective components only where needed, achieving wavelength discrimination while maintaining the power combining functionality of optical couplers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces wavelength-selective filtering as an intermediary function between the optical coupler and the output. This mediator enables wavelength discrimination without requiring the optical coupler itself to be wavelength-selective, thus achieving the desired adaptability while controlling device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables stable separation and balancing of signal strengths across channels, supporting multiple frequency intervals and improving system performance by reducing insertion loss and electromagnetic interference.
Implementation Method 1
a spectroscopic means (arrayed waveguide grating) that separates input light paths into output light paths according to wavelengths
Data Source
AI summary
A wavelength demultiplexer is equipped with a spectroscopic means (which separates light that is input from multiple input light paths, and outputs the light to multiple output light paths) and a light path switching device (a device that switches the light paths that are input to the spectroscopic means, with the switching being performed by an external operation), and the light path switching device may be a device that distributes the input from one input port to multiple output ports. The light path switching device and the spectroscopic means are polarization-independent, with the input light paths, the output light paths, and the light paths between the light path switching device and the spectroscopic means being polarization-maintaining light paths, so the relative polarization configuration is the same for the input light and the output light.