A wavelength routing approach to optical communications networks

A class of wavelength-routing optical networks is described on the basis of the interconnection of wavelength multiplexed channels. Unlike previously described optical network structures, these networks allow the reuse of wavelengths in different transmission sections and this leads to fewer wavelengths being needed. A choice of structures using a common set of components leads to the opportunity to design a network according to the geographical distribution of the switching nodes. The structures provide for a set of point-to-point interconnections and, with modest numbers of wavelengths, full interconnection between the optoelectronic nodes is possible at the optical level. In bypassing intermediate electronic stages the networks appear to offer good reliability characteristics. Providing the components in an initial network are designed to utilize bandwidth efficiently, the networks could be upgraded to incorporate more channels, optical switching, and other forms of optical processing at the optical nodes. >