Apparatus for optical wavelength conversion

Details Apparatus for optical wavelength conversion Apparatus for optical wavelength conversion

2001-10-02

2003-04-15

Epps, Georgia (Department: 2873)

Optical: systems and elements

Optical modulator

Light wave temporal modulation

C359S331000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06549319

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention is in the field of optical wavelength converters.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,949,573 to Glance, there is illustrated and described a tunable optical wavelength converter for generating a selectable wavelength for an optical signal. The tunable wavelength converter includes an input active section, an output active section, an interferometer and an optical wavelength selector all integrated onto a substrate between two mirrors. An optical input signal at a first wavelength is input through the input active section which in conjunction with the output section and the interferometer controls the amplitude of an optical signal at a second wavelength propagating in the laser cavity. The information contained in the amplitude of the input signal is transferred to the optical signal in the interferomic laser cavity and output by the output active section. Thus, the information of the optical input signal at the first wavelength is transferred to the optical output signal at the second wavelength.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an optical wavelength converting apparatus for use with a light source providing a light beam having a wavelength &lgr;, the apparatus comprising:
(a) an optical wavelength conversion module including at least two optical modulators each capable of being coupled to the light source, and respectively capable of modulating the light beam to a first modulated light beam including a pair of channels having wavelengths &lgr;±&Dgr;&lgr;
i
, and a second modulated light beam including a pair of channels having wavelengths &lgr;±&Dgr;&lgr;
j
where &Dgr;&lgr;
i
≠&Dgr;&lgr;
j
; and
(b) a wavelength controller for switching the light beam to one of said at least two optical modulators for modulating to one of said modulated light beams having a pair of channels with wavelengths &lgr;±&Dgr;&lgr;
i
or &lgr;±&Dgr;&lgr;
j
.
The optical wavelength converting apparatus of the present invention provides highly convenient wavelength conversion from a wavelength &lgr; to a modulated wavelength &lgr;±&Dgr;&lgr;. The optical modulators of the optical wavelength conversion module are preferably fine tuned by tunable radio frequency (RF) signal generators in accordance with performance monitoring requirements. The optical wavelength converting apparatus of the present invention is particularly suitable for deployment in optical routers for optical packet switching purposes in different networks including inter alia access networks, metropolitan ring networks, and long haul networks.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5654814 (1997-08-01), Ouchi et al.
patent: 5680235 (1997-10-01), Johansson
patent: 5754322 (1998-05-01), Ishikawa et al.
patent: 5949573 (1999-09-01), Glance

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