Importance

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Abstract

An optical routing device for wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) optical signals includes an optical switch matrix (50) having a first optical switch array (54) and a second optical switch array (52), the first optical switch array being adapted to couple optical signals to the second optical switch array on the basis of the wavelength of respective optical signals. The second optical switch array (52) includes a number of optical switch devices, each of which is dedicated to route traffic on a respective wavelength. The device includes a drop traffic path and a through traffic path, in which the drop traffic path includes a transponder unit (170; 220) that is selectively reconfigurable to couple signals to a through traffic path and thereby provide a signal regeneration path. The transponder unit (170; 220) may be tunable so as to provide a wavelength translation function for any optical signal received by the transponder unit. This feature enables efficient sharing of transponders.

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First Claim