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Abstract

An optical cross-connect apparatus accepts a wavelength-division M-multiplexed optical signal (M is an integer). The apparatus has N input ports and N (N is an integer) output ports. To each input port, a wavelength-division multiplexed optical signal is applied. The M-multiplexed optical signal is applied to an optical demultiplexer, where the multiplexed signal is demultiplexed. The apparatus has an MN.times.MN optical switch matrix. The switch matrix switches the demultiplexed optical signals and applies the optical signals to wavelength converters. The wavelength converters convert each wavelength of the inputted optical signals into a predetermined wavelength, and applies it to an optical multiplexer. At the optical multiplexer, the optical signals are multiplexed and thus outputted from the output ports. The optical switch matrix is constructed by a plurality of N.times.M size unit switches.

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