JP3535815B2 - Interface device for wavelength division multiplexing optical communication - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to wavelength division multiplexing (W).
The present invention relates to an improvement of a DM (Wavelength Division Multiplexing) optical communication interface device. In particular, during operation of the optical communication system, even if a part of the components of the interface device for wavelength division multiplexing optical communication should fail, the spare circuit is instantaneously switched to continue the communication service. It is possible to have an advantage of being able to avoid the interruption of communication services.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 shows the structure of an example of a conventional wavelength division multiplexing optical communication interface device. The wavelength division multiplexing optical interface device includes a transmitter (uplink circuit) and a receiver (downlink circuit). In the figure, reference numeral 101 denotes a plurality of input terminals for the upstream circuit, and a plurality of optical input signals of the upstream circuit are input to the respective terminals. Reference numeral 102 denotes a plurality of optical / electrical conversion circuits, which is composed of a set of a plurality of unit circuits, and each of the plurality of optical input signals of the upstream circuit is converted into an electric signal. Reference numeral 103 is an amplification discrimination circuit, which is also composed of a set of a plurality of unit circuits,
Each of the plurality of electric signals of the upstream circuit is amplified, identified and reproduced. Reference numeral 104 denotes an electrical / optical conversion circuit, which is composed of a set of a plurality of unit circuits each having a different predetermined oscillation wavelength characteristic, and each of the plurality of electrical signals of the upstream circuit is converted into an optical signal having a different predetermined oscillation wavelength. It is oscillated and converted again. Here, the combination of the optical / electrical conversion circuit 102, the amplification identification circuit 103, and the electric / optical conversion circuit 104 is referred to as a plurality of single wavelength light source devices. On the other hand, 1
Reference numeral 05 denotes an optical multiplexing circuit, which multiplexes a plurality of optical signals from the upstream circuit into a single wavelength-multiplexed optical signal,
Output from 06. This is the transmitter (upstream circuit).
A downlink input terminal 111 receives a downlink optical signal as a single wavelength-multiplexed optical signal. An optical demultiplexing circuit 112 demultiplexes a downstream optical signal as a single wavelength-multiplexed optical signal into a plurality of optical signals having different wavelengths. 114
Is a plurality of optical / electrical conversion circuits and is composed of a set of a plurality of unit circuits. Each of the plurality of optical signals of the downstream circuit is converted into an electric signal by each. Reference numeral 115 denotes an amplification / identification circuit, which is also made up of a set of a plurality of single circuits, and each of the plurality of electric signals of the downstream circuit is amplified / identified and reproduced. Reference numeral 116 denotes an electric / optical conversion circuit, which is composed of a set of a plurality of unit circuits, and each of a plurality of electric signals of the downstream circuit is converted into an optical signal again. Here, the optical / electrical conversion circuit 114, the amplification identification circuit 115, and the electric / optical conversion circuit 1
The combination with 16 is named a plurality of single-wavelength light receiving circuits.
Reference numeral 117 denotes a plurality of output terminals for the downlink circuit, which outputs a plurality of optical output signals. This is the receiving unit (downstream circuit).

See FIG. FIG. 6 shows an array optical waveguide diffraction grating utilizing the interference of multiple light beams.
Child (AWG (Arrayed-Waveguide Grating) type optical combination
FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a wave circuit. A method that utilizes the interference of multiple beams
Ray Optical Waveguide Diffraction grating type optical multiplexing / demultiplexing circuit
The optical multiplexer circuit 105 and the optical demultiplexer circuit 112
Functions of the optical multiplexing circuit 105, which are integrated together.
And the function of the optical demultiplexing circuit 112. Figure smell
201 is a substrate of silicon, quartz, etc.
Lower clad layer consisting of silicon dioxide layer
The refractive index above that of the lower cladding layer.
Dioxide doped with germanium etc.
A silicon layer etc. is deposited and patterned,
It is regarded as the core. On top of that, a silicon dioxide layer
An upper clad layer composed of
Is made. 202 is one input waveguide, a so-called input end
And the wavelength-multiplexed optical input enters this one waveguide.
Has been. 203 corresponds to the number of wavelengths to be demultiplexed
Is a plurality of input side channel waveguides, and 204 is
This is the slab waveguide on the input side, and it
Each of them is transferred by dividing it into geometrically parallel positions.
It Reference numeral 205 denotes an arrayed-waveguide
ng, that is, an optical waveguide diffraction grating using multi-beam interference
Child), and is essentially a plurality of parallel waveguides.
Then, geometrically by the input side slab waveguide 204
Inside each of the lights that were transferred to the parallel position
But the length of each is different, so
A phase difference is generated in each light passing therethrough. 206 is an output
Side slab waveguides, each of which has a phase difference
(Multiple lights with different wavelengths) are effectively demultiplexed,
Send to each of the output side channel waveguides 207.
It In addition, the plurality of output-side channel waveguides 207
Is provided for each demultiplexed wavelength and emits a single-wavelength optical output.
Be done. The optical multiplexing circuit 105 described above with reference to FIG.
It is constituted by these elements 202 to 208. on the other hand,
Elements 212-218 are the optical demultiplexers described above with reference to FIG.
Path 112, but 212 is used for communication.
Inject multiple lights with different wavelengths
A plurality of input waveguides, so-called a plurality of input terminals,
213 corresponds to the input waveguide, so-called plural input terminals
There are multiple input-side channel waveguides, and 214 is
This is a slab waveguide on the force side, and the input wavelengths are different.
Geometrically parallel each of the multiple lights
It is transferred to each place. 215 is an array waveguide
d-Waveguide Grating, that is, multi-beam interference is used
Optical waveguide diffraction grating), which is essentially a plurality of parallel
It is a waveguide. Then, by the input side slab waveguide 214
That is, each of them was transferred by dividing it into geometrically parallel positions.
The light passes through it, but each has a different length
Therefore, there is no phase difference in each light passing through it.
It 216 is an output side slab waveguide having a phase difference
Each light (multiple lights with different wavelengths)
To multiple wavelengths and convert it to wavelength multiplexed light.
It is sent to one of the channel waveguides 217. On the output side
The channel waveguide 217 corresponds to the number of wavelengths on the input side.
Have a number. 218 is one output waveguide, so-called output
It is a terminal and outputs the multiplexed multi-wavelength signal. Na
The optical multiplexing circuit 105 and the optical demultiplexing circuit 112 are C
Deposition technology of various substances such as VD method, etching method and lift
Planar-type optical waveguide composed of patterning technology such as off method
Waveguide manufacturing technology can be used on a single semiconductor chip
It can be manufactured monolithically. Multi-light shown in FIG.
An optical waveguide diffraction grating type optical multiplexer / demultiplexer circuit that uses bundle interference is
As described above, the optical multiplexing circuit and the optical demultiplexing circuit are combined.
Therefore, masks and optical demultiplexing circuits for optical multiplexing circuits
By using it together with the manufacturing mask,
Is the chip area of the optical multiplexing circuit only or the optical demultiplexing circuit only
Manufacturing on top of each other in an area not much different from
Because it can be done, not only in terms of cost but also in terms of use, it is extremely
Is advantageous. The optical multiplexer / demultiplexer circuit realizes stable characteristics.
Accurate temperature control is required to
By forming the demultiplexing circuit and the single chip on a single chip,
One temperature control is performed simultaneously by one control means.
The wavelength characteristic balance, etc., is extremely good.
Because it can be done well.

In the optical multiplexer / demultiplexer circuit described above,
As shown in FIG. 6, only one input waveguide to the optical demultiplexing circuit and only one output waveguide from the optical multiplexing circuit are used. However, advanced AWG (Arrayed-Waveguide Grati
In other words, when using the function of an optical waveguide diffraction grating type optical multiplexing / demultiplexing circuit that uses multi-beam interference, the optical demultiplexing circuit requires multiple input waveguides, and the optical multiplexing circuit also has multiple output waveguides. Requires a waveguide. Therefore, a plurality of one input waveguides of the optical demultiplexing circuit shown in FIG. 6 are provided, and a plurality of one output waveguides of the optical multiplexing circuit are provided. In the present specification, the optical multiplexing / demultiplexing circuit having such a structure is referred to as a high-performance AWG (Arrayed-Waveguide Grating, that is, an optical waveguide diffraction grating utilizing multi-beam interference) type optical multiplexing / demultiplexing circuit. .

FIG. 7 shows another configuration example of the wavelength division multiplexing optical communication interface device according to another configuration example of the prior art. This configuration is different from the configuration of FIG. 5 in that a plurality of optical / electrical conversion circuits 114 each including a plurality of unit circuits for converting each of a plurality of optical signals of the downlink circuit into an electric signal and a plurality of the downlink circuits. An amplification / identification circuit 115 that is an amplification / identification circuit that amplifies / identifies / reproduces each electric signal and that is composed of a set of a plurality of unit circuits, and a set of a plurality of unit circuits that converts each of the plurality of electric signals into an optical signal. The electrical / optical conversion circuit 116 is deleted, and a plurality of upstream circuit input terminals 101 in the configuration of FIG. 5 are input to the respective terminals of the plurality of upstream circuit optical input signals.
And a plurality of optical / electrical conversion circuits for converting each of the plurality of optical input signals of the upstream circuit into electric signals, respectively, and comprising a set of a plurality of unit circuits, and again,
An amplification / identification circuit 10 including a set of a plurality of unit circuits and amplifying / identifying / reproducing each of a plurality of electric signals of an upstream circuit.
3 and a plurality of electrical signals of the upstream circuit, each of which is oscillated and converted again into an optical signal having a different predetermined oscillation wavelength, and an electrical / optical system including a plurality of unit circuits having different predetermined oscillation wavelength characteristics. A transmission unit (uplink circuit) including the conversion circuit 104 and an optical multiplexing circuit 105 that multiplexes a plurality of optical signals of the upstream circuit and outputs the multiplexed wavelength-multiplexed optical signal from the upstream output terminal 106 as a single wavelength-multiplexed optical signal. Downstream input terminal 111 to which a downstream optical signal as one wavelength multiplexed optical signal is input, and an optical demultiplexing circuit for demultiplexing the downstream optical signal as a single wavelength multiplexed optical signal into a plurality of optical signals having different wavelengths And a receiving unit (downstream circuit) composed of 112. Reference numeral 117 denotes a plurality of output terminals for the down circuit.

Referring again to FIG. 7, the operation of the transmitting section (uplink circuit) included in the wavelength division multiplexing optical communication interface apparatus having this configuration is exactly the same as in the case of the configuration of FIG. 5) operation is different from the case of the configuration of FIG. That is, when one wavelength-multiplexed optical signal is input to the downlink input terminal 111, the wavelength-multiplexed optical signal is demultiplexed into a plurality of optical signals having different wavelengths by the optical demultiplexing circuit 112 and converted into an electrical signal. Not output from the optical signal, multiple output terminals 11 for the downstream circuit
It is output from each of 7.

Rereference to FIG. 7 As described above, in the wavelength division multiplexing optical communication interface device having the configuration shown in FIG. 7, the number of parts is small and the cost is reduced, but such a configuration is possible. The reason is that, as a result of the recent technical development of the optical waveguide diffraction grating type optical multiplexing / demultiplexing circuit utilizing multi-beam interference, the variation in characteristics due to the difference in the insertion loss and the wavelength is significantly reduced. Moreover, in addition to this, the improvement in the performance of the optical communication system equipment has improved the signal transmission performance in a geographically limited area such as a metropolitan area and reduced the transmission loss. If necessary, between the optical multiplexing circuit 105 and the upstream output terminal 106,
And / or the downstream input terminal 111 and the optical demultiplexing circuit 112
An optical amplifier can be inserted between and to enhance the signal amplitude.

However, the higher the optical wavelength multiplicity, the higher the utilization efficiency of the optical communication system. Therefore, in the wavelength division multiplexing optical communication interface device having the configurations of FIGS. 5 and 7, the single unit of the transmitter (upstream circuit) is used. The number of unit circuits of each of the wavelength light source device and the short wavelength light receiving circuit of the receiving unit (downstream circuit) is, for example, 16 to 32 channels.

[0009]

Therefore, should one of the circuits included in these unit circuits lose its function, the entire interface device for wavelength division multiplexing optical communication loses its function. Therefore, in order to prepare for the occurrence of such a situation, a standby device is required to continue communication, but it is necessary to prepare the entire wavelength division multiplexing optical communication interface device as a standby device, which imposes an economic burden. large. In order to reduce such an economic burden as much as possible, in the above configuration, the single wavelength light source device of the transmission unit (upstream circuit) and the short wavelength light receiving circuit of the reception unit (downstream circuit) are simply and simply Although a prototype with a unit circuit was manufactured and an experiment was conducted, it is practically difficult to exactly match the wavelength characteristic of the spare unit circuit with the wavelength characteristic of the defective unit circuit. Since the input position to the wave circuit 105 and the output position from the optical demultiplexing circuit 112 to the spare unit circuit are different from those of the defective unit circuit, switching to the spare device in the circuit scale of the spare unit circuit is not possible. Was realistically difficult. For example, the operation of the device is interrupted, and the wavelength characteristic of the spare unit circuit is readjusted so as to exactly match the wavelength characteristic of the defective unit circuit,
It is necessary to connect the optical waveguides so that the connection position to the optical multiplexing circuit 105 and the connection position to the optical demultiplexing circuit 112 are the same as those of the defective unit circuit. It was impossible to do the necessary instant switching.

The reason why this improvement plan does not operate as expected is that even if a spare unit circuit is added to the wavelength division multiplexing optical communication interface device according to the prior art, the spare unit is always used as a spare channel during system operation. Including the wavelength corresponding to the circuit, the optical multiplexing circuit / optical demultiplexing circuit does not perform the optical multiplexing / optical demultiplexing, but only the wavelengths limited to the number of channels required in the system. Since the branching circuit has been used, it is impossible to instantaneously switch the defective unit circuit to the spare unit circuit.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to eliminate this drawback, and even if a member constituting the wavelength division multiplexing optical communication interface device fails during operation of the communication system, an instantaneous circuit is provided. An object of the present invention is to provide an interface device for wavelength division multiplexing optical communication, which has an advantage of being switchable and avoiding stoppage of communication service.

[0012]

The basic idea of the present invention that achieves the above object is to provide a transmitting section (uplink circuit) for converting a plurality of optical signals having different wavelengths into a single wavelength-multiplexed optical signal for transmission. And a receiving unit (downstream circuit) that receives a single wavelength-multiplexed optical signal and converts the single wavelength-multiplexed optical signal into a plurality of optical signals having different wavelengths, respectively. Among interface devices, multi-beam interference is used.
The so-called high-performance AWG (Arrayed-Waveguide Grating)
Optical waveguide Grating type optical multiplexer / demultiplexer circuit, that is, optical demultiplexer
Provide multiple input waveguides in the circuit, and
The number of output waveguides allows the input of the optical demultiplexing circuit.
There are multiple waveguides, and the output waveguide of the optical multiplexing circuit is
In the case of a plurality of AWGs), first, a plurality of single-wavelength light sources on the transmission side have a spare unit circuit, a multiplexing circuit has a spare channel, and a wavelength-multiplexed optical signal including a spare channel signal λ ₀ is transmitted. On the other hand, on the other hand, the receiving side receives the wavelength-multiplexed optical signal including the backup channel signal λ ₀ ,
It is to switch and input to the unit circuit of the single-wavelength light receiving circuit which is demultiplexed and which cannot transmit the auxiliary channel signal λ ₀ and which corresponds to the arbitrary wavelength λ _m . That is, both the receiving side and the transmitting side can handle the spare channel signal λ ₀ ,
On the receiving side, the signal is switched to a unit circuit corresponding to the defective unit circuit on the transmitting side.

Summarizing the above, the basic structure of the interface device for wavelength division multiplexing optical communication according to the present invention which achieves the above object is to provide a plurality of optical input signals to a plurality of upstream input terminals.
Signal is provided for each of the plurality of optical input signals.
Of different wavelengths with different intensity.
Oscillate the optical signal that is output and output as multiple optical output signals
Multiple single-wavelength light sources and multiple optical output signals are combined.
As one light source output consisting of one multi-wavelength optical signal
Transmitter having optical multiplexing circuit for outputting to upstream output terminal
And separately from the transmitter via one downlink input terminal,
Is it a single multi-wavelength optical signal that is a combination of optical signals of multiple wavelengths?
Receiving a received optical signal, demultiplexing the received optical signal, and
Optical component output as multiple received optical signals with mutually different lengths
Wave circuit and the plurality of received optical signals for each wavelength
Multiple single waves that are amplified, identified and reproduced, and output to the downstream output terminal
Wavelength division multiplexing having a long light receiving circuit and a receiver having the same
In the interface device for optical communication, the single wavelength light
1 or more as a unit circuit of the source and the single-wavelength light receiving circuit
A redundant spare unit circuit is added and the optical demultiplexer is added.
Circuit is a high performance type optical demultiplexing circuit, between a plurality of input terminals of the high-function <br/> optical demultiplexing circuit and the output terminal corresponding to the spare unit circuit of the high-function optical demultiplexing circuit the optical switch circuit is inserted, the re-input to said optical switch circuit and the high-function optical demultiplexing circuit, the failure circuit an output of the high-function optical demultiplexing circuit corresponding to the preliminary unit circuit The connection can be changed to the input terminal of the unit circuit of the single-wavelength light receiving circuit corresponding to. In this configuration, as the optical switch circuit, the number of the redundant unit circuits is m and the number of regular unit circuits is n, and n
It is practically advantageous to form the simple optical switch having one or (m × n) contacts. Further, in the above basic configuration, the plurality of single-wavelength light receiving circuits may be omitted, and the receiving unit may be configured by only the downlink input terminal, the high-performance optical demultiplexing circuit, and the downlink output terminal. , Realistically advantageous.

Further , for wavelength division multiplexing optical communication according to the present invention
The interface device has multiple upstream input terminals with multiple
An optical input signal is supplied to each of the plurality of optical input signals
The light wavelengths are different from each other by the intensity corresponding to
Oscillate an optical signal with a wavelength to generate multiple optical output signals
A plurality of single-wavelength light sources for outputting, and the plurality of optical output signals
To generate a single light source consisting of a single multi-wavelength optical signal.
And an optical multiplexing circuit that outputs the power to the upstream output terminal
The transmitter and the transmitter are separately connected via one downlink input terminal.
Then, one multi-wavelength light is obtained by combining optical signals of multiple wavelengths.
Receive a received optical signal composed of signals and demultiplex the received optical signal
Output as multiple received optical signals with different wavelengths.
Optical demultiplexing circuit and each of the received optical signals
Multiples that are amplified for each length, identified and reproduced, and output to the downstream output terminal
Wavelength division having a single wavelength receiver circuit
In the interface device for multiplex optical communication, the reception
Section omits the plurality of single-wavelength light receiving circuits,
Input terminal, the optical demultiplexing circuit, and the downlink output terminal only.
As a unit circuit of the single wavelength light source device.
With one or more redundant spare unit circuits are shark, before
In the receiving unit, the auxiliary unit circuit of the transmitting unit is supported.
The received signal is switched to the defective circuit of the transmitter.
The downlink output terminal corresponding to the corresponding downlink output terminal
It may be assumed that a switch circuit for outputting to
it can.

In the above structure, the optical multiplexing circuit
As the optical demultiplexing circuit, the number of the redundant unit circuits is m,
(M + n) inputs, where n is the number of regular unit circuits
Optical multiplexing circuit with terminals, light with the same number of output terminals
Optical multiplexing circuit with demultiplexing circuit formed on one semiconductor chip
・ It can be an optical demultiplexing circuit. Furthermore, in this configuration
In the above, as the optical multiplexing circuit and the optical demultiplexing circuit,
The number of redundant unit circuits is m, and the number of regular unit circuits is n.
As (m + n) input terminals and (m + n) output terminals
Optical demultiplexing circuit with a child and (m + n) input terminals
And an optical multiplexing circuit having the same are formed on one semiconductor chip.
It can also be an optical multiplexing circuit / optical demultiplexing circuit.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The wavelength division multiplexing optical communication interfaces according to three embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0017]

First Embodiment See FIG. 1 FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an interface device for wavelength division multiplexing optical communication according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 101 denotes a plurality of input terminals for the upstream circuit, and a plurality of optical input signals of the upstream circuit are input to the respective terminals. Reference numeral 102 denotes a plurality of optical / electrical conversion circuits, which is composed of a set of a plurality of unit circuits, and each of the plurality of optical input signals of the upstream circuit is converted into an electric signal. Reference numeral 103 denotes an amplification / identification circuit, which is also composed of a set of a plurality of unit circuits, and each of a plurality of electric signals of the upstream circuit is amplified / identified and reproduced. Reference numeral 104 denotes an electrical / optical conversion circuit, which is composed of a set of a plurality of unit circuits each having a different predetermined oscillation wavelength characteristic, and each of the plurality of electrical signals of the upstream circuit is converted into an optical signal having a different predetermined oscillation wavelength. It is oscillated and converted again. Here, light /
Electrical conversion circuit 102, amplification identification circuit 103,
The combination with the light conversion circuit 104 is named a single wavelength light source. Reference numeral 105 denotes an optical multiplexing circuit, which multiplexes a plurality of optical signals of the upstream circuit and outputs them as a single wavelength-multiplexed optical signal from the upstream output terminal 106. This is the transmitter (upstream circuit). Further, 111 is a single downlink input terminal, to which a downlink optical signal as a single wavelength division multiplexed optical signal is input. 1
An optical demultiplexing circuit 12 demultiplexes a downstream optical signal as a single wavelength-multiplexed optical signal into a plurality of optical signals having different wavelengths. The number of unit circuits of the single-wavelength light source device and the number of unit circuits of the single-wavelength light receiving circuit are redundant at least one more than the regular number n required by the system. 113
However, the optical switch circuit according to the gist of the present invention will be described in detail later with reference to FIG. Reference numeral 114 denotes a plurality of optical / electrical conversion circuits, each of which is composed of a plurality of unit circuits, and each of the plurality of optical signals of the downstream circuit is converted into an electric signal. Reference numeral 115 denotes an amplification / identification circuit, which is also made up of a set of a plurality of single circuits, and each of the plurality of electric signals of the downstream circuit is amplified / identified and reproduced. Reference numeral 116 denotes an electric / optical conversion circuit, which is composed of a set of a plurality of unit circuits, and each of a plurality of electric signals of the downstream circuit is converted into an optical signal again. Here, the combination of the optical / electrical conversion circuit 114, the amplification / identification circuit 115, and the electric / optical conversion circuit 116 is named a single wavelength light receiving circuit. Reference numeral 117 denotes a plurality of output terminals for the downlink circuit, which outputs a plurality of optical output signals. This is the receiving unit (downstream circuit).

The number of unit circuits of the single-wavelength light source unit and the single-wavelength light receiving circuit of FIG. 1 is at least one more than the regular number n required by the system. Then, the optical switch 1 according to the gist of the present invention
When the number of redundant unit circuits is m and the number of regular unit circuits is n, 13 has, for example, (m + n) input terminals and (m + n) output terminals. The output signal corresponding to an arbitrary wavelength of the optical demultiplexing circuit 112 can be switched to an arbitrary unit circuit of the optical / electrical conversion circuit 114 to change the connection, so-called (m + n) × (m + n). An optical switch with contacts.

Referring to FIG. 2, referring to FIG. 2, the optical switch 113 according to the gist of the present invention.
Will be explained. The receiving unit (downlink circuit) is an optical demultiplexing circuit 112.
And the optical / electrical conversion circuit 114, the amplification discrimination circuit 115, and the electric / electrical
The optical demultiplexing circuit 112 and the optical demultiplexing circuit 112 are included.
An optical switch circuit 113 is provided between the optical conversion circuit 114 and the electrical conversion circuit 114, and the optical switch circuit 113 includes a plurality of optical transmission lines λ ₁ , λ ₂ , λ ₃ , λ ₄ , and the same number of spare optical transmission lines. The optical transmission line λ ₀ is provided, and the spare optical transmission line λ 1 is provided.
₀ is the same number as the plurality of optical transmission lines λ ₁ · λ ₂ · λ ₃ · λ
₄ has a switch 113-1 which is selectively connected to 1,
The output end of the switch 113-1 is switched by the switch 113-2 to the same number of optical transmission lines λ ₁ λ ₂ λ _{3 as the} above-mentioned plurality.
· Lambda ₄ or whether the output terminal of the switch 113-1 is alternatively selected to beゝ.

Referring back to FIG. 1, in such a configuration, the input terminal 101 for the upstream circuit is used.
When a plurality of optical input signals are input from the respective optical input signals, the plurality of optical input signals are converted into electric signals by the optical / electrical conversion circuit 102, and the electric / electrical signals are amplified / identified and reproduced by the amplification / identification circuit 103. Electric / optical conversion circuit 10
4 again converts into a plurality of optical signals having different predetermined oscillation wavelengths, and the optical multiplexing circuit 105
The signals are multiplexed into a single wavelength multiplexed optical signal and output from a single upstream output terminal 106. Further, when the downlink optical signal as a single wavelength-multiplexed optical signal is input to the downlink input terminal 111, the downlink received optical signal as a single wavelength-multiplexed optical signal has different wavelengths by the optical demultiplexing circuit 112. Are demultiplexed into a plurality of received optical signals. Then, the plurality of optical / electrical conversion circuits 114 convert the electric signals into electric signals, and the plurality of electric signals of the down circuit are respectively amplified and identified.
After being amplified and identified and reproduced by 5, the electrical / optical conversion circuit 1
Each of the plurality of optical signals is converted again by 16 into each of the plurality of optical signals.

In the normal operation by referring again to FIG. 1, it is not necessary to input the transmission signal to the spare unit circuit of the single-wavelength light source for the upstream circuit. Therefore, the standby unit circuit may be made inoperative without supplying power to the standby unit circuit of the single wavelength light source device. Further, in the normal operation, the downstream circuit operates in the same manner as when the optical switch circuit 113 according to the gist of the present invention is not present. That is, the corresponding output terminal of the optical demultiplexing circuit 112 and the corresponding input terminal of the single-wavelength light receiving circuit are directly connected, and the received optical signals are output from the downstream output terminals 117, respectively. At this time, the standby unit circuit of the single-wavelength light receiving circuit,
It is not necessary to input a reception signal, and the spare unit circuit may be inoperative without supplying power to the spare unit circuit.

FIG. 1 One unit in a plurality of single-wavelength light source units each including an optical / electrical conversion circuit 102, an amplification / identification circuit 103, and an electric / optical conversion circuit 104 due to a failure of a rereferenced component or the like. When the circuit also stops operating, the input signal to the defective unit circuit is switched to the spare unit circuit and input, and the output of the spare unit circuit is output as the optical multiplexing circuit 105.
To the upstream output terminal 106 via. In this way, when the transmitting unit switches the input signal of the defect occurrence unit circuit of the single-wavelength light source to the input signal of the spare unit circuit, the wavelength-multiplexed optical signal received via the downlink input terminal 111 is divided into optical signals. The output to the output terminal corresponding to the defect occurrence unit circuit of the output for each wavelength obtained by demultiplexing by the wave circuit 112 is not a normal output. The output to the output terminal corresponding to the spare unit circuit is the corresponding normal output. Therefore, the connection is switched by the optical switch circuit 113 according to the gist of the present invention, and the output to the output terminal corresponding to the spare unit circuit of the optical demultiplexing circuit 112 is output to the defect occurrence unit circuit of the optical / electrical conversion circuit 114. Connect to the terminal. In this way, a normal output can be output to the downstream output terminal corresponding to the same defect occurrence unit circuit as during normal operation.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, in the wavelength division multiplexing optical communication interface device having the configuration shown in FIG.
It has (m + n) input terminals and (m + n) output terminals, and outputs an output signal corresponding to an arbitrary wavelength of the optical demultiplexing circuit 112 to an arbitrary unit circuit of the optical / electrical conversion circuit 114. Although it is supposed that the connection can be changed by switching to the input terminal corresponding to the above, as another embodiment (simple type), the configuration shown in FIG. 2 can also be adopted. A simple optical switch having m × n contacts (usually m is 1) for switching and connecting the output corresponding to the spare unit circuit of the optical demultiplexing circuit 112 to the A terminals of each of the n unit circuits. 11-1 and n output terminals corresponding to each unit circuit of the optical demultiplexing circuit 112 are set as B terminals, and A terminal and B terminal are selectively selected. It may be configured with n two-choice switches that can be connected and changed to the input terminal, that is, an optical switch 113-2 having so-called (1 × 2) × n contacts. The configuration of such an optical switch circuit has (m + n) input terminals and (m + n) input / output terminals described above (m + n).
Simpler than optical switch with × (m + n) contacts.

The switching of the input signal from the defect occurrence unit circuit of the re-referenced single-wavelength light source to the spare unit circuit is performed, for example, by changing the connection of the input optical fiber to the upstream input terminal 101 or amplifying the optical / electrical conversion circuit 102. It is possible by inserting an electrical switch between the discrimination circuit 103 or between the amplification discrimination circuit 103 and the electric / optical conversion circuit 104.

Referring again to FIG. 1, as another example of the occurrence of a failure such as a failure of a component, there is a case where a unit circuit in the unit circuit of the single wavelength light receiving circuit fails and becomes a defective unit circuit. In this case, the simple optical switch 113 is used to change the connection of the output of the optical demultiplexing circuit 112 for the defective unit circuit to the spare unit circuit of the single wavelength light receiving circuit, and the output terminal 11 corresponding to the defective unit circuit.
Instead of 7, it is possible to output to the output terminal 117 corresponding to the spare unit circuit. In this case, the connection position of the external optical fiber connected to the downstream output terminal 117 is changed so that the normal output corresponding to the defect occurrence unit circuit does not come from the regular output terminal corresponding to the unit circuit but to the spare unit circuit. It must be available from the corresponding output terminal.

Referring back to FIG. 1, the circuit for providing the spare circuit switching function in FIG. 1 is a spare unit circuit additionally provided to the single wavelength light source and the single wavelength light receiving circuit, the optical multiplexing circuit 105 and the optical demultiplexing circuit. 112
The number of terminals corresponding to the spare unit circuit and the addition of the simple optical switch 113 are only, and the spare circuit switching is significantly cheaper than the case where the expensive wavelength division multiplexing optical communication interface device itself is used as the spare circuit. The scheme can be realized. Further, it is possible to switch to the backup circuit almost instantaneously without interrupting the operation of the system. In the description of FIG. 1, the spare unit circuit is added to both the single-wavelength light source and the single-wavelength light receiving circuit, but if the addition is limited to the single-wavelength light source having a high failure occurrence rate, The spare unit circuit of the single-wavelength light receiving circuit is unnecessary. In addition, if the reception output corresponding to the unit circuit in which the failure occurs in the single-wavelength light source unit may be output to the downlink output terminal corresponding to the spare unit circuit instead of the normal downlink output terminal corresponding to that unit circuit, Although a spare unit circuit is added to both the wavelength light source device and the single-wavelength light receiving circuit, the optical switch 11
It is not necessary to add 3.

Second Embodiment FIG. 3 Re-reference FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a wavelength division multiplexing optical communication interface device according to another embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, an uplink transmission unit having the same components as the components 101 to 106 shown in FIG. 1 is provided, but the downlink reception unit is
Downlink input terminal 111, optical demultiplexing circuit 112, and optical switch 1
13 and a plurality of downlink output terminals 117 corresponding to the respective outputs of the optical switch 113 for a plurality of wavelengths are connected in series in this order. That is, the other components 114 to 116 shown in FIG. 1 are omitted. In this configuration, during normal operation, both the upstream transmission unit and the downstream reception unit perform substantially the same operation as described with reference to FIG. That is, when an abnormality occurs in the single wavelength light source device, the input signal of the defect occurrence unit circuit of the single wavelength light source device is switched to the spare unit circuit, and the optical switch 113 corresponds to the spare unit circuit of the optical demultiplexing circuit 112. Changing the connection of the output to the downstream output terminal 117 corresponding to the defect occurrence unit circuit is the same as the case described with reference to FIG. The difference from the case described with reference to FIG. 1 is that the output level at the downstream output terminal 117 is not sufficiently guaranteed, but as described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, a single semiconductor is used. By using an array optical waveguide diffraction grating type optical multiplexer / demultiplexer circuit that utilizes the interference of multiple light beams formed on the chip, it is possible to dramatically reduce the variation in characteristics due to the difference in insertion loss and wavelength. The circuit can be omitted without suffering a disadvantage.

Referring again to FIG. 3, also in the configuration of FIG. 3, the received output corresponding to the unit circuit in which the single wavelength light source unit has a defect is not the normal downlink output corresponding to that unit circuit, as in the configuration of FIG. The optical switch 113 may be omitted if it may be output to the downstream output terminal corresponding to the spare unit circuit. If there is no such need and it is not necessary to omit the optical switch 113, failure of the single-wavelength light receiving circuit cannot occur. Therefore, the downlink output terminal 117 corresponding to the spare unit circuit is unnecessary.
This can be omitted.

Third embodiment See Figure 4 FIG. 4 shows the wavelength division multiplexing optical communication according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
It is a block diagram of a trust interface device. This configuration
Has the same configuration as the components 101 to 106 shown in FIG.
It has an upstream transmitter having elements. And the downlink receiver
Is a downlink input terminal 111, an optical demultiplexing circuit 112, and
Optical / electrical conversion circuit 114, amplification discrimination circuit 115,
Electric / optical conversion circuit 116 and a plurality of output terminals for the downstream circuit
The child 117. In other words, the optical switch shown in FIG.
Switch 113 is omitted and a new optical switch is used instead.
A circuit 119 is additionally inserted to form an optical demultiplexing circuit 112, and
High-performance AWG optical coupling / decoupling with a number of input / output terminals
The wave circuit is used as a component. Light with light
The switch circuit 119 is used as a spare unit circuit of the optical demultiplexing circuit 112.
Loop the output corresponding to the path and use it as the input,
It selectively obtains outputs corresponding to n regular unit circuits.
(M × n) contacts (usually m is 1)
It is a simple optical switch, the output terminal of which is the optical demultiplexing circuit 1.
12 which are connected to the respective input terminals of the optical demultiplexing circuit 112
Loops the output corresponding to the unit circuit and
It connects and switches to the output position corresponding to the circuit.
It Note that this embodiment is a high-performance AWG (Arrayed-type).
Waveguide Grating, that is, multi-beam interference is used
An optical waveguide diffraction grating type optical multiplexer / demultiplexer circuit is used.
, Λ₀~ Λ_nIf you input multiple wavelengths of
To the output terminal₀Or λ ₁Or ... or λ_n
Ordinary demultiplexing
It is a function of the road. In addition, this high-performance AWG optical multiplexer / demultiplexer
A single-wavelength optical signal, for example, λ, at the input terminal of the circuit₀Enter
Then, the single wavelength optical signal λ₀Output
So the spare channel optical signal λ₀High-performance type to enter
By switching the input terminal of the AWG optical multiplexer / demultiplexer circuit
Signal is not coming due to a defect on the sending side.
A single-wavelength light receiving circuit unit corresponding to λm corresponding to the desired wavelength
Optical signal λ₀Is configured to output
can do. Specifically, it is a high-performance AWG Hikari
For example, one input terminal above the normal input terminal of the branching circuit
Spare channel signal λ₀, The optical signal λ₁Out
Optical signal λ at the output terminal ₀Output, input on two
If it is a terminal, the optical signal λ_TwoIs output to the output terminal
Optical signal λ₀Is output. In Figure 4 above
The configuration using the optical switch circuit 119 shown in FIG.
The optical switch circuit configuration that is simpler than the configuration that uses
In addition, it is possible to realize almost the same connection switching function.
You can In addition, the optical switch circuit 119 shown in FIG.
The configuration used can also be used for the configuration shown in FIG.
Using a simple optical switch circuit configuration,
Such a connection switching function can be realized.

[0030]

Effect of the Invention] As explained above, where according to the present invention
Light switch between In called High Performance type wavelength division multiplexing optical communication interface, a plurality of input terminals of the output terminal and the high-function optical demultiplexing circuit corresponding to the spare unit circuit of the high-function optical demultiplexing circuit Circuit is inserted, and with this optical switch circuit
By re-inputting to the high-performance optical demultiplexing circuit, the output of the high-performance optical demultiplexing circuit corresponding to the spare unit circuit is changed to the input terminal of the unit circuit of the single-wavelength light receiving circuit corresponding to the defect occurrence circuit. In addition, as a modification thereof, the receiving unit omits a plurality of single-wavelength light receiving circuits and
Input terminal, optical demultiplexing circuit, and output terminal
The unit circuit of the single-wavelength light source has one or more
A redundant spare unit circuit is added and the receiver unit
Then, the reception signal corresponding to the spare unit circuit of the transmission unit is switched, and the downlink output terminal corresponding to the failure occurrence circuit of the transmission unit is switched.
Switch circuit that outputs to the downstream output terminal corresponding to
It is also possible to use a so-called high-performance wavelength division multiplex optical communication interface while using the so-called high-performance wavelength division multiplex optical communication interface. Even if a failure occurs in a member that constitutes the communication interface device, the circuit can be switched instantaneously, and the stop of the communication service can be avoided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a wavelength division multiplexing optical communication interface according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an optical switch circuit which is a component of the wavelength division multiplexing optical communication interface according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a method of implementing a hand scanner. (Embodiment 2) FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a wavelength division multiplexing optical communication interface according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a wavelength division multiplexing optical communication interface according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a wavelength division multiplexing optical communication interface according to a conventional technique.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an arrayed-waveguide grating (AWG) type optical multiplexing / demultiplexing circuit that utilizes interference of multiple beams.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a wavelength division multiplexing optical communication interface according to another conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

101 a plurality of input terminals for upstream circuit 102 a plurality of optical / electrical conversion circuits 103 amplification identification circuit 104 electrical / optical conversion circuit 105 optical multiplexing circuit 106 upstream output terminal 111 downstream input terminal 112 optical demultiplexing circuit 113 optical switch 113-1 Switch 113-2 Switch 114 Multiple optical / electrical conversion circuits 115 Amplification identification circuit 116 Electrical / optical conversion circuits 117 Multiple output terminals 119 for down circuit Optical switch circuit 201 Substrate such as silicon / quartz 202 Input waveguide 203 Input side Slab waveguide 204 Arrayed-Waveguide Grating
That is, an optical waveguide diffraction grating that utilizes multi-beam interference 205 Output side slab waveguide 206 Output side channel waveguides 208 Input waveguides 209 Input side slab waveguide 210 Arrayed-Waveguide Grating
That is, an optical waveguide diffraction grating utilizing multi-beam interference) 211 Output side slab waveguide 212 Multiple output side channel waveguides

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Takashi Asaoka 1-12-1 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Inside NTT Electronics Co., Ltd. (72) Yoshihisa KAI 2-3-3 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Within Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (56) Reference JP-A-11-68656 (JP, A) JP-A-7-248509 (JP, A) JP-A-2000-151514 (JP, A) JP-A-11-136187 ( JP, A) JP 8-32554 (JP, A) Yoshinori Yamauchi et al., WDM optical interface board, IEICE General Conference Proceedings, Japan, The Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers, March 2000 7 Sun, VOL. 2000, Comprehensive 3, PAGE. 478 (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04B 10/00-10/28 H04J 14/00-14/08

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A plurality of optical input signals are supplied to a plurality of upstream input terminals, and oscillate optical signals whose optical wavelengths are predetermined different wavelengths with intensities corresponding to the plurality of optical input signals, respectively. A plurality of single-wavelength light source devices for outputting as a plurality of optical output signals, and an optical combiner for multiplexing the plurality of optical output signals and outputting as one light source output consisting of one multi-wavelength optical signal to the upstream output terminal. And a reception optical signal composed of a multi-wavelength optical signal obtained by multiplexing optical signals of a plurality of wavelengths via a single downlink input terminal separately from the transmission unit having a wave circuit. An optical demultiplexing circuit that demultiplexes the received optical signals and outputs the received optical signals as a plurality of received optical signals having different wavelengths; and a downstream output terminal that amplifies and reproduces the plurality of received optical signals for each wavelength. Having a plurality of single wavelength light receiving circuits for outputting to In the interface device for wavelength division multiplexing optical communication including a signal receiving unit, the optical demultiplexing circuit is an optical demultiplexing circuit also including a plurality of downlink input terminals other than the downlink input terminal to which the received optical signal is input, One or more of the single wavelength light source device of the transmitting unit is a standby single wavelength light source device, and in the receiving unit, an output terminal corresponding to the wavelength of the standby single wavelength light source device of the optical demultiplexing circuit is an optical switch circuit. The output of the optical switch circuit is connected to any one of a plurality of downlink input terminals other than the downlink input terminal to which the received optical signal in the optical demultiplexing circuit selected by the optical switch circuit is input. By inputting, it is possible to input the output from the output terminal corresponding to the wavelength of the spare single wavelength light source of the optical demultiplexing circuit to the single wavelength light receiving circuit corresponding to the defective single wavelength light source. An interface device for wavelength division multiplexing optical communication characterized in that 2. A plurality of optical input signals are supplied to a plurality of upstream input terminals, and oscillate optical signals whose optical wavelengths are predetermined different wavelengths with intensities corresponding to the plurality of optical input signals, respectively. A plurality of single-wavelength light source devices for outputting as a plurality of optical output signals, and an optical combiner for multiplexing the plurality of optical output signals and outputting as one light source output consisting of one multi-wavelength optical signal to the upstream output terminal. And a reception optical signal composed of a multi-wavelength optical signal obtained by multiplexing optical signals of a plurality of wavelengths via a single downlink input terminal separately from the transmission unit having a wave circuit. A wavelength division multiplexing optical communication interface device comprising: a receiving unit having an optical demultiplexing circuit that demultiplexes the received optical signal and outputs to the downlink output terminal as a plurality of received optical signals having different wavelengths from each other, The optical demultiplexing circuit receives the signal An optical demultiplexing circuit that also has a plurality of downlink input terminals other than the downlink input terminal to which a signal is input, wherein one or more single wavelength light source devices of the transmission unit is a spare single wavelength light source device, and the reception unit. In the optical demultiplexing circuit, the output terminal corresponding to the wavelength of the spare single wavelength light source device is connected to the optical switch circuit, and the output of the optical switch circuit is the optical demultiplexing circuit selected by the optical switch circuit. The optical demultiplexer is input to the downlink input terminal corresponding to the single-wavelength light source device in which a defect has occurred by being input to any of the downlink input terminals of the plurality of downlink input terminals other than the downlink input terminal to which the received optical signal is input. An interface device for wavelength division multiplexing optical communication, wherein an output from an output terminal corresponding to a wavelength of a spare single wavelength light source of a circuit can be input. 3. The optical switch circuit includes a simple optical switch having (m × n) contacts, where the number of the spare single wavelength light source devices is m and the number of regular single wavelength light source devices is n. The interface device for wavelength division multiplexing optical communication according to claim 1 or 2, which is configured. 4. An optical demultiplexer having (m + n) input terminals and (m + n) output terminals, where m is the number of the spare single-wavelength light source devices and n is the number of regular single-wavelength light source devices. Circuit,
An optical multiplexing circuit having (m + n) input terminals is formed on one semiconductor chip.
2. The interface device for wavelength division multiplexing optical communication according to 2 or 3.