Dynamically reconfigurable optical interface device using an optically switched backplane

摘要

An optical interface device dynamically reconfigures a telecommunications network. The device includes an optically switched backplane connected between two stages of an optical tapped amplifier. Various modules may be plugged into the backplane for performing selective processing of the optical signal without any signal conversion to electrical domain. The modules are electrically controlled by a controller, which is also a module, overseeing the operations upon the optical signal by other modules.