Optical shutter for a communication system,申请号GB20000028919-传众专利搜索

Optical shutter for a communication system

申请公布号：GB2369509(A)

申请号：GB20000028919

申请日期：2000.11.28

申请公布日期：2002.05.29

申请人：

* MARCONI COMMUNICATIONS LIMITED

发明人：ANDREW GEORGE * LAUDER

分类号：H04B10/08;H04B10/00;H04B10/02;H04B10/077;H04B10/213;H04Q11/00;(IPC1-7):H04B10/08

主分类号：H04B10/08

摘要：The invention provides optical shutters 500, 510 for a communication system, preferably a WDM optical fibre waveguide ring network with clockwise and anti-clockwise paths 80, 90 and 100, 110 respectively. Each optical shutter includes an optical tap (440, fig. 4), a power monitor (430) for monitoring the power of information-bearing radiation propagating along a path and for generating a power indicative signal, a control unit for comparing the signal with a threshold value and generating a control signal, and a shutter switch for selectively transmitting or blocking radiation propagating along a path in response to the control signal. The shutters can be used to attenuate dangerous levels of radiation being output in an event of a break occurring in one or more of the paths. The shutter switch may consist of a liquid crystal or thermally controlled attenuator, a charge carrier dispersion modulator, an electro-mechanical optical switch or an optical micro-machined structure (MEMs). Preferably the system comprises a protection channel that can be used for communication when a working channel is inoperative.