Intelligent Optical Bypass Switch Implementation

Remote switches plate B passively monitoring optical power of the transmit

fibers.Since the transceivers are continually transmitting Manchester-coded
data or idle tone, this criterion is used in determining whether the switch
should activate.When the optical signal is lost on a transmit fiber.It is
determined that one of the following failure modes has occurred: either the
LED has failed, the transceiver has lost power or been destroyed, or the
building to -ring stub has been destroyed, or the building of a ring stub has
been destroyed.In this event, the transceiver is automatically bypassed until
repairs or replacement can be done.

A complete switch is composed of two identical channels.Each channel

services one fiber of the dual counterrotating ring.At the coupling points, ,10
percent of the transmitted optical power are taped off and detected.A PIN
photodiode with a low pass preamplifier is utilized to detect the average optical

power incident on the detector.The detected power is amplified and compared

to a threshold to be transformed into a logic high or low.The resulting digital
value is used to place a latching optical switch reduces the abnormal electrical
power requirements normally associate with the holding current in the
traditional fails safe Mechanical Optical Switch implementations.Additional
circuitry gets power to the switch drivers and provides battery backup and
recharge.
Prototype o two channel remote bypass switches were constructed.The
prototype was placed in a simulated network environment to measure insertion
losses, sensitivity, speed of response, and power consumption, In addition,
operational test was carried out to examine switching response.Operation
ofthe battery backup, and interoperability with the transceivers.
Operational tests showed the switch performed as designed.Switch transitions
occurred at the preset threshold levels and within adequate time.Upon the loss
of external power, the battery backup was noted to function correctly.
The laboratory prototype of the intelligent Optical Bypass Switch

was

integrated into the survivable network test bed and produced the expected
results.The use of this type of bypass switch in the final implementation can
significantly enhance the probability of network survivability.

The laboratory prototype of the intelligent optical bypass switch was integrated
into the survivable network test bed and produced the expected results.The
use of this type of bypass switch in the ultimate implementation can
significantly enhance the probability of network survivability.The MEMS Optical
Switch design described above has been tailored for use in this
application.However, the concept could be applied to other fiber optic ring
architecture.In these applications, the switch would have to rely on the
presence of the token or some other keep alive signal to determine the status
of its.
View: www.fibercasa.com for more information