Page 40 - Optical Communications Essentials

Optical Communication Systems Overview

30 Chapter Two

Figure 2.8. Examples of broad categories of networks.

2.6. Optical Networking and Switching

Another step toward realizing the full potential of optical fiber transmission
capacity is the concept of an intelligent WDM network. In these networks the
wavelength routing is done in the optical domain without going through the
usual time-consuming sequence that involves an optical-to-electric signal con-
version, an electric signal switching process, and then another conversion from

Downloaded from Digital Engineering Library @ McGraw-Hill (www.digitalengineeringlibrary.com)
Copyright © 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Any use is subject to the Terms of Use as given at the website.