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An optical node includes a reconfigurable optical add drop multiplexer (ROADM) core configured to transmit optical signals of multiple wavelengths to and receive optical signals of multiple wavelengths from another optical node. The ROADM core is also configured to add optical signals thereto and to

An optical node includes a reconfigurable optical add drop multiplexer (ROADM) core configured to transmit optical signals of multiple wavelengths to and receive optical signals of multiple wavelengths from another optical node. The ROADM core is also configured to add optical signals thereto and to drop optical signals therefrom. The node also includes two different types of add-on devices, each connected to the ROADM core device and configured to process optical signals of multiple wavelengths. As a result, a multifunctional and reconfigurable optical node can be provided.

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1. An optical node of a network comprising: a ROADM core, which is a reconfigurable optical add drop multiplexer core device including a bidirectional network node interface configured to receive an optical signal of multiple wavelengths from the network and to transmit an optical signal of multiple

1. An optical node of a network comprising: a ROADM core, which is a reconfigurable optical add drop multiplexer core device including a bidirectional network node interface configured to receive an optical signal of multiple wavelengths from the network and to transmit an optical signal of multiple wavelengths to the network; andtwo different types of add-on devices, each connected to the ROADM core and each configured to a) receive an optical signal from the ROADM core that contains all of the multiple wavelengths and separate the multiple wavelengths therein into single-wavelength optical signals, and b) receive other single-wavelength optical signals, and combine these other single-wavelength optical signals into an optical signal of multiple wavelengths, which is then outputted to the ROADM core. 2. The optical node as set forth in claim 1, the optical node being a multifunctional and reconfigurable dense wavelength division multiplexing optical node, andthe ROADM core being configured to process a dense wavelength division multiplexed optical signal. 3. An optical network comprising the optical node as set forth in claim 2 and a plurality of other optical nodes, at least two of the optical nodes having a different number of ROADM cores from each other. 4. The optical node as set forth in claim 1, the ROADM core including a sufficient number of subtending inputs and outputs to connect to the add-on devices, and the ROADM core further including an add port and a drop port. 5. The optical node as set forth in claim 1, the ROADM core further including a plurality of add and drop ports,the ROADM core being configured to: divide an optical signal received from the network into a plurality of optical-power-divided, output optical signals output on a plurality of subtending outputs;receive first and second multiple-wavelength optical signals from first and second subtending inputs of said ROADM core, respectively, the first and second multiple-wavelength optical signals containing wavelengths in common;separate the first and second multiple-wavelength optical signals into a first plurality of single-wavelength optical signals originating from the first multiple-wavelength signal and a second plurality of single-wavelength optical signals originating from the second multiple-wavelength optical signal;for single-wavelength optical signals in the first and second plurality of single-wavelength optical signals having the same wavelength, select for outputting one single-wavelength optical signal from one of the first and second plurality of single-wavelength optical signals;attenuate each selected single-wavelength optical signal; andcombine the attenuated, selected single-wavelength optical signals into a single primary output optical signal to be output to the another node,one of the add-on devices including a colorless optical add/drop device configured to add an optical signal of any wavelength to the ROADM core from any of add ports of the one of the add-on devices and to drop an optical signal of any wavelength from the ROADM core from any of drop ports of the one of the add-on devices. 6. The optical node as set forth in claim 5, the colorless optical add/drop device including an optical amplifier. 7. The optical node as set forth in claim 5, the other of the add-on devices including a colored optical add/drop device configured to a) add an optical signal of a predetermined wavelength to a predetermined add port of the other of the add-on devices, to output the added optical signal to the ROADM core, b) receive the optical signal from the ROADM core that contains all of the multiple wavelengths and to demultiplex the optical signal from the ROADM core that contains all of the multiple wavelengths to produce the plurality of single-wavelength optical signals, and c) drop each of the single-wavelength optical signals of a predetermined wavelength from a predetermined drop port of the other of the add-on devices. 8. The optical node as set forth in claim 1, the ROADM core being configured to: divide the optical power of an another-node-originating optical signal received from the network node interface between a plurality of optical-power-divided, output optical signals of multiple wavelength at least one of which is output from the ROADM core on a plurality of subtending outputs;separate one of the plurality of optical-power-divided, output optical signals into a plurality of dropped optical signals each of a single-wavelength output from a plurality of colored drop ports thereof;receive a first multiple-wavelength optical signal generated by combining optical signals of different wavelengths added to the ROADM core via colored add ports thereof, and receive a second multiple-wavelength optical signal from a subtending input of the ROADM core, the first and second multiple-wavelength optical signals containing at least one wavelength in common;separate the first and second multiple-wavelength optical signals into a first plurality of single-wavelength optical signals originating from the first multiple-wavelength signal and a second plurality of single-wavelength optical signals originating from the second multiple-wavelength optical signal;for single-wavelength optical signals in the first and second plurality of single-wavelength optical signals having the same wavelength, select one single-wavelength optical signal from one of the first and second plurality of single-wavelength optical signals for outputting;attenuate each selected single-wavelength optical signal; andcombine the attenuated, selected single-wavelength optical signals into a single primary output optical signal to be output to another node via the network node interface,one of the add-on devices including an integrated colored optical add/drop device integrated into the ROADM core and configured to perform the separation of the one of the plurality of optical-power-divided, output optical signals into the plurality of dropped optical signals, each of a single-wavelength output from the plurality of colored drop ports, and to perform the combining of optical signals of different wavelengths added to the ROADM core via colored add ports into the first multiple-wavelength optical signal. 9. The optical node as set forth in claim 8, the other of the add-on devices including a colorless optical add/drop device configured to add an optical signal of any wavelength to the ROADM core from any of the add ports of the other of the add-on devices and to drop an optical signal of any wavelength received from the ROADM core from any of the drop ports of the other of the add-on devices. 10. The optical node as set forth in claim 9, the colorless optical add/drop device including an optical amplifier. 11. The optical node set forth in claim 9, the colorless optical add/drop device including a ROADM core configured to: separate one of the optical-power-divided, output optical signals output on one of the plurality of subtending outputs into a plurality of add/drop device, single-wavelength optical signals, change the intensity of at least one of the add/drop device, single-wavelength optical signals, and assign each of the add/drop device, single-wavelength optical signals to one of a plurality of drop ports of the colorless optical add/drop device, each of the add/drop device, single-wavelength optical signals being assignable to any of the plurality of drop ports of the colorless optical add/drop device; andcombine into the second multiple-wavelength optical signal a plurality of single-wavelength optical signals each inputted into one of a plurality of colorless add ports of the colorless optical add/drop device, and output the second multiple-wavelength optical signal to the subtending input of the ROADM core. 12. The optical node set forth in claim 9, the colorless optical add/drop device including a ROADM core device configured to: separate one of the optical-power-divided, output optical signals of multiple wavelengths output on one of the plurality of subtending outputs into a plurality of add/drop device, single-wavelength optical signals, change the intensity of at least one of the add/drop device, single-wavelength optical signals, and assign each of the add/drop device, single-wavelength optical signals to one of a plurality of drop ports of the colorless optical add/drop device, each of the add/drop device, single-wavelength optical signals being assignable to any of the plurality of drop ports of the colorless optical add/drop device; andcombine into the second multiple-wavelength optical signal a plurality of single-wavelength optical signals each inputted into one of a plurality of colorless add ports of the colorless optical add/drop device, and output the second multiple-wavelength optical signal to the subtending input of the ROADM core,the ROADM core of the colorless optical add/drop device including a first amplifier configured to amplify the one of the optical-power-divided, output optical signals output on one of the plurality of subtending outputs and input into the ROADM core of the colorless optical add/drop device, andthe ROADM core of the colorless optical add/drop device also including a second amplifier configured to amplify the second multiple-wavelength optical signal output from the colorless optical add/drop device to the subtending input of the ROADM core. 13. The optical node as set forth in claim 1, one of the add-on devices including: a first light combiner configured to combine the other single-wavelength optical signals added thereto from add ports thereof to produce the optical signal of multiple wavelengths that is outputted to the ROADM core; anda first light distributor configured to divide the optical signal from the ROADM core that contains all of the multiple wavelengths into the single-wavelength optical signals output to drop ports thereof;the ROADM core further including: a second light distributor configured to divide the optical signal of multiple wavelengths received from the network node interface into a plurality of optical signals, each containing all of the multiple wavelengths, and to input at least one of the divided optical signals containing all of the multiple wavelengths to the first light distributor; anda second light combiner configured to receive the optical signal outputted from the first light combiner, to combine the optical signal outputted from the first light combiner with another optical signal to produce an output signal, and to output the output signal to the network node interface. 14. The optical node set forth in claim 1, the ROADM core including: a first light combiner configured to combine optical signals added thereto from add ports thereof to produce a first combined optical signal; anda first light distributor configured to divide an optical signal input thereinto into a plurality of optical signals output to drop ports thereof;a second light distributor configured to divide the optical signal of multiple wavelengths received from the network node interface into first and second optical signals containing all of the multiple wavelengths and to input the first optical signal to the first light distributor; anda second light combiner configured to receive the first combined optical signal from the first light combiner, to combine the combined optical signal with another optical signal to produce an output signal, and to output the output signal to the network node interface, andone of the add-on devices including: a third light distributor configured to receive the second optical signal containing all of the multiple wavelengths and to divide the second optical signal containing all of the multiple wavelengths into a plurality of dropped single-wavelength signals that are directed to drop ports thereof; anda third light combiner configured to combine optical signals from add ports thereof into a second combined signal of multiple wavelengths and to input the second combined signal of multiple wavelengths into the second light combiner of the ROADM core as the another optical signal for combining with the first combined optical signal to produce the output signal. 15. The optical node as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of ROADM cores, each connected to each of the other ROADM cores. 16. The optical node as set forth in claim 1, further comprising plural ROADM cores, connected to each other and each of which includes a network node interface permitting connection with a different optical node. 17. The optical node as set forth in claim 16, the add-on devices being connected to different ROADM cores. 18. The optical node as set forth in claim 16, the add-on devices being connected to the same ROADM core. 19. The optical node as set forth in claim 16, further comprising two pairs of add-on devices, each pair of add-on devices including two add-on devices of different types from each other, and each pair of add-on devices being connected to a different ROADM core. 20. The optical node as set forth in claim 16, the ROADM cores further including a plurality of add and drop ports,the ROADM cores being each configured to: divide an optical signal received from the network node interface into a plurality of optical-power-divided, output optical signals output on a plurality of subtending outputs;receive first and second multiple-wavelength optical signals from first and second subtending inputs thereof, respectively, the first and second multiple-wavelength optical signals containing wavelengths in common;separate the first and second multiple-wavelength optical signals into a first plurality of single-wavelength optical signals originating from the first multiple-wavelength signal and a second plurality of single-wavelength optical signals originating from the second multiple-wavelength optical signal;for single-wavelength optical signals in the first and second plurality of single-wavelength optical signals having the same wavelength, select for outputting one single-wavelength optical signal from one of the first and second plurality of single-wavelength optical signals,attenuate each selected single-wavelength optical signal; andcombine the attenuated, selected single-wavelength optical signals into a single primary output optical signal to be output to the network node interface,the node further including two pairs of add-on devices,each pair of add-on devices including two add-on devices of different types from each other, andeach pair of add-on devices being connected to a different ROADM core. 21. The optical node as set forth in claim 20, one of the add-on devices in each pair including a colorless optical add/drop device configured to add an optical signal of any wavelength to one of the ROADM cores from any of the add ports of the one of the add-on devices and to drop an optical signal of any wavelength output from the one of the ROADM cores from any of the drop ports of the one of the add-on devices, andthe other of the add-on devices in each pair including a colored optical add/drop device configured to add an optical signal of a predetermined wavelength to a predetermined add port of the other of the add-on devices, to output the added optical signal the one of the ROADM cores, to receive the optical signal from the one of the ROADM cores that contains all of the multiple wavelengths of the optical signal received from the network and to demultiplex the received multiple-wavelength optical signal to produce the plurality of single-wavelength optical signals, and to drop each of the single-wavelength optical signals of a predetermined wavelength from a predetermined drop port of the other of the add-on devices. 22. The optical node as set forth in claim 16, the node including two pairs of add-on devices,each pair of add-on devices including two add-on devices of different types from each other,one of the add-on devices within each pair of add-on devices including a colored optical add/drop device configured to add an optical signal of a predetermined wavelength to a predetermined add port thereof, to output the added optical signal to one of the ROADM cores, to receive the multiple-wavelength optical signal from one of the ROADM cores that contains all of the multiple wavelengths in the optical signal received from the network and to demultiplex the received multiple-wavelength optical signal to produce the single-wavelength optical signals, and to drop each of the single-wavelength optical signals of a predetermined wavelength from a predetermined drop port of the one of the add-on devices,each pair of add-on devices being connected to a different ROADM core, and each of the ROADM cores being configured to: divide the optical power of an another-node-originating optical signal received from the network node interface between a plurality of optical-power-divided, output optical signals of multiple wavelengths at least one of which is output therefrom on a plurality of subtending outputs;separate one of the plurality of optical-power-divided, output optical signals into a plurality of dropped optical signals each of a single-wavelength output from a plurality of colored drop ports thereof;receive a first multiple-wavelength optical signal generated by combining optical signals of different wavelengths added thereto via colored add ports thereof, and receive a second multiple-wavelength optical signal from a subtending input thereof, the first and second multiple-wavelength optical signals containing at least one wavelength in common;separate the first and second multiple-wavelength optical signals into a first plurality of single-wavelength optical signals originating from the first multiple-wavelength signal and a second plurality of single-wavelength optical signals originating from the second multiple-wavelength optical signal;for single-wavelength optical signals in the first and second plurality of single-wavelength optical signals having the same wavelength, select one single-wavelength optical signal from one of the first and second plurality of single-wavelength optical signals for outputting;attenuate each selected single-wavelength optical signal; andcombine the attenuated, selected single-wavelength optical signals into a single primary output optical signal to be output to the network node interface,each colored optical add/drop device including an integrated colored optical add/drop device,each ROADM core having integrated thereinto one of the integrated colored optical add/drop devices,each integrated colored optical add/drop device being configured to perform the separation of the one of the plurality of optical-power-divided, output optical signals into the plurality of dropped optical signals each of a single-wavelength output from the plurality of colored drop ports, and to perform the combining of optical signals of different wavelengths added to the ROADM core via colored add ports into the first multiple-wavelength optical signal. 23. The optical node as set forth in claim 22, the other of the add-on devices in each pair including a colorless optical add/drop device configured to add an optical signal of any wavelength to one of ROADM cores from any of the add ports of the other of the add-on devices and to drop an optical signal of any wavelength from one of the ROADM cores from any of the drop ports of the other of the add-on devices. 24. The optical node set forth in claim 23, each colorless optical add/drop device including a ROADM core configured to: separate one of the optical-power-divided, output optical signals of multiple wavelengths output on one of the plurality of subtending outputs into a plurality of add/drop device, single-wavelength optical signals, change the intensity of at least one of the add/drop device, single-wavelength optical signals, and assign each of the add/drop device, single-wavelength optical signals to one of a plurality of drop ports of the colorless optical add/drop device, each of the plurality of single-wavelength optical signals being assignable to any of the plurality of drop ports of the colorless optical add/drop device; andcombine into the second multiple-wavelength optical signal a plurality of single-wavelength optical signals each inputted into one of a plurality of colorless add ports of the colorless optical add/drop device, and output the second multiple-wavelength optical signal to the subtending input of the ROADM core. 25. The optical node set forth in claim 16, each ROADM core including: a first light combiner configured to combine optical signals added thereto from add ports thereof to produce a first combined optical signal; anda first light distributor configured to divide an optical signal input thereinto into a plurality of optical signals output to drop ports thereof;a second light distributor configured to divide the optical signal of multiple wavelengths received from the network node interface into first and second optical signals containing all of the multiple wavelengths and to input the first optical signal to the first light distributor; anda second light combiner configured to receive the first combined optical signal from the first light combiner, to combine the combined optical signal with another optical signal to produce an output signal, and to output the output signal to the network node interface, andone of the add-on devices including: a third light distributor configured to receive the second optical signal containing all of the multiple wavelengths from a first one of the ROADM cores and to separate the multiple wavelengths therein into the single-wavelength optical signals that are directed to drop ports of the one of the add-on devices; anda third light combiner configured to combine optical signals from add ports thereof into a second combined signal of multiple wavelengths and to input the second combined signal of multiple wavelengths into the second light combiner of the first ROADM core as the another optical signal for combining with the first combined optical signal to produce the output signal. 26. The optical node as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of the add-on devices includes an optical element configured to transmit an optical signal of multiple wavelengths to the network node interface. 27. The optical node as set forth in claim 26, the ROADM core further including a light combiner configured to receive the optical signals containing the multiple wavelengths from the add-on devices and to transmit each optical signal containing the multiple wavelengths received from each add-on device to the network node interface. 28. The optical node as set forth in claim 26, the ROADM core further including two subtending outputs each of which is connected to one of the add-on devices and a light distributor of the ROADM, andthe two subtending outputs outputting to the two different types of connected add-on devices an optical signal distributed from the light distributor that contains all of the wavelengths received by the ROADM core from the network node interface. 29. An optical node comprising: a ROADM core, which is a reconfigurable optical add drop multiplexer core device including: a bidirectional network node interface configured to receive an optical signal of multiple wavelengths input from a network and to transmit an optical signal of multiple wavelengths to the network;a light distributor configured to divide the input optical signal containing all of the multiple wavelengths received from the network node interface into a plurality of optical signals containing all of the multiple wavelengths; anda light combiner configured to produce a combined signal by combining optical signals input thereinto, and to output the combined signal to the network node interface; andtwo different types of add-on devices, each connected to the ROADM core, each configured to a) receive one of the plurality of optical signals containing all of the multiple wavelengths from the light distributor and separate the multiple wavelengths therein into single-wavelength optical signals, and b) receive other single-wavelength optical signals, and combine these other single-wavelength optical signals into an optical signal of multiple wavelengths, which is then outputted to the light combiner of the ROADM core.