PURPOSE: To make free connection of optical fibers on inlet side to themselves possible without depending upon the ratios of connection requests and without decreasing the number of exit side terminals by providing a function of turn-back connection to optical path switching devices in two reflection states.
CONSTITUTION: Optical fibers (a) 5-1W5-4, optical fibers (b) 6-1W6-4, optical systems 7 optically connecting the optical fibers, and optical path switching devices 8-1W8-4 in a reflection state are provided. The optical switching devices are constituted of mirrors 10, shafts 12 driving the mirrors and blocks 13 which position the mirrors. The mirrors 10 rotate around the shaft 12, and incident light 14 turns into reflected light 15 in the mirror position of the state of 10 and into reflected light 16 in the mirror position of the state of 11. The matrix optical switches are constituted by using the optical path switching devices in this way, whereby the optical fibers are freely connected without decreasing the number of the exit side terminals and without depending on the ratios of connection requests.
YOKOYAMA MASAAKI
YAMAMOTO HISAO
