Micromechanical optical switch
First Claim
1. An optical system comprising:
- an edge node operable to electronically buffer an input payload, to frame the input payload with at least a control header, and to convert the framed input payload into a first optical signal, the edge node also operable to communicate the first optical signal over a network;
a demultiplexer coupled to the network and operable to separate the optical signal into a plurality of portions;
one or more detectors operable to receive at least one portion of the first optical signal, at least one of the one or more detectors operable to generate an electrical signal based at least in part on the received portion of the first optical signal;
an electronic processor operable to receive the electrical signal and to perform a processing function on the electrical signal, the electronic processor further operable to modulate at least a portion of the processed electronic signal onto a second optical signal, wherein substantially all of the electronic processor resides on a single semiconductor substrate and wherein the second optical signal is modulated at approximately 100 nanoseconds or less; and
a wavelength division multiplexer operable to receive the second optical signal and to communicate the second optical signal to the network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical switch element is described, which includes a fixed layer disposed outwardly from a substrate and a movable mirror assembly disposed outwardly from the fixed layer. The moveable mirror assembly is operable to move relative to the fixed layer responsive to a voltage applied to the movable mirror assembly. In a particular embodiment, the movable mirror assembly includes an inner strip spaced apart from the fixed layer by a first distance and an outer strip disposed approximately adjacent to the inner strip and spaced apart from the fixed layer by a second distance which is greater than the first distance. The optical transmission of the optical switch element changes depending on the position of the movable mirror assembly.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An optical system comprising:
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an edge node operable to electronically buffer an input payload, to frame the input payload with at least a control header, and to convert the framed input payload into a first optical signal, the edge node also operable to communicate the first optical signal over a network;
a demultiplexer coupled to the network and operable to separate the optical signal into a plurality of portions;
one or more detectors operable to receive at least one portion of the first optical signal, at least one of the one or more detectors operable to generate an electrical signal based at least in part on the received portion of the first optical signal;
an electronic processor operable to receive the electrical signal and to perform a processing function on the electrical signal, the electronic processor further operable to modulate at least a portion of the processed electronic signal onto a second optical signal, wherein substantially all of the electronic processor resides on a single semiconductor substrate and wherein the second optical signal is modulated at approximately 100 nanoseconds or less; and
a wavelength division multiplexer operable to receive the second optical signal and to communicate the second optical signal to the network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An optical system comprising:
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an edge node capable of electronically buffering an input payload, framing the input payload with at least a control header, and converting the framed input payload into a first optical signal, the edge node also operable to communicate the first optical signal over a network comprising at least one signal mode fiber;
a demultiplexer coupled to the network to separate the optical signal into a plurality of portions;
one or more detectors capable of receiving at least one portion of the first optical signal, at least one of the one or more detectors capable of generating an electrical signal based at least in part on the received portion of the first optical signal;
an electronic processor operable to receive the electrical signal and to perform a processing function on the electrical signal, the electronic processor further operable to modulate at least a portion of the processed electronic signal onto a second optical signal, wherein the second optical signal is modulated at approximately 10 nanoseconds or less; and
a wavelength division multiplexer operable to receive the second optical signal and to communicate the second optical signal over the network. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of optical communication, comprising:
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electronically buffering an input payload;
framing the input payload with at least a control header;
generating a first optical signal for communication over at least a network, wherein the first optical signal comprises the framed input payload;
separating the first optical signal into a plurality of portions;
detecting at least one portion of the first optical signal;
generating an electrical signal based at least in part on the detected portion of the first optical signal;
receiving the electrical signal at an electronic processor, the electronic processor performing a processing function on the electrical signal;
modulating at least a portion of the processed electrical signal onto a second optical signal, wherein substantially all of the electronic processor resides on a single semiconductor substrate and wherein the second optical signal is modulated at approximately 100 nanoseconds or less; and
communicating the second optical signal to the network. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification