Beam steering element and associated methods for mixed manifold fiberoptic switches
First Claim
1. An optical system comprising two or more optical switches for switching one or more optical signals, the signals comprising one or more optical wavelengths, each optical wavelength constituting a work piece, each said optical switch comprising:
- at least one input fiber port, each said input fiber port serving as an external interface for introducing the at least one input optical signal into a first said optical switch of said two or more optical switches;
at least one output fiber port, said output fiber port serving as an external interface for extracting the output optical signal from said first optical switch of said two or more optical switches;
at least one shared arrayed switching element for receiving at least one wavelength from said at least one input fiber port and for switching the at least one wavelength from one of said at least one input fiber port to one of said at least one output fiber port according to a state of at least one switch of said at least one shared arrayed switching element;
at least one shared wavelength dispersive element for spatially separating at least one first wavelength of the input optical signal from at least one other wavelength of the input optical signal and for recombining at least one first wavelength of the output optical signal with at least one other wavelength of the output optical signal;
at least one shared arrayed steering element for steering the at least one wavelength from at least one said input fiber port onto said at least one shared arrayed switching element, and for steering the at least one wavelength from said at least one shared arrayed switching element to said at least one output fiber port;
one or more shared optical elements, wherein each said optical element focuses the optical signals of said at least one input fiber port and said at least one output fiber port; and
wherein said one or more shared elements are adapted to be utilized by each said optical switch of said two or more optical switches.
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Abstract
An optical system comprising two or more mixed optical switches co-packaged together, each set configured either with N input fiber ports and 1 output fiber port (N×1 optical switch) or with 1 input fiber port and N output fiber ports (1×N optical switch), wherein at least a first array of MEMS mirrors is utilized to select and switch selected wavelengths from the input fiber ports to an output fiber port of the same set, and wherein at least a second array of MEMS mirrors using and sharing the same free space optics as the first MEMS array is utilized to select and switch selected wavelengths between input and output ports belonging to another set; and wherein output fiber ports from one set can be coupled to input ports of other sets, thus, enabling a cost effective, high level of integration one or more N×M co-packaged optical switching system.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An optical system comprising two or more optical switches for switching one or more optical signals, the signals comprising one or more optical wavelengths, each optical wavelength constituting a work piece, each said optical switch comprising:
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at least one input fiber port, each said input fiber port serving as an external interface for introducing the at least one input optical signal into a first said optical switch of said two or more optical switches; at least one output fiber port, said output fiber port serving as an external interface for extracting the output optical signal from said first optical switch of said two or more optical switches; at least one shared arrayed switching element for receiving at least one wavelength from said at least one input fiber port and for switching the at least one wavelength from one of said at least one input fiber port to one of said at least one output fiber port according to a state of at least one switch of said at least one shared arrayed switching element; at least one shared wavelength dispersive element for spatially separating at least one first wavelength of the input optical signal from at least one other wavelength of the input optical signal and for recombining at least one first wavelength of the output optical signal with at least one other wavelength of the output optical signal; at least one shared arrayed steering element for steering the at least one wavelength from at least one said input fiber port onto said at least one shared arrayed switching element, and for steering the at least one wavelength from said at least one shared arrayed switching element to said at least one output fiber port; one or more shared optical elements, wherein each said optical element focuses the optical signals of said at least one input fiber port and said at least one output fiber port; and wherein said one or more shared elements are adapted to be utilized by each said optical switch of said two or more optical switches. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for co-packaging two or more optical switches and for switching one or more optical signals, the signals comprising one or more optical wavelengths, each optical wavelength constituting a work piece, and wherein said optical switches share common elements, said method comprising the steps of:
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introducing at least one input optical signal into at least one input fiber port; extracting at least one output optical signal from at least one output fiber port; grouping one or more input fiber ports and one output fiber port into a first optical switch of said two or more optical switches; grouping one input fiber port and one or more output fiber ports into one other optical switch of said two or more optical switches; coupling said one output fiber port of said first optical switch to said one input fiber port of said one other optical switch; projecting the at least one input optical signal from said at least one input fiber port into free space and receiving at least one output optical signal into said at least one output fiber port within each said optical switch; dispersing spectrally and spatially at least one first wavelength of the input optical signal from at least one other wavelength of the input optical signal, and recombining at least one first wavelength of the output optical signal with at least one other wavelength of the output optical signal, by utilizing at least one shared dispersive element; switching the at least one wavelength of said one or more wavelengths from at least one of said one or more input fiber ports to said output fiber port within said first optical switch by utilizing a first switch of a shared arrayed switching element and switching the at least one wavelength from said one input fiber port to one of said one or more output fiber ports within said one other optical switch by utilizing one other switch of said shared arrayed switching element; steering the at least one wavelength from any of said one or more input fiber ports onto said first switch and steering the at least one wavelength from said first switch to said one output fiber port within said first optical switch, by utilizing at least one shared arrayed steering element and further steering the at least one wavelength from said one input fiber port onto said one other switch and further steering the at least one wavelength from said one other switch to one of said one or more output fiber ports within said one other optical switch, by utilizing said at least one shared arrayed steering element; and
,wherein said one or more shared elements are adapted to be utilized by each said optical switch of said two or more optical switches. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for co-packaging two or more optical switches, for switching one or more optical signals, the signals comprising one or more optical wavelengths, each optical wavelength constituting a work piece, wherein said switches share common elements, said method comprising the steps of:
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obtaining a first optical switch comprising a discrete set of one or more input signal carriers and one output signal carrier and obtaining one other optical switch comprising a discrete set of one input signal carrier and one or more output signal carriers, wherein each said input signal carrier serves as an external interface for introducing the input optical signal and wherein each said output signal carrier serves as an external interface for extracting the output optical signal; dispersing the optical signals spectrally and spatially into a plurality of wavelengths within said one or more optical switches by utilizing at least one shared dispersive element; switching the at least one wavelength of said one or more wavelengths from at least one of said one or more input signal carriers to said output signal carrier within said first optical switch, by utilizing a first switch of a shared arrayed switching element and switching the at least one wavelength from said one input signal carrier to one of said one or more output signal carriers within said one other optical switch, by utilizing one other switch of said shared arrayed switching element; steering the at least one wavelength from any of said one or more input fiber ports onto said first switch and steering the at least one wavelength from said first switch to said one output fiber port within said first optical switch, by utilizing at least one shared arrayed steering element and further steering the at least one wavelength from said one input fiber port onto said one other switch and further steering the at least one wavelength from said one other switch to one of said one or more output fiber ports within said one other optical switch, by utilizing said at least one shared arrayed steering element; and
,wherein said one or more shared elements are adapted to be utilized by each said optical switch of said two or more optical switches.
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Specification