Wavelength selective switch having distinct planes of operation
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A wavelength selective switch for switching wavelengths from one or more optical signals, the signal comprising one or more optical wavelengths, each constituting a work piece, the wavelength selective switch comprising:
- a plurality of fiber ports arranged in a fiber port array;
a plurality of optical elements operable with said plurality of fiber ports;
a dispersive element operable with said plurality of fiber ports to separate at least one optical signal into a plurality of wavelength components; and
a switching element operable with the plurality of wavelength components and controllable to guide a selected one of the plurality of wavelength components to a selected one of said plurality of fiber ports,wherein at least one of said plurality of optical elements, said dispersive element, and said switching element affects an optical property of at least one optical signal in a first plane, and wherein said at least one of said plurality of optical elements, said dispersive element, and said switching element does not substantially affect said optical property in a second plane, said first plane being generally orthogonal to said second plane.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A wavelength selective switch utilizing aperture-shared optics and functionally distinct planes of operation that enables high fiber port counts, such as 1×41, and multiplicative expansion, such as to 1×83 or 1×145, by utilizing elements optimized for performance in one of the functionally distinct planes of operation without affecting the other plane.
-
Citations
81 Claims
-
1. A wavelength selective switch for switching wavelengths from one or more optical signals, the signal comprising one or more optical wavelengths, each constituting a work piece, the wavelength selective switch comprising:
-
a plurality of fiber ports arranged in a fiber port array; a plurality of optical elements operable with said plurality of fiber ports; a dispersive element operable with said plurality of fiber ports to separate at least one optical signal into a plurality of wavelength components; and a switching element operable with the plurality of wavelength components and controllable to guide a selected one of the plurality of wavelength components to a selected one of said plurality of fiber ports, wherein at least one of said plurality of optical elements, said dispersive element, and said switching element affects an optical property of at least one optical signal in a first plane, and wherein said at least one of said plurality of optical elements, said dispersive element, and said switching element does not substantially affect said optical property in a second plane, said first plane being generally orthogonal to said second plane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
-
-
51. A wavelength selective switch for switching wavelengths from one or more optical signals, the signal comprising one or more optical wavelengths, each constituting a work piece, the wavelength selective switch comprising:
-
a plurality of fiber ports arranged in a fiber port array; a plurality of optical elements operable with said plurality of fiber ports; at least one beam steering element operable to steer the one or more optical signals within said plurality of fiber ports arranged in said fiber port array; a dispersive element operable with said plurality of fiber ports to separate at least one optical signal into a plurality of wavelength components; and a switching element operable with the plurality of wavelength components and controllable to guide a selected one of the plurality of wavelength components to a selected one of said plurality of fiber ports, wherein at least one of said plurality of optical elements, said beam steering element, said dispersive element, and said switching element affects an optical property of at least one optical signal in a first plane, and wherein said at least one of said plurality of optical elements, said beam steering element, said dispersive element, and said switching element does not substantially affect said optical property in a second plane, said first plane being generally orthogonal to said second plane.
-
-
52. The wavelength selective switch of claim 52, wherein said plurality of optical elements comprises at least one said optical element performing in a telescopic manner.
-
53. A wavelength selective switch for switching wavelengths from one or more optical signals, the signal comprising one or more optical wavelengths, each constituting a work piece, the wavelength selective switch comprising:
-
a plurality of fiber ports arranged in a two dimensional fiber port array having a plurality of columns of fiber ports; a plurality of optical elements operable with said plurality of fiber ports; a dispersive element operable with said plurality of fiber ports to separate at least one optical signal into a plurality of wavelength components; a switching element operable with the plurality of wavelength components and controllable to guide a selected one of the plurality of wavelength components to a selected one of said plurality of fiber ports; and at least one beam steering element operable to steer the one or more optical signals from said plurality of fiber ports to said switching element, and from said switching element to said plurality of fiber ports; wherein at least one of said plurality of optical elements, said dispersive element, said beam steering element, and said switching element affects an optical property of at least one optical signal in a first plane, and wherein said at least one of said plurality of optical elements, said dispersive element, said beam steering element, and said switching element does not affect said optical property in a second plane, said first plane being generally orthogonal to said second plane. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57)
-
-
58. A method for optimizing optical switch performance comprising the steps of:
-
providing a plurality of fiber ports arranged in a fiber port array, a plurality of optical elements operable with said plurality of fiber ports, a dispersive element operable with said plurality of fiber ports to separate at least one optical signal into a plurality of wavelength components, and a switching element operable with the plurality of wavelength components and controllable to guide a selected one of the plurality of wavelength components to a selected one of said plurality of fiber ports, wherein at least one of said plurality of optical elements, said dispersive element, and said switching element affects an optical property of at least one optical signal in a first plane, and wherein said at least one of said plurality of optical elements, said dispersive element, and said switching element does not affect said optical property in a second plane, said first plane being generally orthogonal to said second plane; and
,positioning at least one of said dispersive element, said switching element, and said fiber port array at a focal point of at least one of said plurality of optical elements in at least one plane of said first and said second generally orthogonal planes. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
-
-
70. A method for increasing an optical switch fiber port count comprising the steps of:
-
providing a plurality of fiber ports arranged in a two dimensional fiber port array, a plurality of optical elements operable with said plurality of fiber ports, a dispersive element operable with said plurality of fiber ports to separate at least one optical signal into a plurality of wavelength components, a switching element operable with the plurality of wavelength components and controllable to guide a selected one of the plurality of wavelength components to a selected one of said plurality of fiber ports, and at least one beam steering element operable to steer the one or more optical signals within said plurality of fiber ports, wherein at least one of said plurality of optical elements, said dispersive element, said beam steering element, and said switching element affects an optical property of at least one optical signal in a first plane, and wherein said at least one of said plurality of optical elements, said dispersive element, said beam steering element, and said switching element does not affect said optical property in a second plane, said first plane being generally orthogonal to said second plane; and
,positioning at least one of said dispersive element, said switching element, said beam steering element, and said two dimensional fiber port array at a focal point of at least one of said plurality of optical elements in at least one plane of said first and said second generally orthogonal planes. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81)
-
Specification