WAVELENGTH SWITCH SYSTEM USING ANGLE MULTIPLEXING OPTICS
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A wavelength switch system for dynamic switching of multi-channel optical signals having spectral channels of different wavelengths, comprising:
- a) a plurality of collimator elements for optical signals having one or more of said spectral channels, each collimator element having two or more separate optical paths for optical ports configured to receive and transmit two or more corresponding independent optical signals at a time, whereby each collimator element accommodates two or more optical ports, whereby plurality of ports includes two or more corresponding distinct groups of optical ports;
b) a wavelength separator configured to separate multi-channel optical signal from a given port in the plurality of ports into a corresponding group of constituent spectral channels;
c) relay optics optically coupled between the plurality of collimator elements and the wavelength separator, wherein the relay optics are configured to direct optical signals originating from different ports in a given collimator towards a common point on a wavelength separator but at different angles; and
d) two or more independent arrays of channel deflection elements optically coupled to the wavelength separator, wherein each array of channel deflection elements is configured to selectively direct a group of spectral channels corresponding to one of the two or more optical signals originating from a given port in a given group of the two or more distinct groups of optical ports toward a different one or more selected ports in the given group of optical ports.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Optical switches can include collimator elements that accommodate two or more optical ports. This increases the number of ports the switch can accommodate without having to increase the size of other optical components within the switch. Separate deflectors can be used to accommodate optical signals from two different groups of ports. In some embodiments cross-coupling of signals between the two groups can be accomplished through use of re-direction optics.
26 Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A wavelength switch system for dynamic switching of multi-channel optical signals having spectral channels of different wavelengths, comprising:
-
a) a plurality of collimator elements for optical signals having one or more of said spectral channels, each collimator element having two or more separate optical paths for optical ports configured to receive and transmit two or more corresponding independent optical signals at a time, whereby each collimator element accommodates two or more optical ports, whereby plurality of ports includes two or more corresponding distinct groups of optical ports; b) a wavelength separator configured to separate multi-channel optical signal from a given port in the plurality of ports into a corresponding group of constituent spectral channels; c) relay optics optically coupled between the plurality of collimator elements and the wavelength separator, wherein the relay optics are configured to direct optical signals originating from different ports in a given collimator towards a common point on a wavelength separator but at different angles; and d) two or more independent arrays of channel deflection elements optically coupled to the wavelength separator, wherein each array of channel deflection elements is configured to selectively direct a group of spectral channels corresponding to one of the two or more optical signals originating from a given port in a given group of the two or more distinct groups of optical ports toward a different one or more selected ports in the given group of optical ports. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. An optical switch, comprising:
-
a) a plurality of collimator elements, wherein each collimator element is configured to accommodate two or more optical ports, for optical signals, whereby there are a plurality of optical ports accommodated by a lesser plurality of collimator elements, whereby the plurality of optical ports includes two or more groups of optical ports; b) two or more deflectors optically coupled to the plurality of input ports, each mirror configured to selectively direct a corresponding optical signal to a selected output port; and c) redirection optics configured to receive an optical signal emanating from one of the two or more deflectors and redirect said optical signal towards another one of the two or more deflectors. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
Specification