Programmable optical interconnect system

• US 5,170,269 A
• Filed: 05/31/1991
• Issued: 12/08/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc., University of South Carolina
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Feldman, Michael R., Lin, Tsen-Hwang
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/708,605
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 359/9, 359/21, 359/22, 359/25, 359/291, 359/292, 359/846, 359/847, 359/848, 359/849, 359/20, 359/19, 359/224, 359/154, 359/169, 359/170
• US Class Current: 359/9
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/32 Holograms used as optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/43 Arrangements comprising a plurality of opto-electronic elements and associated optical interconnections

Abstract

This is an optical interconnect system. The system comprises: at least one signal transmitter; at least two signal receivers; at least one DMD in the same plane as the signal transmitter; and a hologram, whereby the phase of the original beam from the signal transmitter may be programmably changed, by a DMD, such that the beams received at the signal receiver may cancel or reinforce. Other methods and devices are disclosed.

Claims

1. An optical interconnect system comprising:

a. at least two processing elements, each of said processing elements comprising;

at least one signal transmitter;

at least one signal receiver; and

at least one DMD on a support structure shared with said signal transmitter; and

b. a hologram such that said DMD and said hologram provide the capability to programmably connect said processing elements.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said signal transmitter is a laser.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said hologram is a computer generated hologram.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said system connects one of said signal transmitters to one of said signal receivers.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said system connects at least two of said signal transmitters to one of said signal receivers.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said system connects one of said signal transmitters to at least two of said signal receivers.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said system connects at least two of said signal transmitters to at least two of said signal receivers.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said system provides a connection network that is reconfigurable by programming said DMD.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said system is a portion of a parallel computing system.

10. The parallel computing system of claim 9, wherein said parallel computing system comprises an array of processors with integrated photosignal receivers and lasers.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said signal transmitter and said DMD are on a different support structure than said signal receivers.

12. A method of optically connecting at least one signal transmitter to at least one signal receiver comprising:

receiving at least two received beams at said signal receiver, said received beams being a portion of an original beam divided at least once by a hologram and at least one of said received beams being reflected at least once by at least one DMD, wherein said DMD is on a support structure shared with said signal transmitter, and said hologram and said DMD provide the capability to programmably connect said signal transmitter and said receiver.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein at least two of said signal transmitters are connected to at least two of said signal receivers.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein at least two of said signal transmitters are connected to one of said signal receivers.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein one of said signal transmitters is connected to at least two of said signal receivers.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein one of said signal transmitters is connected to one of said signal receivers.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein connection of said signal transmitters to said signal receivers is reconfigurable by programming said DMD.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein said signal transmitter is a laser.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein said hologram is a computer generated hologram.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein said signal transmitter and said DMD are on a different support structure than said signal receiver.