Free-space optical signal switch arrangement
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An N by M, where N and M>
- 1, free-space optical signal switch arrangement comprisingN optical signal transmitters each for outputting an optical signal,M optical signal receivers each for receiving an optical signal,N controllable optical signal steering units, each steering unit only being associated with a transmitter, for receiving an optical signal from that transmitter and for controlling to which of the M receivers that optical signal is directed.
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Abstract
A free-space N by M, where N and M>1, optical signal switch (OXC) requires only transmitter beam steering for controlling to which receiver an optical signal from a transmitter is directed. In a preferred embodiment the transmitters handle single mode optical signals and the receivers handle multimode optical signals. The OXC may optionally include a fixed optical unit implemented using either a single fixed shared lens or a plurality of M optical elements for further directing each of the M optical signals to their respective receivers.
145 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An N by M, where N and M>
- 1, free-space optical signal switch arrangement comprising
N optical signal transmitters each for outputting an optical signal, M optical signal receivers each for receiving an optical signal, N controllable optical signal steering units, each steering unit only being associated with a transmitter, for receiving an optical signal from that transmitter and for controlling to which of the M receivers that optical signal is directed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
- 1, free-space optical signal switch arrangement comprising
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14. An N by M, where N and M>
- 1, free-space optical signal switch arrangement comprising
N optical signal transmitters each for outputting a single mode optical signal, M optical signal receivers each for receiving a multimode optical signal, N controllable optical signal steering units each steering unit only being associated with a transmitter, for receiving a single mode optical signal from that transmitter and for controlling to which of the M receivers that single mode optical signal is directed. - View Dependent Claims (15)
- 1, free-space optical signal switch arrangement comprising
Specification