Optical switch

• US 6,385,364 B1
• Filed: 06/16/2000
• Issued: 05/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Abushagur, Mustafa A. G.
• Original Assignee: Abushagur, Mustafa A. G.
• Inventors: Abushagur, Mustafa A. G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bovernick, Rodney
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAHM, SARAH UH YOUNG
• Application Number:
  US09/595,495
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 385/16-18, 385/20-22
• US Class Current: 385/16
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/351 involving stationary waveguides with moving interposed optical elements G02B6/3538 takes precedence; interposed waveguides G02B6/3502
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3512 the optical element being reflective, e.g. mirror
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/352 the reflective optical element having a shaped reflective surface, e.g. a reflective element comprising several reflective surfaces or facets that function together
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3524 the optical element being refractive
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3534 the optical element being diffractive, i.e. a grating
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3546 NxM switch, i.e. a regular array of switches elements of matrix type constellation

Abstract

An optical switch guides data transmitting light beams along free space switching paths from one or more input optical fibers to one or more output optical fibers. The optical switch includes a microchip base member, diffractive, refractive or reflective optical elements positioned on carrier panels, and actuators for moving the carrier panels. The optical elements are positionable by the actuators to guide light beams emitted by the input optical fibers in free space to the receiving output optical fibers. The actuators may be linear and/or rotary. Switching of light beams can be from one input port to one or many output ports, and vice versa, to form a free space optical cross-connect switch and router.

Claims

1. An apparatus for switching an optical signal from at least one input optical fiber to at least one output optical fiber, the apparatus comprising:

a base;

an input carrier element;

a plurality of input optical elements attached to said input carrier element for guiding an optical signal in free space along a first portion of a free space switching path from an input optical fiber to an output optical fiber, said plurality of input optical elements including an optical element having refractive properties and an optical element having diffractive properties;

an input actuator interconnecting said base and said input carrier element for positioning an input optical element to guide the optical signal along the first portion of the free space switching path;

an output carrier element;

a plurality of output optical elements attached to said output carrier element for guiding an optical signal in free space along a second portion of the free space switching path, said plurality of output optical elements including an optical element having refractive properties and an optical element having diffractive properties;

an output actuator interconnecting said base and said output carrier element for positioning an output optical element to guide the optical signal along the second portion of the free space switching path; and

a controller for controlling said actuators to position the optical elements along the free space switching path.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said input actuator includes a linear actuator for linearly moving the at least one input optical element into the first portion of the free space switching path.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said input actuator includes a rotary actuator for rotatably moving the at least one input optical element into the first portion of the free space switching path.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said output actuator includes a linear actuator for linearly moving the at least one output optical element into the second portion of the free space switching path.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said output actuator includes a rotary actuator for rotatably moving the at least one output optical element into the second portion of the free space switching path.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the number of input optical fibers is equal to the number of output optical fibers.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the number of input optical fibers is different than the number of output optical fibers.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said controller is integral with said base.

9. An optical switch comprising:

a base;

m number of input ports for receiving m number of input optical fibers which conduct data transmitting light beams;

n number of output ports for receiving n number of output optical fibers which conduct data transmitting light beams;

at least one input optical element for each of said m number of input ports, said at least one input optical element having optical properties for guiding a light beam exiting an input optical fiber in free space along a first portion of a free space switching path from the input optical fiber to an output optical element;

at least one output optical element for each of said n number of output ports, said at least one output optical element having optical properties for guiding a light beam exiting an input optical element in free space to an output optical fiber along a second portion of the free space switching path;

m number of input actuators attached to said base, each input actuator being operable to position an input optical element to guide a light beam along the first portion of the free space switching path;

n number of output actuators attached to said base, each output actuator being operable to position an output optical element to guide a light beam along the second portion of the free space switching path;

wherein all input optical elements and all output optical elements are positionable by the actuators to provide simultaneous switching of light beams from m number of input ports to n number of output ports where m and n are integers greater than one;

a controller for controlling said actuators to position the optical elements along the free space switching path; and

wherein each of said input and output actuators includes a linear actuator for linearly moving an optical element into the free space switching path.