Optical tap for an optical switch
First Claim
1. An optical switch comprising:
- an array of input optical fibers;
an array of output optical fibers;
an input lens array operatively associated with the array of input optical fibers to produce an array of approximately collimated optical beams from the array of input optical fibers;
a rhomboidal prism beam splitter mounted with respect to the input lens array to split the approximately collimated array of optical beams into a signal path and a tap path;
an array of input mirrors, each mirror being rotatable in two axes, the array of mirrors positioned such that the optical beams from the input lens array are incident on the array of mirrors and each optical beam is reflected in a selected direction associated with a controlled position of a corresponding mirror; and
an output lens array operatively associated with the array of output optical fibers to focus the optical beams reflected from the mirrors into the array of output optical fibers.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An all-optical switch includes an array of input optical fibers and an array of output optical fibers. A rhomboidal prism beam splitter is positioned in operative relationship with the array of input fibers such that when an array of optical beams is propagated from the array of input optical fibers, the beam splitter splits the array of optical beams into a signal path and a tap path. The rhomboidal prism beam splitter includes a partial internal reflection (PIR) surface and a total internal reflection (TIR) surface. The PIR surface and the TIR surface cooperate to split the array of optical beams into the signal path and the tap path such that the signal path is substantially parallel to the tap path upon exiting the beam splitter.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. An optical switch comprising:
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an array of input optical fibers;
an array of output optical fibers;
an input lens array operatively associated with the array of input optical fibers to produce an array of approximately collimated optical beams from the array of input optical fibers;
a rhomboidal prism beam splitter mounted with respect to the input lens array to split the approximately collimated array of optical beams into a signal path and a tap path;
an array of input mirrors, each mirror being rotatable in two axes, the array of mirrors positioned such that the optical beams from the input lens array are incident on the array of mirrors and each optical beam is reflected in a selected direction associated with a controlled position of a corresponding mirror; and
an output lens array operatively associated with the array of output optical fibers to focus the optical beams reflected from the mirrors into the array of output optical fibers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An optical switch comprising:
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an array of input optical fibers;
an array of output optical fibers;
at least one array of mirrors positioned such that when an array of optical beams is propagated from the input optical fibers, the optical beams are incident on the array of mirrors and each optical beam is reflected in a selected direction associated with a controlled position of a corresponding mirror; and
a rhomboidal prism beam splitter mounted with respect to the array of input fibers to split the array of optical beams into a signal path and a tap path. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An all-optical switch comprising:
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an array of input optical fibers;
an array of output optical fibers; and
a rhomboidal prism beam splitter positioned in operative relationship with the array of input fibers such that when an array of optical beams is propagated from the array of input optical fibers, the beam splitter splits the array of optical beams into a signal path and a tap path, the rhomboidal prism beam splitter including a partial internal reflection (PIR) surface and a total internal reflection (TIR) surface, the PIR surface and the TIR surface cooperating to split the array of optical beams into the signal path and the tap path such that the signal path is substantially parallel to the tap path upon exiting the beam splitter. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification