Optical device utilizing optical waveguides and mechanical light-switches

• US 6,650,822 B1
• Filed: 07/26/1999
• Issued: 11/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Xeotion Corporation
• Inventors: Zhou, Xiaochuan
• Primary Examiner(s): CHERRY, EUNCHA P
• Application Number:
  US09/360,786
• Time in Patent Office: 1,576 Days
• Field of Search: 385/16, 385/22, 385/23, 385/147, 359/630, 359/244, 359/247, 359/262, 369/109, 369/32, 369/44.37, 369/112, 369/121, 379/93.28
• US Class Current: 385/147
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/12104 Mirror; Reflectors or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/12145 Switch
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/02 for controlling the intensity of light G02B26/004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/1221 made from organic materials
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/241 Light guide terminations
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3522 the optical element enabling or impairing total internal reflection using evanescent coupling G02B6/3536
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3558 1xN switch, i.e. one input and a selectable single output of N possible outputs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/357 Electrostatic force electrostatic forces controlling reflecting elements in general G02B26/0841
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/305 being the ends of optical fibres G09F9/302 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/372 the positions of the elements being controlled by the application of an electric field

Abstract

An optical device consists of one or more optical waveguides and mechanical light switches 30. When a light switch 30 is turned on, it extracts light beam 62a from a waveguide core 20 and redirect the light beam 62b into free space, it redirects an incoming light beam 80 from free space and injects the light beam 80a into the waveguide core 20, or it performs both functions at the same time, depending on specific applications. On and off states of a light switch 30 are achieved by pulling the light switch 30 into a close vicinity of the waveguide core 20 and by pushing the light switch 30 away from the waveguide core 20, respectively. An interactive fiat-panel display can be built based on this invention. A plurality of parallel channel waveguides forms a display panel. An array of light beams 62a, injected from an array light source 60, propagates along waveguide cores 20 until reaches a location where a light switch 30 is turned on. At this location, the light switch 30 redirects the light beams towards a viewer. An image is produced when the light switches 30 are turned on sequentially while the light-intensity distribution on the array light source 60 is synchronically updated. The panel display is capable of responding to an input optical signal by detecting an incoming light beam 80 from a light pen 100. An array of photodetectors 81 is used to identify the location of the incoming light beam 80 on the display panel and a computer is used to execute a corresponding action accordingly.

Claims

1. An optical relay device comprising:

(a) an optical waveguide having first end constituting a single-terminal optical port and a front side constituting a multiple-terminal optical port;

(b) a predetermined number of light switches in proximity to said optical waveguide, said light switches containing optical means for reflecting light waves;

(c) finite and changeable gaps between said light switches and said waveguide; and

(d) electrostatic means for changing said gaps thereby actuating said light switches and relaying optical signals between two said ports.