Switching device and method of fabricating the same
First Claim
1. A switching device for receiving an input signal and providing the signal to a particular output signal path, the switching device comprising a plurality of physical substrate layers each having one or more switches thereon, and wherein the input signal travels through a penetrable zone of at least one of the physical substrate layers, and the input signal is an optical signal and the penetrable zone comprises an optically transparent material.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A switching device that receives a plurality of input signals and provides a plurality of output signals has switches arranged in a two- or three-dimensional array configurations. At least two of the switches, which are preferably microelectromechanical or MEMS switches, reside on distinct physical substrate layers in the switching device, and at least one of the signals travels through a penetrable zone of one of the physical substrate layers. Three dimensional switching device blocks can be conveniently arranged in a Clos configuration or other switching configurations to reduce blocking and avoid rearrangement. The switching devices may be used to switch optical signals and may include mirrors as switching elements.
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Citations
68 Claims
- 1. A switching device for receiving an input signal and providing the signal to a particular output signal path, the switching device comprising a plurality of physical substrate layers each having one or more switches thereon, and wherein the input signal travels through a penetrable zone of at least one of the physical substrate layers, and the input signal is an optical signal and the penetrable zone comprises an optically transparent material.
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15. A switching device for receiving a plurality of M input signals and providing a plurality of N output signals each input signal being directed along a path into said device and each output signal being directed along a path out of said device said switching device comprising a plurality of switches arranged in a two-dimensional array, each of the switches being located at an intersection in which a projection of the path of one input signal meets a projection of the path of one output signal, wherein:
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at least two of said switches reside on distinct physical substrate layers in the switching device, and at least one of said signals travels through a penetrable zone of one of the physical substrate layers; and
one switch is located at each intersection in which a projection of the path of one of the input signals meets a projection of the path of one of the output signals. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
one switch in a first group of switches is located at each intersection in which a projection of the path of the i'"'"'th input signal meets a projection of the path of the j'"'"'th output signal for which the value of i+j for that intersection is less than or equal to max(M, N); and
one switch in a second group of switches is located at each intersection in which the path of the i'"'"'th input signal meets the path of the j'"'"'th output signal for which the value of i+j for that intersection equals max(M, N)+1.
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24. The switching device of claim 23 wherein
each switch in the first group of switches resides on one of the physical substrate layers near a penetrable zone of that physical substrate layer, so that in at least one operative position of the switch a signal input to or output by the switch passes through that penetrable zone; - and
each switch in the second group of switches is located on the same physical layer and is static.
- and
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25. The switching device of claim 24 wherein
each switch in the first group includes a mirror having first and second reflective surfaces, wherein when the mirror is in a first position the mirror does not affect any signal input to the switch, and when the mirror is in a second position the mirror reflects any signal input to the switch; - and
each switch in the second group includes a static mirror that reflects any signal input to the switch.
- and
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26. The switching device of claim 25 wherein
for each of the switches in the first group, when the mirror thereof is in the first position any signal input to the switch is angled at 45° - with respect to said mirror; and
for each of the switches in the second group any signal input to the switch is angled at 45°
with respect to the mirror thereof.
- with respect to said mirror; and
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27. The switching device of claim 24 wherein each switch in the first group is a microelectromechanical (MEMS) switch.
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28. The switching device of claim 27 wherein each MEMS switch in the first group comprises a generally planar switching element disposed in parallel to the surface of the physical substrate layer on which the switch resides and an actuator operatively engageable with the switching element for moving the switching element between different positions in a plane parallel to the surface of the physical substrate layer.
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29. The switching device of claim 28 wherein
the switching element of each MEMS switch in the first group comprises a mirror having first and second reflective surfaces, the mirror not affecting any signal input to the switch when in a first position in said plane and reflecting any signal input to the switch when in a second position in said plane; - and
each switch in the second group includes a static mirror parallel to the surface of the physical substrate layer on which the switch resides that reflects any signal input to the switch.
- and
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30. The switching device of claim 29 wherein for each of the MEMS switches, any signal input to the switch is angled at 45°
- with respect to the mirror thereof.
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31. The switching device of claim 15 further comprising a plurality of switches arranged in a three-dimensional array.
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32. A three-dimensional switching device having a plurality of P logical switching layers, each of the logical layers receiving a plurality of M input signals and providing a plurality of N output signals, each input signal being directed along a path into said layer and each output signal being directed along a path out of said layer, each logical layer comprising:
- a plurality of switches arranged in a two-dimensional array, each of the switches being located at an intersection in which a projection of the path of one input signal meets a projection of the path of one output signal, wherein;
at least two of said switches in each logical layer reside on distinct physical substrate layers in the switching device, and at least one of said signals travels through a penetrable zone of one of the physical substrate layers; and
the logical layers are parallel to one another within the switching device and, in each logical layer, one switch is located at each intersection in which a projection of the path of one of the input signals meets a projection of the path of one the output signals. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
each input signal is denoted as an i'"'"'th input signal where i is an integer and 1≦
i≦
M and each output signal is denoted as a j'"'"'th output signal where j is an integer and 1≦
j≦
N, the path of the first input signal and the path of the first output signal being in closest proximity among the input and output signal paths, the path of the M'"'"'th input signal and the path of the N'"'"'th output signal being most distant among the input and output signal paths, the paths of any intermediately denoted input signals being located incrementally between the first and M'"'"'th input signal paths, and the paths of any intermediately denoted output signals being located incrementally between the first and N'"'"'th output signal paths;
one switch in a first group of switches is located at each intersection in which a projection of the path of the i'"'"'th input signal meets a projection of the path of the j'"'"'th output signal for which the value of i+j for that intersection is less than or equal to max(M, N); and
one switch in a second group of switches is located at each intersection in which the path of the i'"'"'th input signal meets the path of the j'"'"'th output signal for which the value of i+j for that intersection equals max(M, N)+1.
- a plurality of switches arranged in a two-dimensional array, each of the switches being located at an intersection in which a projection of the path of one input signal meets a projection of the path of one output signal, wherein;
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41. The switching device of claim 40 wherein for each logical layer:
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each switch in the first group of switches resides on one of the physical substrate layers near a penetrable zone of that physical substrate layer, so that in at least one operative position of the switch a signal input to or output by the switch passes through that penetrable zone; and
each switch in the second group of switches is located on the same physical layer and is static.
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42. The switching device of claim 41 wherein for each logical layer:
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each switch in the first group includes a mirror having first and second reflective surfaces, wherein when the mirror is in a first position the mirror does not affect any signal input to the switch, and when the mirror is in a second position the mirror reflects any signal input to the switch; and
each switch in the second group includes a static mirror that reflects any signal input to the switch.
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43. The switching device of claim 42 wherein
for each of the switches in the first group, when the mirror thereof is in the first position any signal input to the switch is angled at 45° - with respect to said mirror; and
for each of the switches in the second group any signal input to the switch is angled at 45°
with respect to the mirror thereof.
- with respect to said mirror; and
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44. The switching device of claim 41 wherein each switch in the first group is a microelectromechanical (MEMS) switch.
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45. The switching device of claim 44 wherein each MEMS switch in the first group comprises a generally planar switching element disposed in parallel to the surface of the physical substrate layer on which the switch resides and an actuator operatively engageable with the switching element for moving the switching element between different positions in a plane parallel to the surface of the physical substrate layer.
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48. A switching configuration comprising
a first switching device as claimed in claim 32; a second switching device as claimed in claim 32, wherein the number of logical layers in the second switching device equals the number of output signals in each logical layer of the first switching device, and wherein one and only one output from each logical layer of the first switching device is received as an input to a logical layer of the second switching device.
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49. The switching configuration of claim 48 wherein the number of input and output signals in each logical layer of the second switching device equals the number of logical layers in the first switching device, within each switching device the logical layers are parallel to one another, and wherein the logical layers of the second switching device are positioned orthogonally with respect to the logical layers of the first switching device so that the paths of the output signals from the first switching device are colinear with the paths of the input signals of the second switching device.
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50. A switching configuration comprising
a first switching device as claimed in claim 32; -
a second switching device as claimed in claim 32, wherein the number of logical layers in the second switching device equals the number of output signals in each logical layer of the first switching device, and wherein one and only one output from each logical layer of the first switching device is received as an input to a logical layer of the second switching device; and
a third switching device as claimed in claim 32, wherein the number of logical layers in the third switching device equals the number of output signals in each logical layer of the second switching device, and wherein one and only one output from each logical layer of the second switching device is received as an input to a logical layer of the third switching device.
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51. The switching configuration of claim 50 wherein the number of input and output signals in each logical layer of the second switching device equals the number of logical layers in the first switching device and the number of input and output signals in each logical layer of the third switching device equals the number of logical layers in the second switching device.
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52. The switching configuration of claim 51 wherein within each switching device the logical layers are parallel to one another, and the logical layers of the second switching device are positioned orthogonally with respect to the logical layers of the first switching device so that the paths of the output signals from the first switching device are colinear with the paths of the input signals of the second switching device, and wherein the logical layers of the third switching device are positioned orthogonally with respect to the logical layers of the second switching device so that the paths of the output signals from the second switching device are colinear with the paths of the input signals of the third switching device.
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53. The switching configuration of claim 52 wherein for each switching device:
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in each logical layer, one switch is located at each intersection in which a projection of the path of one of the input signals meets a projection of the path of one of the output signals; and
each switch resides on one of the physical substrate layers near a penetrable zone of that physical substrate layer, so that in at least one operative position of the switch a signal input to or output by the switch passes through that penetrable zone.
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54. The switching configuration of claim 53 wherein for each switching device:
- each switch is a microelectromechanical (MEMS) switch comprising a mirror and the mirror of each MEMS switch is disposed in parallel to the surface of the physical substrate layer on which the switch resides and the switch further comprises an actuator operatively engageable with the switching element for moving the switching element between different positions in a plane parallel to the surface of the physical substrate layer.
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55. The switching configuration of claim 52 wherein for each switching device:
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in each logical layer, each input signal is denoted as an i'"'"'th input signal where i is an integer and 1≦
i≦
M and each output signal is denoted as a j'"'"'th output signal where j is an integer and 1≦
j≦
N, the path of the first input signal and the path of the first output signal being in closest proximity among the input and output signal paths, the path of the M'"'"'th input signal and the path of the N'"'"'th output signal being most distant among the input and output signal paths, the paths of any intermediately denoted input signals being located incrementally between the first and M'"'"'th input signal paths, and the paths of any intermediately denoted output signals being located incrementally between the first and N'"'"'th output signal paths;
in each logical layer, one switch in a first group of switches is located at each intersection in which a projection of the path of the i'"'"'th input signal meets a projection of the path of the j'"'"'th output signal for which the value of i+j for that intersection is less than or equal to max(M, N); and
in each logical layer, one switch in a second group of switches is located at each intersection in which the path of the i'"'"'th input signal meets the path of the j'"'"'th output signal for which the value of i+j for that intersection equals max(M, N)+1;
each switch in the first group of switches resides on one of the physical substrate layers near a penetrable zone of that physical substrate layer, so that in at least one operative position of the switch a signal input to or output by the switch passes through that penetrable zone; and
each switch in the second group of switches is located on the same physical layer and is static.
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56. The switching configuration of claim 55 wherein for each switching device:
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each switch in the first group is a microelectromechanical (MEMS) switch comprising a mirror and the mirror of each MEMS switch is disposed in parallel to the surface of the physical substrate layer on which the switch resides and the switch further comprises an actuator operatively engageable with the switching element for moving the switching element between different positions in a plane parallel to the surface of the physical substrate layer; and
each switch in the second group comprises a static mirror that is parallel to the surface of the physical substrate layer on which the switch resides.
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57. A strictly non-blocking switching configuration comprising:
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a first switching configuration as claimed in claim 53 wherein for the first switching device in the first switching configuration each logical layer includes a second path for each output signal out of the logical layer, said second paths of the output signals being colinear with the paths of the input signals in that layer; and
a second switching configuration as claimed in claim 53 wherein for the third switching device in the second switching configuration each logical layer includes a second path for each input signal into the logical layer, said second paths of the input signals being colinear with the paths of the output signals in that layer; and
wherein the first and second switching configurations are positioned such that the second paths of the output signals from the first switching device of the first switching configuration are colinear with the paths of the input signals of the first switching device of the second switching configuration, and the paths of the output signals from the third switching device of the first switching configuration are colinear with the second paths of the input signals of the third switching device of the second switching configuration.
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58. A method of fabricating the switching device of claim 34 comprising:
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fabricating the plurality of MEMS switches on a main substrate surface, the plurality of MEMS switches being arranged in P rows, the number of rows corresponding to the number of logical layers in the switching device, the plurality of MEMS switches on the main substrate surface being further divided into a plurality of sets of columns, the columns in each set being uniformly spaced and each set of columns being separated from an adjacent column by a space equaling that of a single column, each set of switches corresponding to the switches residing one of the physical substrate layers;
separating the sets on the main substrate surface into the plurality of physical substrate layers;
aligning the separated physical substrate layers to form the logical layers of the switching device; and
bonding the physical substrate layers together.
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59. The method of claim 58 wherein M equals N for each logical layer.
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60. The method of claim 59 wherein the switching device comprises 2M-1 physical substrate layers and, with each set denoted as an a'"'"'th set where a is an integer and 1≦
- a≦
2M−
1, the number of columns of switches in the a'"'"'th set is equal to (M−
|M−
a|).
- a≦
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61. The method of claim 59 wherein the switching device comprises M physical substrate layers and, with each set denoted as an a'"'"'th set where a is an integer and 1≦
- a≦
2M−
1, the number of columns of switches in the a'"'"'th set is equal to a.
- a≦
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46. The switching device of claim wherein
the switching element of each MEMS switch in the first group comprises a mirror having first and second reflective surfaces, the mirror not affecting any signal input to the switch when in a first position in said plane and reflecting any signal input to the switch when in a second position in said plane; - and
each switch in the second group includes a static mirror parallel to the surface of the physical substrate layer on which the switch resides that reflects any signal input to the switch. - View Dependent Claims (47)
- and
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62. An optical device comprising:
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a first diffracting reflection grating having a plurality of diffraction elements on one side thereof;
a second diffracting reflection grating having a plurality of diffraction elements on one side thereof, wherein the first and second diffracting reflection gratings are positioned in parallel with one another, separated by a distance w, so that the side of the first diffracting reflection grating having the diffraction elements opposes the side of the second diffracting reflection grating having the diffraction elements. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66)
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67. A switching device comprising:
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a first set of inputs for receiving a plurality of inputs signals;
a second set of inputs;
a third set of inputs;
a first set of outputs for providing a plurality of output signals; and
a second set of outputs, wherein a signal provided at one of the second set of outputs is directed to a splitter which divides said signal into a first split signal and a second split signal, the first split signal being directed to an input in the second set of inputs and the second split signal being directed to an input in the third set of inputs. - View Dependent Claims (68)
(a) directing the multicast signal to one of the second set of outputs so that the multicast signal is received at one of the second set of inputs and at one of the third set of inputs;
(b) directing the multicast signal received at at least one of said one of the second set of inputs and said one of the third set of inputs to another of the second set of outputs so that the multicast signal is received at another of the second set of inputs and at another of the third set of inputs; and
(c) repeating steps (a) and (b) until the desired number of multicast signals are received at inputs of said second and third sets of inputs.
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Specification