Off axis optical signal redirection architectures
First Claim
1. A system for redirecting optical signals, said system comprising:
- at least one substrate having a first surface;
at least one reflective microstructure array formed on said substrate, said reflective microstructure array including at least one reflective microstructure, each said reflective microstructure of said reflective microstructure array including an optically reflective surface and being positionable with respect to the first surface of said substrate in at least one orientation wherein the reflective surface thereof is positioned to redirect an optical signal from at least one originating location to at least one target location, each said orientation of each said reflective microstructure being defined by an associated unit normal vector orthogonal to the reflective surface thereof;
a set of unit normal vectors comprising substantially all of the unit normal vectors associated with each said orientation of each said reflective microstructure wherein the reflective surface thereof is positioned to redirect an optical signal from at least one originating location to at least one target location, the set of unit normal vectors including at least two unit normal vectors that are non-parallel; and
an average normal vector associated with said reflective microstructure array, said average normal vector comprising the average of the unit normal vectors in said set of unit normal vectors;
wherein said average normal vector associated with said reflective microstructure array forms an acute angle with a vector normal to the first surface of said substrate, said angle being greater than five degrees.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is directed to off axis optical signal redirection architectures that employ positionable reflective microstructures (e.g. microelectromechanical (MEM) mirrors) fabricated on one or more substrates. In one embodiment, an optical signal redirection system (10) includes a reflective microstructure array (12) formed on a substrate (30). The reflective microstructure array (12) includes one or more reflective microstructures (14). Each of the reflective microstructures (14) includes an optically reflective surface (20) and is positionable with respect to the substrate (30) in order to orient its reflective surface (20) for redirecting optical signals (24) incoming from one or more originating locations (16) to one or more target locations (18). Each orientation required for a given reflective microstructure (14) to redirect an optical signal (24) incoming from an originating location (16) to a target location (18) is defined by a unit vector (22) that is normal to the reflective surface (20) of such reflective microstructure (14). An average normal vector (26) associated with the reflective microstructure array (12) defined as the average of the set of individual unit normal vectors (22) forms a first non-zero angle θ with respect to the substrate normal (34).
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Citations
54 Claims
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1. A system for redirecting optical signals, said system comprising:
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at least one substrate having a first surface;
at least one reflective microstructure array formed on said substrate, said reflective microstructure array including at least one reflective microstructure, each said reflective microstructure of said reflective microstructure array including an optically reflective surface and being positionable with respect to the first surface of said substrate in at least one orientation wherein the reflective surface thereof is positioned to redirect an optical signal from at least one originating location to at least one target location, each said orientation of each said reflective microstructure being defined by an associated unit normal vector orthogonal to the reflective surface thereof;
a set of unit normal vectors comprising substantially all of the unit normal vectors associated with each said orientation of each said reflective microstructure wherein the reflective surface thereof is positioned to redirect an optical signal from at least one originating location to at least one target location, the set of unit normal vectors including at least two unit normal vectors that are non-parallel; and
an average normal vector associated with said reflective microstructure array, said average normal vector comprising the average of the unit normal vectors in said set of unit normal vectors;
wherein said average normal vector associated with said reflective microstructure array forms an acute angle with a vector normal to the first surface of said substrate, said angle being greater than five degrees. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A system for redirecting optical signals, said system comprising:
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at least one substrate having a first surface;
at least one reflective microstructure array formed on said substrate, said reflective microstructure array including at least one reflective microstructure, each said reflective microstructure of said reflective microstructure array including an optically reflective surface and being positionable with respect to the first surface of said substrate in at least one orientation wherein the reflective surface thereof is positioned to redirect an optical signal from at least one originating location to at least one target location, each said orientation of each said reflective microstructure being defined by an associated unit normal vector orthogonal to the reflective surface thereof;
a set of unit normal vectors comprising substantially all of the unit normal vectors associated with each said orientation of each said reflective microstructure wherein the reflective surface thereof is positioned to redirect an optical signal from at least one originating location to at least one target location, the set of unit normal vectors including at least two unit normal vectors that are non-parallel; and
an average normal vector associated with said reflective microstructure array, said average normal vector comprising the average of the unit normal vectors in said set of unit normal vectors;
wherein said average normal vector associated with said reflective microstructure array forms a first angle with a vector normal to the first surface of said substrate, said first angle being greater than five degrees; and
wherein, a set of second angles measured between projections of each unit normal vector in said set of unit normal vectors onto the first surface of said substrate and a reference axis defined on the first surface of said substrate span a range that is greater than two degrees. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. A system for redirecting optical signals, said system comprising:
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at least one substrate having a first surface; and
at least one reflective microstructure array formed on said substrate, said reflective microstructure array including at least one reflective microstructure, each said reflective microstructure of said reflective microstructure array including an optically reflective surface and being positionable with respect to the first surface of said substrate in at least one orientation wherein the reflective surface thereof is positioned to redirect an optical signal from at least one originating location to at least one target location, each said orientation of each said reflective microstructure being defined by an associated unit normal vector orthogonal to the reflective surface thereof; and
a set of unit normal vectors comprising substantially all of the unit normal vectors associated with each said orientation of each said reflective microstructure wherein the reflective surface thereof is positioned to redirect an optical signal from at least one originating location to at least one target location, the set of unit normal vectors including at least two unit normal vectors that are non-parallel;
wherein, a set of angles measured between projections of each unit normal vector in said set of unit normal vectors onto the first surface of said substrate and a reference axis defined on the first surface of said substrate span a range that is greater than two degrees and less than one-hundred eighty degrees. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. An optical cross connect for switching optical signals between a first plurality of optical ports and a second plurality of optical ports, said optical cross connect comprising:
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a first substrate having a surface facing the first plurality of optical ports;
a second substrate having a surface facing the second plurality of optical ports, wherein said first and second pluralities of optical ports are positioned on a first side of a free space switch interface and said first and second substrates are positioned on a second side of the free space switch interface opposite the first side of the free space switch interface;
a first off axis reflective microstructure array formed on the surface of said first substrate, wherein said first off axis reflective microstructure array includes a plurality of reflective microstructures, each said reflective microstructure of said first off axis reflective microstructure array being associated with one of said first plurality of optical ports and including an optically reflective surface; and
a second off axis reflective microstructure array formed on the surface of said second substrate, wherein said second off axis reflective microstructure array includes a plurality of reflective microstructures, each said reflective microstructure of said second off axis reflective microstructure array being associated with one of said second plurality of optical ports and including an optically reflective surface;
each said reflective microstructure of said first off axis reflective microstructure array being positionable to orient its reflective surface to reflect an optical signal receivable from its associated optical port to the reflective surface of at least one reflective microstructure of said second off axis reflective microstructure array and positionable to orient its reflective surface to reflect an optical signal receivable from at least one reflective microstructure of said second off axis reflective microstructure array to its associated optical port;
each said reflective microstructure of said second off axis reflective microstructure array being positionable to orient its reflective surface to reflect an optical signal receivable from its associated optical port to the reflective surface of at least one reflective microstructure of said first off axis reflective microstructure array and positionable to orient its reflective surface to reflect an optical signal receivable from at least one reflective microstructure of said first off axis reflective microstructure array to its associated optical port. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method of redirecting optical signals from originating locations to target locations, said method comprising the steps of:
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positioning each reflective microstructure of a reflective microstructure array fabricated on a first surface of a substrate in an appropriate orientation with respect to the first surface of the substrate for receiving an optical signal from a specified originating location and reflecting the optical signal to a specified target location, the orientation of each reflective microstructure being defined by an associated unit normal vector that is oriented orthogonal to a reflective surface of each reflective microstructure;
receiving optical signals on the reflective surfaces of the reflective microstructures from the specified originating locations for which the reflective microstructures are appropriately oriented; and
reflecting the optical signals received on the reflective surfaces of the reflective microstructures to the specified target locations for which the reflective microstructures are appropriately oriented;
wherein, in said positioning step, there are at least two non-parallel unit normal vectors associated with the orientations of the reflective microstructures wherein the reflective surfaces thereof are oriented for receiving an optical signal from a specified originating location and reflecting the optical signal to a specified target location; and
wherein, in said positioning step, an average normal vector comprising substantially all of the unit normal vectors associated with the orientations of the reflective microstructures forms an acute angle with a vector normal to the first surface of the substrate, said angle being greater than five degrees. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. An optical system, comprising:
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a plurality of first optical ports operative for at least one of transmitting and receiving optical beams;
a plurality of second optical ports operative for at least one of transmitting and receiving optical beams; and
an array of first reflective devices formed on a substrate, each one of said first reflective devices being associated with one of said first optical ports and being movable across a range of angular orientations, each such orientation being defined by an axis normal to a reflective surface of said one of said first reflective devices, to optically connect said associated one of said first ports with substantially any one of said second ports, said range of angular orientations for any one of said first reflective devices being defined by a center axis having a directional orientation associated with a unit vector such that a first device set including substantially all of said first reflective devices of said array of first reflective devices defines a first center axis set including all of the center axes of said first reflective devices of said first device set and a corresponding first unit vector set including the unit vectors associated with the center axes of said first reflective devices;
said first optical ports, second optical ports and array of first reflective devices being configured such that an average orientation of said first center axis set, said average orientation of said first center axis set being the orientation of an average unit vector obtained by taking a vector sum of said unit vectors of said first unit vector set and dividing said sum by a number of said unit vectors of said first unit vector set, is angularly offset by at least five degrees and less than ninety degrees relative to an axis normal to said substrate on which said array of first reflective devices is formed, said axis normal to said substrate on which said array of first reflective devices is formed being parallel with optical beams transmitted form said plurality of first optical ports. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A system for redirecting optical signals, said system comprising:
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at least one substrate having a first surface;
at least one reflective microstructure array formed on said substrate, said reflective microstructure array including at least one reflective microstructure, each said reflective microstructure of said reflective microstructure array including an optically reflective surface and being positionable with respect to the first surface of said substrate in at least one orientation wherein the reflective surface thereof is positioned to redirect an optical signal from at least one originating location to at least one target location, each said orientation of each said reflective microstructure being defined by an associated unit normal vector orthogonal to the reflective surface thereof;
a fixed reflective surface that is fixed in a position relative to the reflective microstructure array to provide an optical pathway between the target location and the reflective microstructure array;
a set of unit normal vectors comprising substantially all of the unit normal vectors associated with each said orientation of each said reflective microstructure; and
an average normal vector associated with said reflective microstructure array, said average normal vector comprising the average of the unit normal vectors in said set of unit normal vectors;
wherein said average normal vector associated with said reflective microstructure array forms an acute angle with a vector normal to the first surface of said substrate, said angle being greater than five degrees.
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50. A system for redirecting optical signals, said system comprising:
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at least one substrate having a first surface;
at least two reflective microstructure arrays formed on said substrate, each said reflective microstructure array including at least one reflective microstructure, each said reflective microstructure of each said reflective microstructure array including an optically reflective surface and being positionable with respect to the first surface of said substrate in at least one orientation wherein the reflective surface thereof is positioned to redirect an optical signal from at least one originating location to at least one target location, each said orientation of each said reflective microstructure being defined by an associated unit normal vector orthogonal to the reflective surface thereof;
a fixed reflective surface fixed relative to said reflective microstructure arrays, said fixed reflective surface being positioned to provide an optical pathway between said reflective microstructure arrays;
a set of unit normal vectors comprising substantially all of the unit normal vectors associated with each said orientation of each said reflective microstructure; and
an average normal vector associated with said reflective microstructure array, said average normal vector comprising the average of the unit normal vectors in said set of unit normal vectors;
wherein said average normal vector associated with said reflective microstructure array forms an acute angle with a vector normal to the first surface of said substrate, said angle being greater than five degrees.
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51. A system for redirecting optical signals, said system comprising:
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at least one substrate having a first surface;
at least one reflective microstructure array formed on said substrate, said reflective microstructure array including at least one reflective microstructure, each said reflective microstructure of said reflective microstructure array including an optically reflective surface and being positionable with respect to the first surface of said substrate in at least one orientation wherein the reflective surface thereof is positioned to redirect an optical signal from at least one originating location to at least one target location, each said orientation of each said reflective microstructure being defined by an associated unit normal vector orthogonal to the reflective surface thereof;
a set of unit normal vectors comprising substantially all of the unit normal vectors associated with each said orientation of each said reflective microstructure; and
an average normal vector associated with said reflective microstructure array, said average normal vector comprising the average of the unit normal vectors in said set of unit normal vectors;
wherein said average normal vector associated with said reflective microstructure array forms an acute angle with a vector normal to the first surface of said substrate, said angle being greater than five degrees; and
wherein an effective packing density of said reflective microstructure array exceeds a real packing density of said reflective microstructure array.
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52. A system for redirecting optical signals, said system comprising:
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at least one substrate having a first surface;
at least one reflective microstructure array formed on said substrate, said reflective microstructure array including at least one reflective microstructure, each said reflective microstructure of said reflective microstructure array including an optically reflective surface and being positionable with respect to the first surface of said substrate in at least one orientation wherein the reflective surface thereof is positioned to redirect an optical signal from at least one originating location to at least one target location, each said reflective microstructure being positionable with at least two degrees of freedom, each said orientation of each said reflective microstructure being defined by an associated unit normal vector orthogonal to the reflective surface thereof;
a set of unit normal vectors comprising substantially all of the unit normal vectors associated with each said orientation of each said reflective microstructure; and
an average normal vector associated with said reflective microstructure array, said average normal vector comprising the average of the unit normal vectors in said set of unit normal vectors;
wherein said average normal vector associated with said reflective microstructure array forms an acute angle with a vector normal to the first surface of said substrate, said angle being greater than five degrees.
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53. A method of redirecting optical signals from originating locations to target locations, said method comprising the steps of:
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positioning each reflective microstructure of a reflective microstructure array fabricated on a first surface of a substrate in an appropriate orientation with respect to the first surface of the substrate for receiving an optical signal from a specified originating location and reflecting the optical signal to a specified target location, at least one of the specified target locations comprising a fixed reflective surface fixed relative to the reflective microstructure array, the orientation of each reflective microstructure being defined by an associated unit normal vector that is oriented orthogonal to a reflective surface of each reflective microstructure;
receiving optical signals on the reflective surfaces of the reflective microstructures from the specified originating locations for which the reflective microstructures are appropriately oriented; and
reflecting the optical signals received on the reflective surfaces of the reflective microstructures to the specified target locations for which the reflective microstructures are appropriately oriented;
wherein, in said positioning step, an average normal vector comprising substantially all of the unit normal vectors associated with the orientations of the reflective microstructures forms an acute angle with a vector normal to the first surface of the substrate, said angle being greater than five degrees.
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54. A method of redirecting optical signals from originating locations to target locations, said method comprising the steps of:
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positioning each reflective microstructure of a reflective microstructure array fabricated on a first surface of a substrate in an appropriate orientation with respect to the first surface of the substrate for receiving an optical signal from a specified originating location and reflecting the optical signal to a specified target location, at least one of the specified originating locations comprising a fixed reflective surface fixed relative to the reflective microstructure array, the orientation of each reflective microstructure being defined by an associated unit normal vector that is oriented orthogonal to a reflective surface of each reflective microstructure;
receiving optical signals on the reflective surfaces of the reflective microstructures from the specified originating locations for which the reflective microstructures are appropriately oriented; and
reflecting the optical signals received on the reflective surfaces of the reflective microstructures to the specified target locations for which the reflective microstructures are appropriately oriented;
wherein, in said positioning step, an average normal vector comprising substantially all of the unit normal vectors associated with the orientations of the reflective microstructures forms an acute angle with a vector normal to the first surface of the substrate, said angle being greater than five degrees.
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Specification