Method and apparatus for providing free-space optical cross-connections

• US 7,657,138 B1
• Filed: 09/17/2008
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Finn, Joseph, Chen, David Z.
• Primary Examiner(s): HEALY, BRIAN
• Application Number:
  US12/211,931
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 385/15, 385/17, 385/18, 385/25, 385/26, 385/27, 385/31, 385/39, 385/47, 398/55, 398/56, 398/59, 398/96, 398/103, 398/130
• US Class Current: 385/31
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0816 by means of one or more reflecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3512 the optical element being reflective, e.g. mirror
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3556 NxM switch, i.e. regular arrays of switches elements of matrix type constellation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3582 Housing means or package or arranging details of the switching elements, e.g. for thermal isolation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3586 Control or adjustment details, e.g. calibrating testing optical equipment G01M11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/359 of the position of the moving element itself during switching, i.e. without monitoring the switched beams
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0005 Switch and router aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/003 using switches based on microelectro-mechanical systems [MEMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0039 Electrical control

Abstract

An approach is provided for a free-space optical switch. A command is received to change a connection state of a free-space optical transmission path. A mirror is controlled to change the connection state of the free-space optical transmission path with respect to a particular port of a plurality of ports that interface to respective optical fibers, wherein the ports correspond to holes disposed about a circumferential surface of a port ring.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an input ring extending axially and having a plurality of radially extending openings corresponding to ports configured to interface with respective optical fibers, wherein the openings are arranged about an outer circumferential surface of the input ring; and

a mirror mechanism situated within the input ring and configured to change a connection state of a free-space optical transmission path defined by the ports.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a processor configured to control automated movements of the mirror mechanism, the automated movements relating to translation along or rotation about an axis of the input ring.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an output ring including a plurality of ports configured to interface with corresponding optical fibers; and

a second mirror mechanism situated within the output ring and configured to direct the free-space optical transmission path to a particular port of the output ring.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a mirror of the mirror mechanism is fixed at a predetermined angle relative to an axis of the input ring.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined angle is approximately 45 degrees.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the free-space optical transmission path is monitored by a tracking system and information relating to the connection state is stored in a database.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an optical alignment mechanism configured to align the free-space optical transmission path with respect to a mirror of the mirror mechanism,

wherein the optical alignment mechanism interfaces with a particular port of the plurality of ports and a particular optical fiber corresponding to the particular port.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the optical alignment mechanism is a collimator.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of ports are further disposed about the outer circumferential surface in a plurality of circumferential rings.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a communication interface configured to receive one or more commands for configuring the mirror mechanism over a communication network.

11. A method comprising:

receiving a command to change a connection state of a free-space optical transmission path; and

controlling a mirror to change the connection state of the free-space optical transmission path with respect to a particular port of a plurality of ports that interface to respective optical fibers, wherein the ports correspond to radially extending holes disposed about an outer circumferential surface of an axially extending port ring.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the step of controlling includes aligning or breaking the free-space optical transmission path with respect to the particular port.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the mirror is capable of translation along or rotation about an axis of the port ring.

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein the port ring is an input port ring or an output port ring.

15. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

monitoring the connection state; and

storing information corresponding to the connection state in a database.

16. A method according to claim 11, wherein the outer circumferential surface includes a plurality of circumferential rings.

17. A method according to claim 16, further comprising:

displacing the mirror to align with a particular one of the circumferential rings, wherein the particular circumferential ring includes the particular port; and

rotating the mirror to align to the particular port.

18. A method according to claim 11, wherein the free-space optical transmission path is aligned with respect to the mirror via an optical alignment mechanism that interfaces with the particular port and a corresponding optical fiber.

19. A method according to claim 17, wherein the optical alignment mechanism is a collimator.

20. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

retrieving, from a database, calibration information relating to one or more predetermined physical configurations of the mirror,

wherein the calibration information is utilized to control the mirror.

21. A method according to claim 11, wherein the command is received over one or more communication networks.

22. A system comprising:

an input port ring configured to interface with a first set of optical waveguides;

a first mirror disposed within the input port ring;

an output port ring configured to interface with a second set of optical waveguides; and

a second mirror disposed within the output port ring,

wherein at least one of the mirrors is rotated about an axis by a command signal to establish a free-space optical transmission path between one of the optical waveguides in the first set of the input port ring and one of the optical waveguides in the second set of the output port ring.

23. A system according to claim 22, further comprising:

a database configured to store position information of the mirrors corresponding to one of a plurality of connection states.