Micro electro mechanical system optical switching
First Claim
1. An optical switch comprising;
- at least one micro electro mechanical system type pivot mirror structure disposed along a path of an optical signal, the structure having;
a mirror;
an actuator; and
a control logic component, including logic instructions executable for actuating the mirror such that the optical signal is routed to a particular output based upon instructions received by the control logic component;
wherein the mirror includes a pivot axis along a first edge and a second edge rotatable with respect to the pivot axis via the actuator, the mirror being rotatable between a position parallel to a plane of an optical signal and a position substantially normal to the plane of the optical signal, wherein the mirror can be tuned to one or more positions other than the position parallel to the plane and the position normal to the plane, including one or more positions beyond the position normal to the plane of the optical signal.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present disclosure includes apparatus, system, and method embodiments that provide micro electro mechanical system optical switching and methods of manufacturing switches. For example, one optical switch embodiment includes at least one micro electro mechanical system type pivot mirror structure disposed along a path of an optical signal, the structure having a mirror and an actuator, and the mirror having a pivot axis along a first edge and having a second edge rotatable with respect to the pivot axis, the mirror being capable of and arranged to be actuated to pivot between a position parallel to a plane of an optical signal and a position substantially normal to the plane of the optical signal.
10 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An optical switch comprising;
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at least one micro electro mechanical system type pivot mirror structure disposed along a path of an optical signal, the structure having; a mirror; an actuator; and a control logic component, including logic instructions executable for actuating the mirror such that the optical signal is routed to a particular output based upon instructions received by the control logic component; wherein the mirror includes a pivot axis along a first edge and a second edge rotatable with respect to the pivot axis via the actuator, the mirror being rotatable between a position parallel to a plane of an optical signal and a position substantially normal to the plane of the optical signal, wherein the mirror can be tuned to one or more positions other than the position parallel to the plane and the position normal to the plane, including one or more positions beyond the position normal to the plane of the optical signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An optical switching system comprising;
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at least one micro electro mechanical system type pivot mirror structure disposed along a path of an optical signal, the structure having a mirror and an actuator; the mirror having a pivot axis along a first edge and having a second edge rotatable with respect to the pivot axis via the actuator, the mirror being rotatable between a position parallel to a plane of an optical signal and a position where at least a portion of the mirror is rotated into the plane of the optical signal, wherein the mirror can be tuned to one or more positions other than the position parallel to the plane and the position where at least a portion of the mirror is rotated into the plane, including one or more positions beyond a position normal to the plane of the optical signal; a number of optical input paths for directing the optical signal toward at least one of the pivot mirror structures; a number of optical output paths for receiving the optical signal from at least one of the pivot mirror structures; and a control logic component for actuating one or more of the at least one mirror structures via the actuator, wherein the control logic component includes logic instructions executable for actuating one or more of the at least one mirror structures such that the optical signal is routed to a particular output based upon instructions received by the control logic component. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification