Systems and methods for passive optical switching using MEMS mirror switches
US10868613B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 1, 2018 |
| Grant date | Dec 15, 2020 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 1, 2038 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04Q2011/0043
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A passive fiber optic switching (“PFOS”) device may provide failover in a fiber optic network by switching a working path between different fibers of a redundant set of fibers. The PFOS device may operate passively (e.g., without an active, external, and/or continuous power supply) by harvesting the power that it needs from the light that passes over any one or more fibers that are connected to the PFOS device. The PFOS device may detect issues that disrupt signaling and/or light transmission on the working path based on quality (e.g., signaling and/or light properties) of the working path, and/or diagnostic messaging received from other devices on the working path. The PFOS device may include an optical switch, such as a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (“MEMS”) mirror switch, that can change the working path by switching light to any fiber of the redundant set of fibers.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.