Polarization independent transmissive/reflective optical switch
US5321774A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 30, 1993 |
| Grant date | Jun 14, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 30, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F2203/07
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
In an optical fibre system, an optical fibre is monitored to determine if a transmitted signal is being received at a receiving end. A bi-modal optical switch located between the laser transmitter and receiver operates in a first transmitting mode to allow a transmitted signal to pass through and in a second reflecting mode to reflect back the transmitted signal to the transmitting end. A monitor at the transmitting end monitors the fibre for the absence or presence of the reflected signal. The switch can be used to remotely monitor the receiver in an optical fibre link, to control handshaking between two computers, to remove idle sections from an optical fibre communications network, and to control the reflectance of a laser mirror.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.