Optical switching matrix
US5485297A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 3, 1994 |
| Grant date | Jan 16, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 3, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04Q2011/0015
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
On the input side of the matrix, a set of emitters (E1,1, . . . , Em,n) receive data to be transmitted via the matrix. The set of emitters emit waves carrying the data at controlled wavelengths. A set of filters (F1,1, . . . , Fn,m) transmit the waves at the output of the matrix selectively as a function of the wavelengths of the waves. The waves are transmitted from the emitters to the filters firstly via a group of switching distributors (X1, . . . , Xm), each of which is capable of connecting each of its inputs to each of its outputs on command, and secondly via a group of star distributors (C1, . . . , Cn), each of which permanently connects all of its inputs to all of its outputs. A particular application of the invention is to a telecommunications network when a data collection operation is to be performed simply.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.