Optical crossconnect and mirror systems
US6788843B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 19, 2002 |
| Grant date | Sep 7, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 19, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/3594
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The invention features the drawbridge assembly and its applications in optical switches, optical crossconnects, optical add/drop multiplexers and variable optical attenuators. In optical switches and optical crossconnects, an array of the drawbridge assemblies can be used to redirect the multiple input lights to multiple outputs. In add/drop multiplexers, the drawbridge assemblies can select the light channels to be added and dropped. In the attenuator embodiment, a vertical mirror is inserted into two fibers, the first one as the input and the second one as output. The drawbridge assembly controls the position of the vertical mirror for blocking a certain portion of the light and enabling the attenuation. The continuous change of the mirror position results in variable attenuation. A series of VOA form a multi-channel VOA system on a single substrate.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.