Compound optical circuit switch with shared optical power measurements
US8929696B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 7, 2013 |
| Grant date | Jan 6, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 7, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04Q2011/0039
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Compound optical circuit switches and methods are disclosed. Two or more 1st-tier switches may be configured to make selectable optical connections between a plurality of 1st-tier inputs and a plurality of 1st-tier outputs. Each 1st-tier switch may include input and output power meters to measure optical powers of signals received at the 1st-tier inputs and optical powers of signals output from the 1st-tier outputs, respectively. At least one 2nd-tier switch may include plural 2nd-tier inputs optically connected to respective 1st-tier outputs, plural 2nd-tier outputs optically connected to respective 1st-tier inputs, and plural 2nd-tier rotatable mirror elements to make selectable optical connections from the 2nd-tier inputs to the 2nd-tier outputs. A 2nd-tier switch controller may control positions of at least some of the 2nd-tier mirror elements based on optical power measurement data from the input power meters and the output power meters of the 1st-tier switches.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.