Claims
- 1. An optical switch, comprising:
a number of optical fibers for transmitting or receiving optical telephone or data signals; a number of optical modules, each of which is associated with an optical fiber, each optical module including a-processor, an optical power detector and a beam steering mechanism for controlling the direction of light transmitted or received by the associated optical fiber; a frame having a number of slots, each slot holding an optical module; and a system controller for transmitting data to the optical modules that causes the processors in selected optical modules to align their associated optical fibers.
- 2. The optical switch of claim 1, wherein the capacity of the switch can be altered in service by-adding optical modules to or removing optical modules from the frame without disturbing the optical signals transmitted by other modules.
- 3. The optical switch of claim 1, wherein processors of selected optical modules exchange alignment messages regarding alignment of their optical fibers.
- 4. The optical switch of claim 3, further comprising a cross-point switch for establishing a communication link between selected optical modules,
wherein said alignment messages transmitted between the selected optical modules are carried by the cross-point switch.
- 5. The optical switch of claim 1, wherein the beam steering mechanism comprises one or more lenses selectively positioned in front of the associated optical fiber to direct the light transmitted or received by the optical fiber.
- 6. The optical switch of claim 5, wherein the one or more lenses are positioned by the piezoelectric motors.
- 7. The optical switch of claim 3, wherein the optical the power detector produces signals indicative of the power of the light within the associated optical fiber wherein the signals are exchanged between selected optical modules as alignment messages.
- 8. An optical switch, comprising:
a number of optical fibers that carry data signals; a system controller that arranges the alignment of input and output optical fibers in the switch; a number of optical modules, each of which directs light to or from an optical fiber, each optical module including:
one or more lenses that are movable in front of an optical fiber to direct light to or from the optical fiber; one or more motors that move the one or more lenses; a processor for controlling the position of the one or more motors; a communication circuit for receiving an indication of a second optical module in the switch to which light from the optical fiber is to be directed; and a frame in which a number of optical modules are removably secured, wherein the processor in the optical module controls the one or more motors to align the optical fiber in the optical module with an optical fiber in a second optical module.
- 9. The optical switch of claim 8, further comprising;
a cross-point switch for establishing a dedicated communication link between aligned optical modules in the switch.
- 10. The optical switch of claim 8, wherein each of the optical modules is secured to the frame with a removable locking mechanism.
- 11. The optical switch of claim 9, further comprising a communications grid that transmits messages to each of the optical modules indicating which optical modules should be aligned.
- 12. The optical switch of claim 1, wherein the optical switch and the cross-point switch are interchangeable in the switch.
- 13. The optical switch of claim 8, wherein each optical module includes a power detector that detects the power of the optical signals within the optical fiber.
- 14. A piezoelectric motor for moving a workpiece, comprising:
an engagement head that engages the workpiece; a pair of piezoelectric elements coupled to the engagement head; a pair of electrodes that couple the piezoelectric elements to the engagement head, the pair of electrodes being formed of conductors within a conductive adhesive; a countermass secured to the piezoelectric elements; and a biasing mechanism for compressing the engagement head and the workpiece together.
- 15. The piezoelectric motor of claim 14, wherein the pair of piezoelectric elements are driven by a modified square wave signal.
- 16. The piezoelectric motor of claim 14, wherein the pair of piezoelectric elements are driven by ramp signals.
- 17. The piezoelectric motor of claim 14, further comprising a second engagement head positioned opposite the first engagement head on the workpiece.
- 18. The piezoelectric motor of claim 14, wherein the biasing mechanism includes a roller bearing positioned opposite the engagement head on the workpiece and a spring that urges the roller bearing against the workpiece.
- 19. The piezoelectric motor of claim 14, wherein the workpiece is secured to a linear slide.
- 20. A piezoelectric motor for moving a workpiece, comprising:
a frame; a movable shaft that moves within the frame, the movable shaft having a pair of engagement heads that are translated by piezoelectric elements to move the movable shaft; a pair of actuation surfaces that engage against the engagement heads of the movable shaft; and a drive circuit that supplies driving signals to the piezoelectric elements to move the movable shaft while the actuation surfaces remain stationary in the frame.
- 21. The piezoelectric motor of claim 20, wherein the actuation surfaces have a slot in which the engagement heads are fitted.
- 22. The piezoelectric motor of claim 20, wherein the actuation surfaces are biased against the engagement heads.
- 23. A fiber optic switch, comprising:
a number of optical modules each of which directs light to and from an optical fiber, each module including:
an optical fiber; a beam steering mechanism for directing light from or into the optical fiber; and a control circuit that directs the beam steering mechanism to align light beams from two or more optical fibers. a frame into which the optical modules are removably secured; and a system controller for transmitting to the optical modules the identity and/or location of optical modules in the switch that should be aligned.
- 24. The optical switch of claim 23, further comprising:
a number of beacons that transmit signals to the optical modules, wherein the position of each beacon is known such that upon receipt of one or more of the signals, each optical module can calibrate itself in the frame.
- 25. The optical switch of claim 23, wherein at least some of the modules include an optical fiber moving mechanism for adjusting the position of the optical fiber with respect to the beam steering mechanism in order to defocus the beam.
- 26. The optical switch of claim 25, wherein the beam steering mechanism includes one or more lenses selectively positioned in front of the optical fiber in the optical module, wherein the fiber moving mechanism moves the optical fiber with respect to the one or more lenses.
- 27. An optical switch comprising:
a number of input and output optical fibers; a number of optical modules for selectively aligning input and output optical fibers in the optical switch, each optical module including;
an optical fiber; a beam steering mechanism; a communication circuit for communicating with other optical modules; a control circuit for aligning optical fibers in the switch; and a fiber moving mechanism for moving the optical fiber with respect to the beam steering mechanism in order to increase the area of light created by the beam when the optical fibers are being aligned.
- 28. An optical switch, comprising:
a number of optical fibers for transmitting or receiving optical telephone or data signals; a number of optical modules, each of which is associated with an optical fiber, each optical module including:
a beam steering mechanism for controlling the direction of light transmitted or received by an optical fiber a processor and power detection circuit that form a control circuit to control the beam steering mechanism in order to align two or more optical fibers; and a communication circuit for transmitting/receiving messages with a processor in another optical module; a system controller for transmitting data to the optical modules that causes the processors in selected optical modules to align their associated optical fibers, wherein said alignment is completed by the processors in the optical modules using the power detection circuits to determine the power of light within an optical fiber.
- 29. The optical switch of claim 28, further comprising:
a cross-point switch for creating a communication link between optical modules associated with optical fibers that are to be aligned.
- 30. The optical switch of claim 28, further comprising:
a communications grid coupled to the system controller for transmitting messages from the system controller to the optical modules.
- 31. The optical switch of claim 30, wherein the cross-point switch and the communications grid can perform the functions of the other in the event one of the cross-point switch or communications grid fails.
- 32. The optical switch of claim 31, wherein the cross-point switch and communications grid are made of field programmable gate arrays.
- 33. An optical switch, comprising:
a number of optical fibers for transmitting or receiving optical telephone or data signals; a number of optical modules, each of which is associated with an optical fiber, each optical module including:
means for directing light transmitted or received by an optical fiber means for controlling the light directing means in order to align two or more optical fibers in the optical switch; and means for transmitting messages with a controller means in another optical module, wherein said messages are used by the controller means for aligning the optical fibers in the optical switch; a system controller for transmitting switch configuration data to the optical modules to align their associated optical fibers.
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is related to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/311,380 filed Aug. 9, 2001; No. 60/355,892 filed Feb. 11, 2002; and No. 60/359,641 filed Feb. 26, 2002, the benefit of the filing dates being claimed under 35 U.S.C. §119(e).
Provisional Applications (3)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60311380 |
Aug 2001 |
US |
|
60355892 |
Feb 2002 |
US |
|
60359641 |
Feb 2002 |
US |