Claims
- 1. An optical signal altering device, comprising:
(A) a plurality of optical signal carriers including at least one source and at least one target, each carrier adapted to communicate an optical signal; (B) a plurality of switch elements, each switch element adapted to receive an optical signal from a source and transmit the optical signal to a target; and (C) at least one port positioned to receive optical signals from and transmit optical signals to at least one switch element, the port being adapted to receive an optical signal having a first wavelength and transmit an optical signal having a second wavelength.
- 2. The optical signal altering device of claim 1 wherein the port is adapted to receive a plurality of optical signals having a range of wavelengths from a plurality of switch elements and transmit a wavelength multiplexed optical signal.
- 3. The optical signal altering device of claim 2 wherein the port is adapted to receive the plurality of optical signals over a period of time and transmit a time-multiplexed optical signal.
- 4. The optical signal altering device of claim 1 wherein the port is adapted to receive a plurality of optical signals from a plurality of switch elements over a period of time and transmit a time-multiplexed optical signal.
- 5. The optical signal altering device of claim 1 wherein the port comprises:
(A) a detector adapted to receive an optical signal; (B) an amplifier and a driver; and (C) an emitter coupled to the amplifier and the driver for transmitting an optical signal.
- 6. The optical signal detecting device of claim 5 wherein the emitter transmits the optical signal at a set wavelength.
- 7. The optical signal altering device of claim 5 wherein the emitter is tunable relative to wavelength.
- 8. The optical signal altering device of claim 5 further comprising a beam splitter for directng the optical signal to the detector.
- 9. The optical signal altering device of claim 8 wherein the detector is positioned on a reflective side of the beam splitter and the emitter on a transmissive side of the beam splitter.
- 10. The optical signal altering device of claim 9 further comprising a partial wave plate to alter the optical signal for detection by the detector.
- 11. The optical signal altering device of claim 9 further comprising a polarizer positioned between the beam splitter and the emitter.
- 12. The optical signal altering device of claim 9 wherein the reflective side of the beam splitter includes a blackened diffuse surface.
- 13. The optical signal altering device of claim 8 wherein the beam splitter is a polarizing beam splitter.
- 14. The optical signal altering device of claim 1 wherein each switch element includes:
(A) at least one detector positioned to receive an optical signal from at least one optical signal carrier, the detector being adapted to detect an optical signal; (B) an emitter array positioned to transmit light to at least one target optical signal carrier, the emitter comprising a plurality of emitters, each emitter being adapted to generate an optical signal, wherein an optical signal generated by each emitter is transmitted to at least one of the plurality of optical signal carriers; and (C) a switch controller in communication with the detector and the emitter array, the switch controller being adapted to cause the emitter array to generate the detected optical signal.
- 15. The optical signal altering device of claim 14 further comprising a beam splitter positioned to reflect optical signals to the detector of a first switch element, the beam splitter being adapted to reflect light within a predetermined range of wavelengths and allow light outside of the predetermined range of wavelengths to pass through the beam splitter, a second switch element being positioned to receive optical signals that pass through the beam splitter and transmit optical signals to the plurality of optical signal carriers.
- 16. The optical signal altering device of claim 14 further comprising a central processor, the central processor being in communication with the switch controller, the central processor providing information to the switch controller.
- 17. The optical signal altering device of claim 14 wherein the detector of the switch element is adapted to simultaneously receive a plurality of signals in the same wavelength.
- 18. The optical signal altering device of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of ports.
- 19. An optical switching device comprising:
(A) at least a first and second switch element, each switch element comprising the following:
(a) at least one detector, the detector being adapted to detect optical signals; (b) an emitter array positioned to transmit light to a plurality of targets, the emitter array comprising a plurality of emitters, each emitter being adapted to generate light signals, wherein optical signals generated by each emitter is transmitted to at least one target; (c) a switch controller in communication with the detector and the emitter array, the switch controller being adapted to cause the emitter array to generate the detected signal; (B) a beam splitter adapted to reflect light of a predetermined wavelength and allow light outside of the predetermined wavelength to pass through the beam splitter, the beam splitter being positioned to reflect light transmitted by a source to the detector of the first switch element, the detector of the second switch element being positioned to receive light that passes through the beam splitter; and (C) a port adapted to receive an optical signal having a first wavelength transmitted from an emitter of at least one first switch element and transmit an optical signal having a second wavelength to at least one second switch element.
- 20. The optical switching device of claim 19 wherein the port is adapted to receive a plurality of optical signals having a range of wavelengths from a plurality of switch elements and transmit a wavelength multiplexed optical signal.
- 21. The optical switching device of claim 20 wherein the port is adapted to receive the plurality of optical signals over a period of time and transmit a time-multiplexed optical signal.
- 22 The optical switching device of claim 19 wherein the port is adapted to receive a plurality of optical signals from a plurality of switch elements over a period of time and transmit a time-multiplexed optical signal.
- 23. The optical switching device of claim 19 wherein the port comprises:
(A) a port detector adapted to receive an optical signal; (B) an amplifier and a driver; (C) a port emitter coupled to the amplifier and the driver for transmitting an optical signal.
- 24 The optical switching device of claim 23 wherein the port emitter transmits the optical signal at a set wavelength.
- 25. The optical switching device of claim 23 wherein the port emitter is tunable relative to wavelength.
- 26. The optical switching device of claim 23 further comprising a port beam splitter for directing the optical signal to the port detector.
- 27. The optical switching device of claim 26 wherein the port detector is positioned on a reflective side of the port beam splitter and the port emitter on a transmissive side of the port beam splitter.
- 28. The optical switching device of claim 26 further comprising a partial wave plate to alter the optical signal for detection by the port detector.
- 29. The optical switching device of claim 26 further comprising a polarizer positioned between the port beam splitter and the port emitter.
- 30. The optical switching device of claim 26 wherein the reflective side of the port beam splitter includes a blackened diffuse surface.
- 31. The optical switching device of claim 26 wherein the port beam splitter is a polarizing beam splitter.
- 32. The optical switching device of claim 19 further comprising a central processor, the central processor being in communication with the switch controller, the central processor providing information to the switch controller.
- 33. The optical switching device of claim 19 further comprising a plurality of ports.
- 34. An optical switch element for use with at least one source, the source being adapted to transmit an optical signal to the optical switch element, and a plurality of targets, the targets being adapted to receive the optical signal from the optical switch element, the optical switch element comprising:
(A) a beam splitter, the beam splitter being adapted to transmit light in a first predetermined polarization and reflect light in a second predetermined polarization; (B) a first wave plate positioned between the source and the beam splitter, the first wave plate being adapted to transmit light in the polarization that is reflected by the beam splitter, wherein light transmitted by the source passes through the wave plate and is reflected by the beam splitter; (C) a first micro-electromechanical mirror positioned to receive light reflected by the beam splitter, the first micro-electromechanical mirror being adapted to selectively reflect light in a plurality of paths, the paths corresponding to the positions of the plurality of targets; (D) a second micro-electromechanical mirror positioned to receive light reflected by the first micro-electromechanical mirror, the second micro-electromechanical mirror being adapted to reflect light in a path, the path being a predetermined orientation relative to at least one of the targets; (E) a second wave plate positioned between the second micro-electromechanical mirror and the beam splitter, the second wave plate being adapted to transmit light in the polarization that is transmitted by the beam splitter, wherein light reflected by the second micro-electromechanical mirror passes through the second wave plate and is transmitted by the beam splitter; and (F) a port adapted to receive an optical signal having a first wavelength from at least one first switch element and transmit an optical signal having a second wavelength.
- 34. The optical switching device of claim 33 wherein the port is adapted to receive a plurality of optical signals having a range of wavelengths from a plurality of switch elements and transmit a wavelength multiplexed optical signal.
- 35. The optical switching device of claim 34 wherein the port is adapted to receive the plurality of optical signals over a period of time and transmit a time-multiplexed optical signal to another switch element.
- 36. The optical switching device of claim 33 wherein the port is adapted to receive a plurality of optical signals from a plurality of switch elements over a period of time and transmit a time-multiplexed optical signal.
- 37. The optical switching element of claim 33 further comprising a lenslet array between the source and the beam splitter, the lenslet array being adapted to put collimated light onto the first micro-electromechanical mirror.
- 38. The optical switching element in claim 37 further comprising a lens positioned between the second micro-electromechanical mirror and the lenslet array, wherein light reflected by the second micro-electromechanical mirror is imaged on the lenslet array.
- 39. A method of switching optical signals, the method comprising the following steps:
(A) providing at least a first and second switch element, each switch element comprising:
(a) a detector positioned to receive light from a source, the detector being adapted to detect optical signals; and (b) an emitter array positioned to transmit light to a plurality of targets, the emitter comprising a plurality of emitters, each emitter being adapted to generate light signals, wherein light signals generated by each emitter is transmitted to at least one predetermined target; (B) causing light of a predetermined range of wavelengths to be received by the detector of the first switch element; (C) causing light outside of the predetermined range of wavelengths to be received by the detector of the second switch element; (D) causing an emitter in at least one of the emitter arrays to generate the optical signal, the emitter in the emitter array corresponding to a predetermined port, wherein the optical signal is transmitted to the predetermined port; (E) converting a first wavelength of the optical signal received by the port to a second wavelength; (F) causing the optical signal having the second wavelength to be received by the detector of one of the switch elements; (G) determining a target to which to transmit the optical signal having the second wavelength; and (H) causing an emitter in at least one of the emitter arrays to generate the optical signal having the second wavelength, the emitter in the emitter array corresponding to a target, wherein the optical signal is transmitted to the target.
- 40. A system for multiplexing signals comprising:
(A) a plurality of local processors each capable of receiving and transmitting a wavelength of light from at least one fiber; and (B) a port that detects optical signals over a range of wavelengths and transmits an optical signal at a set wavelength.
- 41. A system for multiplexing signals comprising:
(C) a plurality of local processors each capable of receiving and transmitting a wavelength of light from at least one fiber; and (D) a port that detects optical signals over a range of time and transmits a multiplexed optical signal at a set wavelength.
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/716,196, filed Nov. 17, 2000, which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/666,898, filed on Sep. 20, 2000, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Continuation in Parts (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09716196 |
Nov 2000 |
US |
Child |
09799423 |
Mar 2001 |
US |
Parent |
09666898 |
Sep 2000 |
US |
Child |
09716196 |
Nov 2000 |
US |