Claims
- 1. A system for transmitting optical signals through free space, the system comprising:
(A) at least one optical fiber, the optical fiber being adapted to transmit optical signals; (B) a plurality of nodes, the nodes being adapted to transmit and receive optical signals; and (C) an optical switch in optical communication with the optical fiber and the plurality of nodes, the optical switch comprising:
(a) a first switch element, the first switch element comprising:
(i) at least one detector positioned to receive optical signals transmitted by the optical fiber; (ii) at least one emitter array, the emitter being positioned to transmit optical signals to the plurality of nodes; (iii) a controller in communication with the detector and the emitter array, the controller being adapted to cause the emitter array to transmit the optical signal transmitted by the optical fiber; (b) a second switch element, the second switch element comprising:
(i) at least one detector array positioned to receive optical signals transmitted by at least one of the plurality of nodes; (ii) at least one emitter, the emitter being positioned to transmit optical signals to the optical fiber; (iii) a controller in communication with the detector and the emitter, the controller being adapted to cause the emitter to transmit the optical signal transmitted by the at least one of the plurality of nodes; and (c) a mirror, the mirror being positioned to reflect optical signals between the first and second switch elements and the plurality of nodes, wherein the optical signal transmitted by the emitter array of the first switch element is reflected to at least one of the plurality of nodes and an optical signal transmitted by at least on of the plurality of nodes is reflected to the detector of the second switch element.
- 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the mirror is substantially cone shaped.
- 3. The system of claim 1 wherein the mirror is substantially hemispherical.
- 4. The system of claim 1 wherein the mirror is substantially planar.
- 5. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one beam splitter positioned to reflect optical signals to the detector of the 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, wherein the signal transmitted by the optical fiber is within the predetermined range of wavelengths.
- 6. The system of claim 5 wherein the emitter array of the first switch element is adapted to transmit in the range of wavelengths and the beam splitter reflects signals transmitted by the emitter array of the first switch element.
- 7. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one beam splitter positioned to reflect optical signals to the detector of the 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, the second switch element being positioned to receive optical signals that pass through the beam splitter, wherein the signal transmitted by the node is within the predetermined range of wavelengths.
- 8. The system of claim 7 wherein the emitter array of the second switch element is adapted to transmit outside of the range of wavelengths and the beam splitter allows signals transmitted by the emitter array of the second switch element to pass through the beam splitter.
- 9. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one imaging telescope, the imaging telescope being adapted to transmit light and being positioned to transmit light from the emitter array of the first switch element to the mirror.
- 10. The system of claim 9 further wherein in the imaging telescope is further positioned to transmit light from the mirror to the detector array of the second switch element.
- 11. The system of claim 1 further comprising a lenslet array positioned between the emitter array of the first switch element and the mirror, the lenslet array being adapted to collimate light transmitted by the emitter array of the first switch element.
- 12. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one beam splitter, the beam splitter being adapted to reflect light in at least a first range of wavelengths, wherein the signal transmitted by the optical fiber is within the first range of wavelengths and the beam splitter is positioned to reflect light to the detector of the first switch element.
- 13. The system of claim 12 wherein the beam splitter is further adapted to reflect light in a second range of wavelengths, wherein the emitter array of the first switch element is adapted to transmit light in the second range of wavelengths.
- 14. The system of claim 12 wherein the beam splitter is adapted to transmit light in a second range of wavelengths, wherein the detector array of the second switch element is adapted to detect light in the second range of wavelengths.
- 15. The system of claim 12 wherein the beam splitter is adapted to transmit light in a second range of wavelengths, wherein the emitter array of the second switch element is adapted to transmit light in the second range of wavelengths.
- 21. A system for transmitting optical signals through free space, the system comprising:
(A) at least one optical fiber, the optical fiber being adapted to transmit optical signals; (B) a plurality of nodes, the nodes being adapted to transmit and receive optical signals; and (C) an optical switch in optical communication with the optical fiber and the plurality of nodes, the optical switch comprising:
(a) at least one switch element, the switch element comprising:
(i) at least one detector array positioned to receive optical signals transmitted by the optical fiber and the nodes; (ii) at least one emitter array, the emitter being positioned to transmit optical signals to the plurality of nodes and the optical fiber; (iii) a controller in communication with the detector array and the emitter array, the controller being adapted to cause the emitter array to transmit the optical signal transmitted by the optical fiber; and (b) a mirror, the mirror being positioned to reflect optical signals between the switch elements and the plurality of nodes, the mirror being adapted to reflect optical signals to the plurality of nodes, wherein the optical signal transmitted by the emitter array of the switch element is reflected to at least one of the plurality of nodes and an optical signal transmitted by at least on of the plurality of nodes is transmitted to the detector of the switch element.
- 22. The system of claim 21 wherein the mirror is substantially cone shaped.
- 23. The system of claim 21 wherein the mirror is substantially hemispherical.
- 24. The system of claim 21 wherein the mirror is substantially planar.
- 25. The system of claim 21 further comprising at least one imaging telescope positioned on an optical path between the emitter array and the mirror, the imaging telescope being adapted to image light on to the mirror.
- 26. The system of claim 25 further wherein in the imaging telescope is further positioned to transmit light from the mirror to the detector array of the switch element.
- 27. The system of claim 21 wherein the node comprises at least one detector.
- 28. The system of claim 27 wherein the node further comprises an imaging telescope positioned on an optical path between the mirror and the detector, the telescope being adapted to image light on to the detector.
- 29. The system of claim 21 further comprising a lenslet array positioned between the emitter array of the switch element and the mirror, the lenslet array being adapted to collimate light transmitted by the emitter array of the switch element.
- 31. An optical switch for switching optical signals between a plurality of nodes and at least one optical fiber, the optical switch comprising:
(A) at least one switch element, the switch element comprising:
(a) at least one detector array positioned to receive optical signals transmitted by the optical fiber and the nodes; (b) at least one emitter array, the emitter being positioned to transmit optical signals to the plurality of nodes and the optical fiber; (c) a controller in communication with the detector array and the emitter array, the controller being adapted to cause the emitter array to transmit the optical signal transmitted by the optical fiber; and (B) a mirror, the mirror being positioned to reflect optical signals between the switch element and the plurality of nodes, the mirror being adapted to reflect optical signals between the switch element and the plurality of nodes, wherein the optical signal transmitted by the emitter array of the switch element is reflected to at least one of the plurality of nodes and an optical signal transmitted by at least one of the plurality of nodes is transmitted to the detector of the switch element.
- 30. The system of claim 31 wherein the mirror is substantially cone shaped.
- 31. The system of claim 31 wherein the mirror is substantially hemispherical.
- 32. The system of claim 31 wherein the mirror is substantially planar.
- 33. The system of claim 31 further comprising at least one imaging telescope positioned on an optical path between the emitter array and the mirror, the imaging telescope being adapted to image light on to the mirror.
- 34. The system of claim 35 further wherein in the imaging telescope is further positioned to transmit light from the mirror to the detector array of the switch element.
- 35. The system of claim 31 wherein the node comprises at least one detector.
- 36. The system of claim 35 wherein the node further comprises an imaging telescope positioned on an optical path between the mirror and the detector, the telescope being adapted to image light on to the detector.
- 37. The system of claim 31 further comprising a lenslet array positioned between the emitter array of the switch element and the mirror, the lenslet array being adapted to collimate light transmitted by the emitter array of the switch element.
- 41. An method of aligning an optical switch and a node that are separated by a distance of free space, the optical switch comprising a detector array, the detector array comprising a plurality of detectors adapted to detect optical signals, and the node comprising at least one emitter, the emitter being adapted to transmit a signal, the method comprising:
(A) transmitting a signal from the emitter of the node; (B) causing the signal to fall on the optical switch; (C) detecting the signal on the detector array of the switch; and (D) associating at least one detector of the detector array with the node.
- 42. The method of claim 41 further comprising causing the signal from the switch to diverge.
- 43. The method of claim 41 wherein the step of associating at least one detector of the detector array with the node comprises comparing the strength of the signal received by at least one emitter with the strength of the signal received by at least one other emitter.
- 44. The method of claim 41 wherein the optical switch further comprises an emitter array, the emitter array comprising a plurality of emitters and being adapted to transmit optical signals, the method further comprises associating at least one emitter in the emitter array with the node.
- 45. The method of claim 44 wherein the step of associating at least one emitter in the emitter array with the node comprises associating at least one detector in the detector array with at least one emitter in the emitter array.
- 46. The method of claim 41 further comprising assigning a unique code to the node.
- 47. The method of claim 46 further comprising transmitting the unique code in association with at least one signal transmitted to or from the node.
- 51. A method of switching optical signals between a plurality of nodes and at least one optical fiber, the nodes and the fiber being separated by free space, comprising:
(A) providing a detector; (B) detecting an optical signal transmitted by a network transmission device using the detector; (C) determining a target node to which to transmit the optical signal; (D) providing a plurality of emitters; (E) determining at least one emitter positioned to transmit signals to the target node; (F) causing the emitter to transmit the signal, (G) providing a mirror in the optical path between the target node and the associated emitter; (H) reflecting the signal transmitted by the emitter to the target node.
- 52. The method of claim 51 further comprising imaging light transmitted by the emitter onto the mirror.
- 53. The method of claim 52 further comprising providing an imaging telescope in an optical between the emitter and the mirror.
- 54. The method of claim 51 further comprising:
(A) providing a detector in the node; and (B) imaging light reflected by the mirror onto the detector.
- 55. The method of claim 54 further comprising providing an imaging telescope in an optical path between the mirror and the detector.
- 56. The method of claim 51 wherein the step of determining the target node comprises reading information in the signal.
- 57. The method of claim 51 further comprising causing the emitter to uniquely encode the data associated with the target node.
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application number 09/716,196, on Nov. 17, 2000.
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09716196 |
Nov 2000 |
US |
Child |
09780098 |
Feb 2001 |
US |