Optical cross-connect assembly
AssigneeTouchdown Technologies, Inc.
InventorsDavid Boger, Rob Dueck, Ratfi Garabedian, Mike Rud
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The light beams from a collimator array are each aimed at a optical switch array in a converging manner such that the point of convergence of the reflected light beams is at or near the center of a target (e.g., another optical switch array, receiver array, or any other space in which light beams are to be directed). The light beams converge at an imaginary common point behind the plane of the mirrors, at a distance along an optical axis from the mirrors, which is substantially equal to the distance along an optical axis between mirror arrays.
Claims23
An optical switching assembly, comprising:
- first and second arrays of optical switching elements, each having an optical reflective surface,
- first and second arrays of optical collimating elements, the first array directing optical rays at the first array of optical switching elements, wherein the first and second arrays of optical collimating elements and the first and second arrays of optical switching elements are positioned relative to one other in a configuration to permit optical rays from an optical collimating element in the first array of optical collimating elements to be directed to a targeted optical collimating element in the second array of optical collimating elements via the optical switching elements;
- converging means for converging the optical rays from at least a plurality of the optical collimating elements in a direction that would have converged at a common point in space behind the first array of optical switching elements.
A modular support structure comprising:
- a fixed frame;
- rails for mounting to the fixed frame and rigidly holding an optical switch assembly;
- at least one modular area for storing or removing optical switch assemblies.
In an optical switching assembly that comprises first and second arrays of optical switching elements, each having an optical reflective surface;
- first and second arrays of optical collimating elements, the first array incident optical rays at the first array of optical switching elements, wherein the first and second arrays of optical collimating elements and the first and second arrays of optical switching elements are positioned relative to one other in a configuration to permit optical rays from an optical collimating element in the first array of optical collimating elements to be directed to a targeted optical collimating element in the second array of optical collimating elements via the optical switching elements;
- a method of aligning optical rays comprising the steps of:
- aligning optical rays from the first array of collimating elements with respect to the first array of optical switching elements such that optical rays from said plurality of optical collimating elements are directed in a direction that would have converged at a common point in space behind the first array of optical switching elements.
An optical switching assembly for directing optical rays at a target surface, comprising:
- a first array of optical switching elements, each having an optical reflective surface,
- a first array of optical collimating elements, the first array incident optical rays at the first array of optical switching elements, wherein the first array of optical collimating elements and the first array of optical switching elements are positioned relative to one other in a configuration to permit optical rays from an optical collimating element in the first array of optical collimating elements to be directed to a targeted point on the target surface via the optical switching elements;
- converging means for converging a plurality of the optical collimating elements in the first array of optical collimating elements with respect to the first array of optical switching elements such that optical rays from said plurality of optical collimating elements are directed in a direction that would have converged at a common point in space behind the first array of optical switching elements.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.