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US 2004/0001667 A1Published application
Switching apparatus
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorWinthrop D. Childers
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Switching apparatus that includes a bubble generator, a flexible membrane disposed over the bubble generator and selectively expanded by the bubble generator, and a switch circuit controlled by expansion of the flexible membrane.
Claims32
A switching apparatus comprising:
- a bubble generator;
- a flexible membrane disposed over the bubble generator;
- the flexible membrane being selectively expanded by the bubble generator;
- and
- a switch circuit controlled by expansion of the flexible membrane.
2 more elements
A switching apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of waveguides;
- a bubble generator;
- a flexible membrane disposed over the bubble generator;
- the flexible membrane being selectively expansion by the bubble generator;
- and
- wherein expansion of the flexible membrane controls an optical interconnection of the plurality of waveguides.
3 more elements
A switching apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of waveguides;
- a bubble generator;
- a flexible membrane disposed over the bubble generator;
- a reflective optical element disposed on the flexible membrane;
- the flexible membrane being selectively expanded by the bubble generator;
- and
- wherein expansion of the flexible membrane controls an optical interconnection of the plurality of waveguides.
4 more elements
A switching apparatus comprising:
- means for switching;
- and
- means for generating a bubble to actuate the means for switching.
A switching apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of means for guiding light;
- and
- means for optically interconnecting the plurality of means for guiding light, said means including means for generating a bubble.
A method of switching comprising:
- generating a bubble to expand a membrane;
- and
- engaging a switch circuit with the expanded membrane.
A method of switching comprising:
- generating a bubble to expand a membrane;
- and
- controlling a light beam with the expanded membrane.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.