# US 2014/0153870 A1 · Monolithic splitter assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0153870 A1 - Document ID: US20140153870A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/069,005 - Filed: 2013-10-31 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-05 - Assignees: MiMetrix Design Group, L.L.C. - Applicants: MiMetrix Design Group, L.L.C. - Inventors: Elliott Starin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140153870A1 ## CPC - G02B 6/28: having data bus means, i.e. plural waveguides interconnected and providing an inherently bidirectional system by mixing and splitting signals - G02B 6/2804: {forming multipart couplers without wavelength selective elements, e.g. "T" couplers, star couplers} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract Technologies are presented that provide a monolithic splitter assembly that may, for example, be used in a network computing system for network signal monitoring. A method of routing an optical signal in such a system can include receiving one or more optical input signals at one or more respective inputs, the one or more optical input signals originating at a first device; and for each of the one or more optical input signals, splitting the optical input signal into two or more split input signals along a respective pathway etched onto a medium; outputting a first split input signal of the two or more split input signals at a first output, the first split input signal intended for a second device; and outputting a second split input signal of the two or more split input signals at a second output, the second split input signal intended for a third device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A monolithic optical splitter assembly, comprising: at least two inputs; at least four outputs; at least one input port for connection to the at least two inputs; at least one output port for connection to the at least four outputs; and a splitter array comprising at least two splitters monolithically etched onto a medium, each splitter of the splitter array configured to split a respective optical input signal from a respective input of the at least two inputs and output the respective optical input signal via at least two of the at least four outputs. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The monolithic optical splitter assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least two inputs comprise: a first input configured to input a first optical input signal originating at a first device; and a second input configured to input a second optical input signal originating at a second device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The monolithic optical splitter assembly of claim 2, wherein the at least four outputs comprise: a first output configured to output the first optical input signal intended for a third device; a second output configured to output the first optical input signal intended for the second device; a third output configured to output the second optical input signal intended for the third device; and a fourth output configured to output the second optical input signal intended for the first device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The monolithic optical splitter assembly of claim 3, wherein: the first device comprises a first network device; the second device comprises a second network device; and the third device comprises a network analytic device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The monolithic optical splitter assembly of claim 2, wherein the at least four outputs comprise: a first output configured to output the first optical input signal intended for a third device; a second output configured to output the first optical input signal intended for the second device; a third output configured to output the second optical input signal intended for the first device; and a fourth output configured to output the second optical input signal intended for a fourth device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The monolithic optical splitter assembly of claim 5, wherein: the first device comprises a first network device; the second device comprises a second network device; the third device comprises a first network analytic device; and the fourth device comprises a second network analytic device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The monolithic optical splitter assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least two inputs comprise: two or more first inputs each configured to input a respective first optical input signal from a respective individual input fiber of a first ribbonized fiber input cable; and two or more second inputs each configured to input a respective second optical input signal from a respective individual input fiber of a second ribbonized fiber input cable. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The monolithic optical splitter assembly of claim 7, wherein the at least one input port includes a single input port, and wherein the first ribbonized fiber input cable and the second ribbonized fiber input share the single input port. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The optical splitter assembly of claim 7, wherein the at least four outputs comprise: two or more first outputs each configured to output a respective first optical input signal to a respective individual output fiber of a first ribbonized fiber output cable; two or more second outputs each configured to output a respective second optical input signal to a respective individual output fiber of a second ribbonized fiber output cable; two or more third outputs each configured to output the respective first optical input signal to a respective individual output fiber of a third ribbonized fiber output cable; and two or more fourth outputs each configured to output the respective second optical input signal to a respective individual output fiber of a fourth ribbonized fiber output cable. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The monolithic optical splitter assembly of claim 9, wherein the at least one output port includes a single output port, and wherein the first, second, third, and fourth ribbonized fiber output cables share the single output port. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The monolithic optical splitter assembly of claim 9, wherein the at least one output port includes a first output port and a second output port, and wherein a first two ribbonized fiber output cables of the first, second, third, and fourth ribbonized fiber output cables share the first output port, and the remaining two ribbonized fiber output cables of the first, second, third, and fourth ribbonized fiber output cables share the second output port. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The monolithic optical splitter assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least two inputs comprise: at least one first input each configured to input a respective first optical input signal from a respective individual input fiber of a first ribbonized bidirectional fiber cable; and at least one second input each configured to input a respective second optical input signal from a respective individual input fiber of a second ribbonized bidirectional fiber cable. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The monolithic optical splitter assembly of claim 12, wherein the at least four outputs comprise: one or more first outputs each configured to output a respective first optical input signal to a respective individual output fiber of the second ribbonized bidirectional fiber cable; one or more second outputs each configured to output the respective first optical input signal to a respective first individual output fiber of a ribbonized fiber output cable; one or more third outputs each configured to output a respective second optical input signal to a respective individual output fiber of the first ribbonized bidirectional fiber cable; and one or more fourth outputs each configured to output the respective second optical input signal to a respective second individual output fiber of the ribbonized fiber output cable. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The monolithic optical splitter assembly of claim 13, wherein the at least one input port includes: a first port; and a second port; wherein the at least one output port includes: the first port; the second port; and a third port; and wherein the first port is configured to connect to the first ribbonized bidirectional fiber; wherein the second port is configured to connect to the second ribbonized bidirectional fiber cable; and wherein the third port is configured to connect to the ribbonized fiber output cable. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The monolithic optical splitter assembly of claim 1, wherein the medium is one of a group consisting of: a polymer, silica, or silica on silicon. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The monolithic optical splitter assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one splitter includes at least one splitter that has a 50/50 splitter ratio. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The monolithic optical splitter assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one splitter includes at least one splitter that has a splitter ratio other than a 50/50 splitter ratio. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The monolithic optical splitter assembly of claim 1, wherein the splitter array is etched with every other splitter alternating in placement by approximately 180 degrees. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The monolithic optical splitter assembly of claim 1, further comprising a housing configured to surround the splitter array and allow access to the at least one input port and the at least one output port. ### Claim 20 A method of routing an optical signal, comprising: receiving one or more optical input signals at one or more respective inputs, the one or more optical input signals originating at a first device; and for each of the one or more optical input signals: splitting the optical input signal into two or more split input signals along a respective pathway etched onto a medium; outputting a first split input signal of the two or more split input signals at a first output, the first split input signal intended for a second device; and outputting a second split input signal of the two or more split input signals at a second output, the second split input signal intended for a third device. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein: the first device comprises a first network device; the second device comprises a second network device; and the third device comprises a network analytic device. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, further comprising: receiving one or more second optical input signals at one or more respective second inputs, the one or more second optical input signals originating at a second device; and for each of the one or more second optical input signals: splitting the second optical input signal into two or more split second input signals along a respective second pathway etched onto the medium; outputting a first split second input signal of the two or more split second input signals at a third output, the first split second input signal intended for the first device; and outputting a second split second input signal of the two or more split second input signals at a fourth output, the second split second input signal intended for a fourth device. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein: the first device comprises a first network device; the second device comprises a second network device; the third device comprises a first network analytic device; and the fourth device comprises a second network analytic device. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the first and second optical input signals are received at a common input port. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein at least two of the first and second split input signals and the first and second split second input signals are output at a common output port. ### Claim 26 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, further comprising: receiving one or more second optical input signals at one or more respective second inputs, the one or more second optical input signals originating at a second device; and for each of the one or more second optical input signals: splitting the second optical input signal into two or more split second input signals along a respective second pathway etched onto the medium; outputting a first split second input signal of the two or more split second input signals at a third output, the first split second input signal intended for the first device; and outputting a second split second input signal of the two or more split second input signals at a fourth output, the second split second input signal intended for the third device. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein: the optical input signal is received at a first port; the second input signal is received at a second port; the first split input signal is output at the second port; the second split input signal is output at a third port; the first split second input signal is output at the first port; and the second split second input signal is output at the third port. ### Claim 28 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein the optical input signal is split according to a 50/50 splitter ratio. ### Claim 29 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein the optical input signal is split according to a splitter ratio other than a 50/50 splitter ratio.