Programmable Injector Grid Plate
AssigneeGoogle Inc.
InventorsThomas L. Haslett, Robert M. Krause, Jill Berger, Kevin Yasumura
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A programmable beam blocker includes a liquid crystal based grid of pixels, one or more groups of pixels, or plurality of pixels, corresponding to individual beams of light. The application of a voltage through one pixel can change the phase of the liquid crystal material to prevent the transmission of light through it.
Claims21
A programmable beam injector comprising:
- a light source adapted to generate a beam of light;
- a beam splitter configured to receive the beam of light from the light source and polarize the received beam of light;
- a beam blocker receiving the polarized beam of light from the beam splitter, comprising a plurality of pixel modulators, wherein each pixel modulator includes a plurality of liquid crystal cells, wherein each pixel modulator is independently operable between an off state in which the light passes through and an on state in which the light is blocked.
An optical switching circuit comprising:
- a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) mirror configured to receive a beam of light;
- a camera configured to capture the beam of light;
- a fiber collimator;
- and
- a programmable beam injector comprising:
- a light source adapted to generate the beam of light;
- a beam splitter configured to polarize the beam of light from the light source;
- a beam blocker, the beam blocker comprising:
- a plurality of pixel modulators, wherein each pixel modulator includes a plurality of liquid crystal cells, wherein each pixel modulator is independently operable between an off state in which the light passes through and an on state in which the light is blocked.
The optical switching circuit of claim 9 wherein the programmable beam injector further comprises a data connector.
A method of selectively blocking, in an optical switching circuit, a beam of light generated by a light source comprising:
- configuring a first pixel modulator of a plurality of pixel modulators in an off state, wherein voltage is not applies to the first pixel modulator;
- configuring a second pixel modulator of the plurality of pixel modulators in an on state, wherein a voltage is applied to the second pixel modulator;
- receiving, at the first pixel modulator, a first beam of light;
- transmitting the received beam of light through the first pixel modulator;
- receiving, at the second pixel modulator, a second beam of light;
- and
- blocking, by the second pixel modulator, the second beam of light.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.