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US 6,324,315 B1Granted
Optical switching arrangement
AssigneeMarconi Communications, Inc.
InventorsHarry R Claringburn, Martin G Baker
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Optical switching arrangement for switching a number of optical signals, consists of a thermo-optic switch having a number of heaters which are heated by passing electrical current through them. The mark-space ratio of current supplied from a constant voltage source is varied to provide constant power to the heaters to compensate for resistance changes in the heaters.
Claims14
An optical switching arrangement, comprising:
- a) a thermo-optic switch having a plurality of heaters which are selectively energizable to route optical signals;
- b) means for applying a predetermined voltage to the heaters;
- and
- c) a power circuit for applying a pulsed current having a mark-space ratio to energize the heaters, and for varying the mark-space ratio to achieve a constant, predetermined mean power value for the heaters.
1 more element
An optical switching arrangement, comprising:
- a) a thermo-optic switch having a plurality of selectively energizable heaters;
- and
- b) a power control circuit for maintaining constant electrical power for the heaters, including
- i) a selector for selecting selected heaters to route optical signals through the thermo-optic switch in different switching configurations,
- ii) a power switch operatively connected to the heaters in the switching configurations, and
- iii) a current drive circuit for applying a pulsed current having a mark-space ratio to the power switch, and for varying the mark-space ratio to maintain the constant electrical power.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.