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AssigneeJDS Uniphase Corporation
InventorsAlbert Borreman, Berend Hendriksen, Tsjerk Hans Hoekstra, Anthony J. Ticknor
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The invention pertains to a thermo-optical switch comprising a cascade of 1×M optical switches, gates for selectively blocking and unblocking the output paths of the cascaded switch, and means for driving the 1×M switches and the gates, which means are arranged to switch a data signal from an input path of the cascaded switch to one of the output paths, wherein the said means are also arranged to switch an unwanted signal, by means of a number of the remaining 1×M switches, to at least one of the remaining output paths. In the cascaded switch according to the invention, the generated heat is distributed evenly over the area of the switch and the overall amount of heat generated is reduced.
A thermo-optical switch having an input path and output paths, said switch comprising a cascade of 1×M optical switches, gates for selectively blocking and unblocking the output paths, and means for driving the 1×M optical switches and the gates, said means arranged to switch a data signal from the input path to one of the output paths, characterised in that said means are also arranged to switch an unwanted signal, via a plurality of remaining 1×M switches, to at least one remaining output path and to block this output path.
A method for driving a thermo-optical switch having an input path and output paths and comprising a cascade of 1×M optical switches, gates for selectively blocking and unblocking the output paths of the thermo-optical switch, and means for driving the 1×M optical switches and the gates, said method comprising the step of switching a data signal from the input path to a selected output path, characterised in that an unwanted signal is switched, via a plurality of remaining 1×M switches, to at least one remaining output path which is blocked.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.