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AssigneePhotonami Inc.
InventorsStylianos Derventzis, Steve Hill, Blaine Hobson, Ali Langari, Mike Liwak, Robert B. Thayer
Estimating the term…
A selector assembly to select and deselect signal components from optical signals is disclosed. The selector assembly has an input optical connector for optically connecting an input optical signal carrier to the selector assembly and an output optical connector for optically connecting the selector assembly to an output optical signal carrier. A signal demultiplexer is operatively positioned relative to the input optical connector so that optical signals passing into the selector assembly are demultiplexed by the demultiplexer into signal components, each signal component having a respective signal component beam path. A signal selector is provided in each of the signal component beam paths, each signal selector being switchable by the application of an electric field between at least a selecting state and a deselecting state such that each of the signal components may be either selected or deselected. A controller is coupled to the selector elements for turning on and off the electric field for switching the selectors. A signal multiplexer is operatively positioned between the signal selector and the output optical connector for multiplexing the selected signal components together after selection.
A selector assembly to select and deselect signal components from optical signals, said selector assembly comprising:
The selector assembly as claimed in 1 wherein said demultiplexer comprises a diffraction grating.
The selector assembly as claimed in 6 further comprising a collimator, said collimator being operatively positioned relative to said optical connection so that said optical signal, passing from said optical connection through said collimator, is directed to said demutliplexer.
The selector assembly as claimed in 1, wherein said demultiplexer comprises one of the group of a holographic diffraction grating, a replicated ruled diffraction grating, a prism, a blazed grating or an arrayed wave guide.
A method of selecting signal components from optical signals, said method comprising the steps of:
A signal selector assembly for selecting and deselecting optical signal components from optical signals, said signal selector assembly comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.