Electron beam switch
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorThomas C. Hogan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to an electron beam crossbar switch for interconnection between communication units. The crossbar switch includes an array of electrically charged particle emitter source devices with an input connected to a slow wave structure coupled to the emitter source. An array of detectors is positioned relative to the array of emitter devices for receiving charged particles from various of the emitter devices. X and y deflection means are positioned adjacent each of the emitters for directing the charged particles from each of the emitters to at least one of the detectors to provide more signal output and a reduction in deflection accuracy.
Claims16
A method for interconnecting communication units comprising:
- (A) emitting electrons from an array of electron emitters;
- (B) reducing the forward propagation of an electromagnetic wave associated with the electrons;
- and
- (C) directing the electrons from one of the emitters to a selected one of any of an array of data output detectors.
A method for interconnecting communication units comprising:
- emitting electrons from an array of electron emitters;
- reducing forward propagation of an electromagnetic wave associated with the emitted electrons by causing the emitted electrons to propagate through a first plurality of slow wave structures associated with the array of electron emitters, wherein the first plurality of slow wave structures is connected to a plurality of data inputs;
- and
- directing the electrons from one of the emitters to a selected one of any of an array of data output detectors.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.