Patent ID: 9709744
Date: 2017-07-18
CPC Classifications: G02B,G02F

Claim:
1. An annular optical shifter, comprising: a first bent straight-through n-shaped waveguide with an input end and an output end, the waveguide configured to transmit an optical signal from the input end to the output end thereby functioning as a transmission bus of the optical signal; multiple optical delay waveguide loops, each waveguide loop arranged in a direction parallel to two arms of the first bent straight-through waveguide and located within a spacing between the two arms, wherein the multiple optical delay waveguide loops are configured to temporarily store the optical signal; multiple pairs of optical switches, each pair corresponding to a waveguide loop in the multiple optical delay waveguide loops and containing two switches each located on either side of the waveguide loop in spacing between the optical delay waveguide loop and an arm of the first bent straight-through waveguide, wherein each pair of optical switches is configured to control an on and off of an optical path that is on the two arms of the first bent straight-through waveguide and two sides of the optical delay waveguide loop corresponding to each pair of optical switches; and a controller, connected to each optical switch of the multiple pairs of optical switches through a control signal line, the controller configured to (a) receive an optical signal shift instruction sent by an external device, (b) generate control signals according to the shift instruction, (c) send the control signal to optical switches on a specific side that are connected to a specific arm of the first bent straight-through waveguide, and (d) control on-off statuses of the optical switches on the specific side to make the optical signal stored in the multiple optical delay waveguide loops shifts up or down.