Patent ID: 6925218
Filing Date: 2005-08-02
Classification: G02B,H04Q

Abstract:
1. An optical switch system, comprising: an array of input optical ports each operable to receive a signal beam; an array of first optical switch elements positioned to respectively receive light from said input optical ports, each first optical switch element having a first front reflector to receive and reflect said signal beam, a first back reflector fixed in position relative to said first front reflector to reflect a first local servo beam, a first optical position sensor to receive said first local servo beam and to produce a first position signal indicative of an orientation of said first front reflector, and a first actuator engaged to control an orientation of said first front reflector in response to said first position signal; an array of second optical switch elements positioned to receive light from said first optical switch elements, each second optical switch element operable to receive and reflect said signal beam reflected from any first optical switch element, wherein each second optical switch element includes a second front reflector to receive and reflect said signal beam, a second back reflector fixed in position relative to said second front reflector to reflect a second local servo beam, a second optical position sensor to receive said second local servo beam and to produce a second position signal indicative of an orientation of said second front reflector, and a second actuator engaged to control an orientation of said second front reflector in response to said second position signal; an array of output optical ports positioned to respectively receive light from said second optical switch elements, said signal beam reflected from said second optical switch element at one output optical port; a plurality of output optical detectors respectively coupled to said array of output optical ports, each output optical detector to receive a fraction of output optical power of a corresponding output optical port to produce an output detector signal having information about an alignment of incident light at said corresponding output optical port; and a switch control module coupled to receive output detector signals from said array of output optical detectors and to communicate with said first and said second optical switch elements, said switch control module responsive to a respective output detector signal and respective first and said second position signals to control orientations of respective first and second actuators in switching said signal beam from one input optical port to one output optical port.