Patent ID: 7142744
Filing Date: 2006-11-28
Classification: G02B,H04Q

Abstract:
1. A fiber optic switching device enabling the switching of optical signals and the selective attenuation of optical signals, the device comprising: an input fiber array; an output fiber array; an optical switch that includes at least one reflector array configured such that a light beam input into the switch from the input fiber array can be reflected by the at least one reflector array into a desired output fiber in the output fiber array as an output beam and configured so that adjustments to the at least one reflector array selectively attenuate the optical power of the light beam until output beam attains a desired optical power level; a control element that facilitates switching of the light beam from the input fiber array to the desired output fiber and facilitates the selective attenuation of output beam until it attains a desired optical power level; and a detector for measuring the optical power of the cutout beam and outputting an associated signal that is received by the control element which uses the signal to determine the amount of attenuation required in the output beam so that it can attain the desired optical power level.