Patent ID: 6539142
Filing Date: 2003-03-25
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
A system for actively aligning mirrors in an optical switch, comprising:a plurality of input optical fibers; a plurality of output optical fibers; a first array of tilting mirrors; a second array of titling mirrors; each mirror in the first array positioned for receiving an information beam of light from a corresponding one of the input optical fibers and each mirror in the second array positioned for receiving the information beam from a corresponding mirror in the first array and for directing the information beam for receipt by a predetermined one of the output optical fibers; a first plurality of actuators each for tilting a corresponding one of the mirrors of the first array; a second plurality of actuators each for tilting a corresponding one of the mirrors of the second array; an emitter; a first plurality of means for each connecting the emitter to a corresponding one of the output optical fibers for injecting an alignment beam of light; a second plurality of means for each connecting a corresponding one of the input optical fibers for receiving the alignment beam transmitted therethrough; a plurality of detectors each connected to a corresponding one of the second plurality of connecting means for generating an electrical signal representative of the alignment beam; and a control circuit connected to the detectors and to the actuators that precisely tilts each mirror to minimize losses in optical signal power resulting from the routing of each light beam switched from a predetermined one of the input optical fibers to a predetermined one of the output optical fibers.