Patent ID: 8081875
Filing Date: 2011-12-20
Classification: G02B,H04J

Abstract:
1. A wavelength switch comprising: an input port for launching an input beam including first and second groups of sub-beams, wherein each sub-beam of the first and second groups of sub-beams is at a different wavelength band; first and second groups of output ports for outputting the first and second groups of sub-beams, respectively; a lensing element with optical power, disposed to receive the input beam from the input port, for redirecting the input beam and the first and second groups of sub-beams; a wavelength-dispersing element, disposed to receive the input beam from the lensing element, for dispersing the input beam into the first and second groups of sub-beams; a first switching stage including a first actuation array of reflecting elements, disposed to receive the first and second groups of sub-beams from the wavelength-dispersing element via the lensing element, for routing the first group of sub-beams along a first set of paths and the second group of sub-beams along a second set of paths; a reflecting relay assembly, disposed to receive the first and second groups of sub-beams from the first switching stage via the lensing element, for redirecting the first group of sub-beams along the first set of paths and the second group of sub-beams along the second set of paths; and a second switching stage including: a second actuation array of reflecting elements, disposed to receive only the first group of sub-beams from the reflecting relay assembly, for routing each sub-beam of the first group of sub-beams to a selected output port of the first group of output ports; and a third actuation array of reflecting elements, disposed to receive only the second group of sub-beams from the reflecting relay assembly, for routing each sub-beam of the second group of sub-beams to a selected output port of the second group of output ports; wherein the wavelength-dispersing element is also disposed to receive the first and second groups of sub-beams from the second switching stage via the lensing element, whereby the wavelength-dispersing element combines those sub-beams of the first group of sub-beams that are routed to a same output port of the first group of output ports and those sub-beams of the second group of sub-beams that are routed to a same output port of the second group of output ports; wherein the first group of output ports is disposed to receive only the first group of sub-beams from the wavelength-dispersing element via the lensing element; and wherein the second group of output ports is disposed to receive only the second group of sub-beams from the wavelength-dispersing element via the lensing element.