Patent ID: 6493483
Filing Date: 2002-12-10
Classification: G02B,H04Q

Abstract:
An optoelectronic signal matrix for selectively connecting any of N inputs to any of M outputs, comprising:an integrated circuit matrix having N rows by M columns of optoelectronic matrix elements, with each matrix element including a detector and emitter pair adapted to detect first photonic signals and to re-emit the detected first photonic signals as second photonic signals; one or more input emitters for each N input, adapted to transmit a first photonic signal along a separate respective N matrix row, wherein the first photonic signals transmitted thereby have one or more wavelengths corresponding to one or more respective M outputs; one or more output detectors for each M output, adapted to receive second photonic signals from a separate respective matrix column; a waveguide located adjacent the matrix and adapted to provide a transmission medium along individual rows and along individual columns of the matrix; a separate diffraction grating associated with the waveguide over each detector of each matrix element and adapted to provide wavelength dependent diffraction of the first photonic signals traveling in the waveguide along each N row into the matrix element detector of wavelength respective M columns; and a separate optical distribution element associated with the waveguide over each emitter of each matrix element and adapted to distribute second photonic signals emitted from each matrix element emitter into the waveguide and along the respective M column; wherein the signal matrix is adapted to receive signals at each N input intended for any M output, transmit the received signals through the waveguide as first photonic signals at a wavelength corresponding to the intended M output, diffract the transmitted first photonic signals for detection by the matrix element of the corresponding M column, re-emit the detected signal from the detecting matrix element as a second photonic signal, distribute the second photonic signal into the respective M column and detect the distributed second photonic signal at the respective M output detector.