Patent ID: 7792398

Claim:
An optically controlled optical-path-switching-type data distribution apparatus for providing data from a data server device to one or more specific client devices selected from a plurality of client devices comprising: a data server device, a data communication unit and a client device, wherein: the data communication unit comprises: an optical switch, an optical signal path, an optical signal transmitting unit, an optical signal receiving unit, and data transmission/receipt control unit; the optical signal transmitting unit comprising a signal light beam light source for irradiating a signal light beam having one or more wavelengths, and a control light beam light source for irradiating a control light beam having one or more wavelengths that are different from those of the signal light beam; the optical switch comprising: one or more light absorbing layer films for transmitting the signal light beam and selectively absorbing respectively only one specific wavelength of the control light beams, means for respectively converging and irradiating the control light beam and the signal light beam to each of the light absorbing layer films, one or more thermal lens forming devices for causing the converged signal light beam to exit at an angle of divergence in response to the presence or absence of irradiation of the one specific wavelength of the control light beam, by using a thermal lens containing the light absorbing layer films and based on a distribution of refractive index produced reversibly caused by temperature increase generated in an area of the light absorbing layer film that has absorbed the one specific wavelength of the control light beam and in the periphery thereof, wherein when the one specific wavelength of the control light beam is irradiated and focused at a first portion of the thermal lens, the angle of divergence of the signal beam is greater than the angle of divergence of the signal beam when the one specific wavelength is absent, and when the one specific wavelength of the control light beam is irradiated and focused at a second portion of the thermal lens, the angle of divergence of the signal beam is smaller than the angle of divergence of the signal beam when the one specific wavelength is absent, and one or more mirrors, each provided after one of the thermal lens forming devices and having a hole and reflecting means, for passing the signal light beam exiting the thermal lens forming devices through the hole or deflecting the optical path of the signal light beam by reflecting the signal light beam by the reflecting means in response to the presence or absence of irradiation of the one specific wavelength of the control light beam.