Patent ID: 7116855

Claim:
An optical shuttle system for routing signals in a communications system, comprising: a terminal connected to a power source; a shuttle that includes waveguides used for routing the signals; and a plurality of beams composed of silicon, connected to corresponding electric terminals and connected to the shuttle so that the beams suspend the shuttle, a first group of the corresponding electric terminals being used as positive electric terminals so that electric current moves in a first direction toward the shuttle along the plurality of silicon beams connected to the positive electric terminals, and a second group of the corresponding electric terminals being used as negative electric terminals so that the electric current moves in a second direction away from the shuttle along the plurality of silicon beams connected to the negative electric terminals, each of the plurality of beams being pre-shaped, in an equilibrium state when no power is applied to the plurality of beams and in a non-equilibrium state when power is applied to the plurality of beams, each of the beams driving a movement of the shuttle when power from the power source is applied to the corresponding electric terminals.