Patent ID: 7136548

Claim:
An optical beam router comprising: a series of input optical channels ( 110 , . . . , 150 ) and a series of output optical channels ( 410 , . . . , 450 ), two liquid crystal cells ( 200 , 300 ) capable respectively of deflecting an optical beam exiting an input channel ( 110 , . . . , 150 ) or entering an output channel ( 410 , . . . , 450 ), these two cells ( 200 , 300 ) each comprising a series of electrodes ( 510 , . . . , 580 ) each capable of orienting liquid crystals ( 600 ) when such an electrode is supplied with a supply voltage, these electrodes ( 510 , . . . , 580 ) being distributed in regions ( 210 , . . . , 250 , 310 , . . . , 350 ), each region corresponding to a single input channel ( 110 , . . . , 150 ), or a single output channel ( 410 , . . . , 450 ), means ( 910 , . . . , 980 ) for supplying the electrodes ( 510 , . . . , 580 ) with selected voltages, wherein the means for supplying the electrodes with selected voltages includes a series of separate electronic circuits ( 910 , . . . , 980 ), each being connected to at least one different region ( 210 , . . . , 250 ) of a given cell ( 200 , 300 ), these circuits ( 910 , . . , 980 ) each being capable of converting a respective control signal indicating a channel to be coupled to the channel of this region ( 210 , . . . , 250 , 310 , . . . , 350 ) into a series of voltages for supplying the electrodes ( 510 , . . . , 580 ) of the region ( 210 , . . . , 250 , 310 , . . . , 350 ); and a support card ( 1200 , 1300 ) having a through-opening, in that one of the cells ( 200 , 300 ) is mounted on the card ( 1200 , 1300 ) so as to cover this opening and in that a series of circuits ( 910 , . . . , 980 ) associated with various said regions of the cell is mounted on the support card ( 1200 , 1300 ), wherein each of the electronic circuits ( 910 , . . . , 980 ) is programmed to correct any nonlinearity in the optical index/supply voltage response of the liquid crystals of the associated region ( 210 , . . . , 250 , 310 , . . . , 350 ).