The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 12, 2019
Filed:
Dec. 16, 2017
The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc., Cambridge, MA (US);
Steven J. Spector, Lexington, MA (US);
Michael G. Moebius, Allston, MA (US);
Benjamin F. Lane, Sherborn, MA (US);
Gregg E. Favalora, Bedford, MA (US);
The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc., Cambridge, MA (US);
Abstract
A steerable optical transmit and receive terminal includes a MEMS-based N×1 optical switch network. Each optical switch in the optical switch network uses an electrostatic MEMS structure to selectively position a translatable optical grating close to or far from an optical waveguide. In the close ('ON') position, light couples between the translatable optical grating and the optical waveguide, whereas in the far ('OFF') position, no appreciable light couples between the translatable optical grating and the optical waveguide. The translatable optical grating is disposed at or near a surface of the optical switch network. Thus, the translatable optical grating emits light into, or receives light from, free space. The steerable optical transmit and receive terminal also includes a lens and can steer a free space optical beam in a direction determined by which port of the N×1 optical switch network is ON.