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. 09, 2021
Filed:
Aug. 09, 2017
Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ), Stockholm, SE;
Francesco Testa, Pisa, IT;
Claudio Oton, Pisa, IT;
TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL), Stockholm, SE;
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided for switching an optical signal. In one aspect, an optical switching apparatus comprises a first beam splitting apparatus configured to split a first optical input signal into first and second optical signals, wherein the first optical signal has substantially the same polarization state as the second optical signal. The apparatus also comprises a switching matrix comprising a plurality of first outputs of the switching matrix and a plurality of second outputs of the switching matrix, each first output of the switching matrix associated with a respective one of the second outputs of the switching matrix, the switching matrix configured to selectively direct the first optical signal to a selected one of the first outputs of the switching matrix and to selectively direct the second optical signal to the second output of the switching matrix associated with the selected first output of the switching matrix. The apparatus further comprises a plurality of beam combining apparatus, each beam combining apparatus configured to combine optical signals from a respective one of the first outputs of the switching matrix and its associated second output of the switching matrix.