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:
Jul. 13, 1993
Filed:
Mar. 08, 1990
Jun Tokumitsu, Sagamihara, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An optical switch array is provided so as to connect a first group of M terminals capable of transmitting and receiving signals to and from a second group of N terminals, where M and N are respectively an integer of not less than 1. The optical switch array comprises first and second light-emitting devices, first and second light-receiving devices and first and second shutter arrays. The first and second light-emitting devices comprise M light sources driven in response to the signals input from the terminals of the first group and N light sources driven in response to the signals input from the terminals of the second group, respectively. The second light-emitting device is arranged in series with the first light-emitting device. The first and second light-receiving devices are arranged in a direction perpendicular to a predetermined direction in which the first and second light-emitting devices are arranged. The first and second light-receiving devices comprise M photodetectors for outputting the signals to the terminals of the first group and N photodetectors for outputting the signals to the terminals of the second group, respectively. The first and second shutter arrays are arranged in an optical path between the first light-emitting device and the second light receiving device and an optical path between the second light-emitting device and the first light-receiving device. The first and second shutter arrays each include at least one segment as a unit and each is constituted by a plurality of openable shutters arranged in units of segments when M.times.N segments arranged in a matrix form in the predetermined direction and the direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction are assumed.