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:
Oct. 03, 1995
Filed:
Aug. 15, 1994
Suwat Thaniyavarn, Bellevue, WA (US);
The Boeing Company, Seattle, WA (US);
Abstract
An optical time delay device includes a switching component butt-coupled to one or two delay line components. The switching component is a planar substrate with an optical waveguide switching array formed thereon. The delay line component is a second planar substrate with a plurality of optical waveguides of different optical lengths. The input ends and output ends of the waveguides are disposed along the butt-coupled edge of the second substrate. The waveguides and switches are arranged so that the switches direct an incoming optical signal to a selected one or more of said waveguides. In a preferred embodiment, one of the waveguides has an optical length .DELTA.L, and the remaining waveguides have optical lengths which are multiples of .DELTA.L. The use of planar substrates with electro-optic and passive waveguide circuits allows for a modular approach, with interchangeable delay line components chosen for a particular application and butt-coupled to the switching component.