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:
May. 14, 2002
Filed:
Jan. 06, 2000
Albert Borreman, Apeldoorn, NL;
Berend Hendriksen, Westervoort, NL;
Tsjerk Hans Hoekstra, Dieren, NL;
Anthony J. Ticknor, Half Moon Bay, CA (US);
JDS Uniphase Inc., Nepean, CA;
Abstract
The invention pertains to a thermo-optical switch comprising a cascade of 1×M optical switches, gates for selectively blocking and unblocking the output paths of the cascaded switch, and means for driving the 1×M switches and the gates, which means are arranged to switch a data signal from an input path of the cascaded switch to one of the output paths, wherein the said means are also arranged to switch an unwanted signal, by means of a number of the remaining 1×M switches, to at least one of the remaining output paths. In the cascaded switch according to the invention, the generated heat is distributed evenly over the area of the switch and the overall amount of heat generated is reduced.