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:
Sep. 24, 2002
Filed:
Jul. 07, 2000
Dale A. Gee, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Madhav Y. Reddy, Cupertino, CA (US);
Sascha Hallstein, San Jose, CA (US);
Dilip K. Paul, Bethesda, MD (US);
Vipul D. Badoni, San Jose, CA (US);
David M. Hong, San Jose, CA (US);
Nayna Networks, Milpitas, CA (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for switching one of a plurality of optical signals from a plurality of optical fibers. The apparatus has an input fiber bundle housing comprising an outer side and an inner side. The input fiber bundle housing has a plurality of sites oriented in a spatial manner on the outer side for coupling to a plurality of input optical fibers. Each of the input optical fibers is capable of transmitting an optical signal. The apparatus also has a first mirror array disposed facing the inner side of the input fiber bundle housing. The first mirror array includes a plurality of mirrors. Each of the mirrors corresponds to one of the sites on the outer side of the input fiber bundle housing. A second mirror array is disposed facing the first mirror array. The second mirror array is also disposed around a periphery of the input fiber bundle. The second mirror array also has a plurality of mirrors, where each of the mirrors is capable of directing at least one signal from one of the mirrors on the first mirror array. The apparatus has an output fiber bundle housing comprising an outer side and an inner side. The output fiber bundle housing has a plurality of sites oriented in a spatial manner on the outer side for coupling to a plurality of output optical fibers. Each of the sites is capable of receiving at least one signal from one of the second mirrors.