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. 28, 2003
Filed:
Sep. 27, 2001
Samuel Lee Miller, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Paul Jackson McWhorter, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Murray Steven Rodgers, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Stephen Matthew Barnes, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Jeffry Joseph Sniegowski, Edgewood, NM (US);
MEMX, Inc., Albuquerque, NM (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides a free space optical cross connect for switching optical signals between a plurality of optical signal ports to/from the switch interface. In one embodiment, a single chip 2N OXC ( ) for switching optical signals ( ) between any one of N input optical fibers ( ) and any one of N output optical fibers ( ) within a compact free space switch interface ( ) includes N reflective microstructures ( ) built/assembled on a substrate ( ) and N positioning systems ( ) associated with the reflective microstructures ( ) that are also built/assembled on the substrate ( ). The positioning systems ( ) are operable to both elevate their associated reflective microstructures ( ) from the surface of the substrate ( ) and to tilt their associated reflective microstructures ( ) with at least two degrees of freedom with respect to the surface of the substrate ( ) in order to reflect optical signal ( ) through the switch interface ( ) from any one of the input optical fibers ( ) to any one of the output optical fibers ( ). The single chip 2N OXC ( ) may also include a lid ( ) overlying and spaced away from the substrate ( ) to provide a hermetically sealed package ( ).