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:
Dec. 16, 2003
Filed:
May. 17, 2002
Marconi UK Intellectual Property Limited, Coventry, GB;
Abstract
The present invention provides a wavelength selective optical filter device ( ) for receiving input radiation and outputting corresponding filtered output radiation, characterized in that the filter device ( ) includes a plurality of at least partially mutually coupled Fabry-Perot optical resonators ( ) for filtering the input radiation to generate the output radiation, the filter device ( ) being tunable from a first radiation wavelength to a second radiation wavelength by mutually detuning the resonators in a period where the resonators are being retuned from the first wavelength (&lgr; ) to the second wavelength (&lgr; ) so that the filter device ( ) is substantially in a non-responsive state during the period. The resonators incorporate freely suspended mirrors ( ) which are electrostatically actuated to affect tuning of the resonators ( ). The filter device ( ) is thereby capable of tuning between different wavelengths without tuning through wavelengths therebetween. The filter device ( ) can be included into an add-drop filter ( ) for providing channel add and drop functions when the filter ( ) is incorporated in a multichannel WDM communication system ( ).