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:
Apr. 06, 2004
Filed:
May. 10, 2001
Xiaomei Wang, Winchester, MA (US);
Axsun Technologies, Inc., Billerica, MA (US);
Abstract
An integrated optical line card protection module uses free-space optical links to thereby increase the level of integration while decreasing footprint. The module comprises a bench, a user-side interface to an array of user fibers and a device-side interface to an array of device fibers. The device fibers connect the module to a primary device and a redundant device. A monitoring signal generator is provided on the bench that provides monitoring signals. A monitoring signal detector is also on the bench that detects the monitoring signals. Finally, a beam switching system is provided that selectively connects the user fibers to the device fibers of the primary device or the device fibers of the redundant device. The preferred configuration is in-line with the user-side interface on an opposed side of the module relative to the device side interface. This is accomplished with translating switching system.