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. 07, 2004
Filed:
Mar. 05, 2002
Robert Kehl Sink, Santa Barbara, CA (US);
John Edward Bowers, Santa Barbara, CA (US);
Roger Jonathan Helkey, Montecito, CA (US);
Robert Anderson, Santa Barbara, CA (US);
Noel MacDonald, Santa Barbara, CA (US);
Calient Networks, San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
The disclosed embodiments include method and apparatus for detecting the alignment of movable reflectors in an optical switch. A diagnostic device embodiment includes a two-dimensional photoimager positioned to receive light from movable mirrors in the switch. Each movable mirror reflects light to different two-dimensional positions on the photoimager based on the position of each movable mirror, thereby creating a two-dimensional image of the reflector array. A controller receives information from the photoimager and adjusts the positions of the movable mirrors according to light received at the photoimager. A related diagnostic device includes an illumination source for directing monitor light beams onto the movable mirrors where the monitor beams are reflected onto the photoimager. This configuration provides two-dimensional information concerning the current position of the movable mirrors which is used to monitor and adjust the positions of the movable mirrors of the switch.