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:
Jul. 11, 2006
Filed:
May. 07, 2004
Zbigniew Sufleta, San Jose, CA (US);
Janusz Bryzek, Fremont, CA (US);
Alex Harwit, San Mateo, CA (US);
James Higgins Smith, Campbell, CA (US);
Cheng-chung Huang, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Dmitry Vasily Bakin, San Jose, CA (US);
Steven Saeed Nasiri, Saratoga, CA (US);
Zbigniew Sufleta, San Jose, CA (US);
Janusz Bryzek, Fremont, CA (US);
Alex Harwit, San Mateo, CA (US);
James Higgins Smith, Campbell, CA (US);
Cheng-Chung Huang, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Dmitry Vasily Bakin, San Jose, CA (US);
Steven Saeed Nasiri, Saratoga, CA (US);
Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A method of controllably attenuating a beam of light coupled into a port includes directing the beam of light against a mirror, and controlling an orientation of the mirror such that a predetermined fraction of the beam of light is coupled into the port. The predetermined fraction is less than a maximum fraction corresponding to optimal coupling of the beam of light into the port. The method may be implemented with a variable optical attenuator including a first port, a second port, a mirror located to direct light output by the first port to the second port, and a controller coupled to the mirror to align it such that the predetermined fraction of light is coupled into the second port. The method may also be implemented with an optical switch.