Eugene Russell Campbell

US Patent:

6907155, Jun 14, 2005

Filed:

Oct 15, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/271668

Inventors:

Bryan P. Staker - Pleasanton CA, US
Eugene W. Campbell - Livermore CA, US
Paul H. Pax - Hayward CA, US

International Classification:

G02B006/35
G02B006/28

US Classification:

385 18, 385 19, 385 24

Abstract:

In a folded three-dimensional free-space optical switch including a set of fibers and an optical system for producing collimated beamlets aligned to intersect an array of dual axis micromirrors of coplanar input and output mirror elements, and a folding mirror, the input and output micromirrors are arranged in a pattern wherein either the input or output mirror set is disposed along an annulus and wherein the complementary output or input mirror set is disposed within the annulus in order to globally minimize maximum tilt angles for a two-dimensional locus of tilt angles of the micromirror set. The beamlets are routed from assigned input fibers to corresponding input moveable mirrors to assigned output fibers via the static folding mirror and corresponding output moveable mirrors.

US Patent:

6917733, Jul 12, 2005

Filed:

Apr 3, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/406947

Inventors:

Eugene W. Campbell - Livermore CA, US
Bryan P. Staker - Pleasanton CA, US

Assignee:

Glimmerglass Networks, Inc. - Hayward CA

International Classification:

G02B006/35

US Classification:

385 18, 385 15, 385 24, 385326

Abstract:

An optical switch globally minimizes maximum tilt angles used to route optical signals from input to output by disposition of an input array of first tiltable micromirrors within a first boundary typically having top-bottom reflection symmetry and left-right reflection symmetry and by disposition of an output array of second tiltable micromirrors within a second boundary a symmetry which matches the symmetry for the input array, the output array and the input array being disposed opposing one another and normal to parallel central axes and further being offset from one another in the plane of the normals to the arrays, so that a collimated beamlet impinging on the center the input array and reflected off at an equivalent angle intersects the output array at an offset.