WO1987006014A1 - Ameliorations apportees a des commutateurs optiques - Google Patents

Ameliorations apportees a des commutateurs optiques Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1987006014A1
WO1987006014A1 PCT/GB1987/000227 GB8700227W WO8706014A1 WO 1987006014 A1 WO1987006014 A1 WO 1987006014A1 GB 8700227 W GB8700227 W GB 8700227W WO 8706014 A1 WO8706014 A1 WO 8706014A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
optical
cable
housing
switching device
path changing
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/GB1987/000227
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
John Clive Challans
Matthew Norman Albert Lee
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Plessey Overseas Ltd
Broadcom UK Ltd Great Britain
Original Assignee
Plessey Overseas Ltd
Acorn Computers Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Plessey Overseas Ltd, Acorn Computers Ltd filed Critical Plessey Overseas Ltd
Publication of WO1987006014A1 publication Critical patent/WO1987006014A1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
    • G02B6/26—Optical coupling means
    • G02B6/35—Optical coupling means having switching means
    • G02B6/3564—Mechanical details of the actuation mechanism associated with the moving element or mounting mechanism details
    • G02B6/3582—Housing means or package or arranging details of the switching elements, e.g. for thermal isolation
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
    • G02B6/26—Optical coupling means
    • G02B6/35—Optical coupling means having switching means
    • G02B6/351—Optical coupling means having switching means involving stationary waveguides with moving interposed optical elements
    • G02B6/3512—Optical coupling means having switching means involving stationary waveguides with moving interposed optical elements the optical element being reflective, e.g. mirror
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
    • G02B6/26—Optical coupling means
    • G02B6/35—Optical coupling means having switching means
    • G02B6/354—Switching arrangements, i.e. number of input/output ports and interconnection types
    • G02B6/3544—2D constellations, i.e. with switching elements and switched beams located in a plane
    • G02B6/3546—NxM switch, i.e. a regular array of switches elements of matrix type constellation
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
    • G02B6/26—Optical coupling means
    • G02B6/35—Optical coupling means having switching means
    • G02B6/3564—Mechanical details of the actuation mechanism associated with the moving element or mounting mechanism details
    • G02B6/3568—Mechanical details of the actuation mechanism associated with the moving element or mounting mechanism details characterised by the actuating force
    • G02B6/3572—Magnetic force

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an optical switching device and more particularly to an optical switching device for use in coupling a terminal station to an optical fibre bus in an optical communication network.
  • an optical switching device comprising a housing having means for receiving three or more optical fibres, each fibre being associated with a lens for either collimating a light beam or for converging a collimated light beam, electrically operable means for moving an optical path changing device between different positions for switching optical coupling paths selectively between the optical fibres, a cable carrying at least one of the optical fibres and an electrically conducting member, electrical coupling means being provided between the cable and the electrically operable means so that when there is no power in the electrically conducting member the or each optical fibre within the cable is optically decoupled from the other optical fibres within the housing.
  • the cable is easily attachable to and detachable from the housing-
  • the housing is provided with a socket for receiving one end of the cable.
  • the optical path changing device may comprise one or more prisms, one or more mirrors or combinations thereof.
  • the electrically operable means may be mechanically coupled to the optical path changing device to cause sliding, rotation or swinging of the optical path changing device for switching optical coupling paths selectively between pairs of the optical fibres.
  • the electrically operable means is a solenoid the core of which is mechanically coupled to a mechanism for moving the optical path changing device.
  • the optical path changing device is mounted on an arm pivotally mounted within the housing, the electrically operable means being mechanically coupled to the arm to move the arm into a first position when the electrically operable means is energised and spring biassing means being provided to move the arm into a second position when the electrically operable means is de-energised.
  • the present invention also provides an optical communication network comprising an optical fibre bus coupled by means of optical switching devices to a plurality of terminal stations at spaced locations along the length of the optical fibre bus, each optical switching device comprising a housing having means for receiving three or more optical fibres, each fibre being associated with a lens for either collimating a light beam or for converging a collimated light beam, electrically operable means for moving an optical path changing device between different positions for switching optical coupling paths selectively between pairs of the optical fibres, a cable carrying at least one of the optical fibres and an electrically conducting member, electrical coupling means, being provided between the cable and the electrically operable means so that when there is no power in the electrically conducting member the or each optical fibre within the cable is optically decoupled from the other optical fibres within the housing.
  • Figure 1 is a sectional view of an optical switching device according to one embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 2 is a sectional view of the optical switching device of Figure 1 viewed from the direction A in Figure 1; and .
  • Figure 3 illustrates an optical communication network coupled by means of the optical switching device of Figures 1 and 2 to spaced terminal stations around the periphery of the communication network.
  • an optical switching device comprises a substantially oblong housing 2 four side walls of which are designated by numerals A, 6, 8 and 10.
  • optical cables 13 and 15 the end portions of which protrude through the side walls 4 and 6, each carry a respective optical fibre 12 and 14.
  • the optical cables 13, 15 and their associated optical fibres 12, 14 are held in axial alignment with one another by a pair of retaining members 5, 7 and by the provision of two aligned elongated holes 17, 19 defined within the housing 2 for receiving the ends of the optical cables 13 and 15.
  • a cable 16 extending from a terminal station has its end "formed as a plug 18 for engagement within a complementary socket assembly 20 located and fixed within the housing 2 immediately adjacent a portion of the side wall 10.
  • the plug 18 is retained after insertion within the socket assembly 20 by means of a spring biased portion 22 of the plug 18.
  • the plug 18 is detachable from the socket assembly 20 by depressing the portion 22 towards the central axis through the plug 18 thereby enabling removal of the plug 18 from the socket assembly 20 and from the housing 2.
  • the cable 16 carries two optical fibres 24, 26 the ends of which terminate within the plug 18.
  • the ends of the optical fibres 24, 26 are associated with respective lenses 28, 30.
  • Each lens 28, 30 forms part of a respective expanded beam connector and may serve for either collimating a light beam emerging from the optical fibre end or for converging and focussing a collimated light beam onto the optical fibre end.
  • the optical fibres 12 and 14 are associated with respective lenses 32 and 34.
  • Each lens 32, 34 forms part of a respective expanded beam connector and may also serve to produce either a collimated light beam or to converge a collimated light beam.
  • An optical path changing device in the form of a pair of spaced, inclined mirrors 36 and 38 are mounted on an arm 40, the arm 40 being pivotally mounted at one end about a pivot axis 42 defined within the housing 2.
  • a solenoid 44 having a fixed housing 45 and an inner core 46 one end of which engages a side surface of the arm 40.
  • the arm 40 is also provided with an extension 48 to which is attached one end of a return spring 56.
  • a power source for energising the coils of the solenoid 44 is provided at the terminal station, the electrical power being fed to the coils via an electrical conductor carried by the cable 16, a spring contact 50 and two wires (not shown).
  • the terminal station If the terminal station is not active, i.e. is not switched on or there is a malfunction, power is no longer transmitted to the coils of the solenoid which become de-energised.
  • the tension within the return spring 56 exerted on the extension 48 results in rotation of the arm 40 in a clockwise direction about the pivot axis 42, the arm 40 compressing a resilient spacing material 52 sandwiched between the side surface of the arm 40 and the housing 45 of the solenoid.
  • the fixed housing 45 prevents further clockwise rotation of the arm 40, and the arm 40 adopts an inclined orientation as shown in Figure 2.
  • the inclined mirrors 36 and 38 are therefore rotated away from the gap defined between the lenses 32 and 34 enabling light to pass directly between the lenses 32 and 34 and thereby optically coupling the end of the optical fibres 12 and 14.
  • the mirrors 36 and 38 adopt a position within the gap defined between the lenses 32 and 34.
  • the mirror 36 reflects the collimated light beam emerging from the lens 32 towards the lens 28 which focuses the light beam onto the end of the optical fibre 24.
  • light eaerging from the optical fibre 26 is collimated by the lens 30, reflected through 90° by the mirror 38 and is focused by the lens 34 onto the end of the optical fibre 14.
  • the mirrors 36 and 38 will be rotated away from the gap between the lenses 32 and 34 thereby enabling light to pass directly along an optical path between the two lenses 32 and 34.
  • the optical path changing device may comprise one or more prisms, one or more mirrors/or combinations thereof.
  • the electrically operable means is described above as a solenoid it will be appreciated that other electrically operable means, such as an electric machine, may be provided.
  • the electrically operable means is mechanically coupled to the optical path changing device and in various embodiments this coupling may give rise to sliding, rotation or swinging of the optical path changing device for switching optical coupling paths selectively between pairs of the optical fibres.
  • Figure 3 illustrates an optical communication ring network having four terminal stations TA, TB, TC and TD spaced around its periphery, each of the terminal stations being associated with its respective optical switching device A, B, C and D.
  • the optical switching devices, A, B, C and D are like that described above with reference to figures 1 and 2 but may take the form of any embodiment within the scope of the present invention.
  • Each of the terminal stations TA, TB, TC and TD has a d.c. power source, a light transmitter such as a light emitting diode or laser and a light receiver such as a photodiode.
  • any number of optical switching devices may be installed in the ring of optical fibre in dependence on current and future requirements.
  • terminal stations can be plugged into the fibre optic ring network without disturbing the operation of any active terminal station services.
  • power is only supplied to the solenoid in the optical switching device when the associated terminal station is switched on and the light transmitter is working.
  • the optical path changing device moves out of the main light beam passing around the ring network thereby preventing the failure of one terminal station from stopping the entire system.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Light Control Or Optical Switches (AREA)
  • Optical Couplings Of Light Guides (AREA)

Abstract

Un commutateur optique comprend un logement (2) présentant des organes pouvant recevoir au moins trois fibres optiques, un organe fonctionnant électriquement (44) servant à déplacer un dispositif de variation (36, 38) du chemin optique entre différentes positions, afin de commuter sélectivement des chemins de couplage optique entre des paires de fibres optiques. Un câble (16) porte au moins une des fibres optiques et un élément électroconducteur, des organes de couplage électrique étant disposés entre le câble et l'organe fonctionnant électriquement, de telle sorte que, lorsque l'élément électroconducteur n'est pas alimenté, chaque fibre optique est optiquement découplée des autres fibres optiques se trouvant dans le logement. Un réseau local incorporant les commutateurs optiques est également décrit.
PCT/GB1987/000227 1986-04-02 1987-04-02 Ameliorations apportees a des commutateurs optiques Ceased WO1987006014A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB08608086A GB2190513A (en) 1986-04-02 1986-04-02 Optical fibre switching devices
GB8608086 1986-04-02

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1987006014A1 true WO1987006014A1 (fr) 1987-10-08

Family

ID=10595575

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB1987/000227 Ceased WO1987006014A1 (fr) 1986-04-02 1987-04-02 Ameliorations apportees a des commutateurs optiques

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0277144A1 (fr)
GB (1) GB2190513A (fr)
WO (1) WO1987006014A1 (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0595338A3 (fr) * 1992-10-29 1995-02-01 Hughes Aircraft Co Système d'éclairage réparti à commandes sur les fibres optiques.
EP0661571A3 (fr) * 1993-12-29 1996-03-20 At & T Corp Dispostitif de dérivation optique.

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS55106404A (en) * 1979-02-08 1980-08-15 Mitsubishi Electric Corp Photo switch
JPS57100401A (en) * 1980-12-15 1982-06-22 Fujitsu Ltd Changeover switch of optical circuit

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1426475A (en) * 1973-06-21 1976-02-25 Plessey Co Ltd Optical fibre switch
JPS5483448A (en) * 1977-12-15 1979-07-03 Nec Corp Machanical photo switch
GB2031603B (en) * 1978-10-14 1983-02-02 Plessey Co Ltd Optical fibre switches
US4376566A (en) * 1980-03-03 1983-03-15 Sheltered Workshop For The Disabled, Inc. Fiber optic switching method and apparatus with flexible shutter
US4415228A (en) * 1981-08-24 1983-11-15 Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated Optical fiber switch apparatus
US4415229A (en) * 1981-08-24 1983-11-15 Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated Optical fiber switch apparatus

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS55106404A (en) * 1979-02-08 1980-08-15 Mitsubishi Electric Corp Photo switch
JPS57100401A (en) * 1980-12-15 1982-06-22 Fujitsu Ltd Changeover switch of optical circuit

Non-Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN, Vol. 6, No. 188 (P-144) (1066), 28 september 1982 & JP, A, 57100401 (Fujitsu K.K.) 22 June 1982, see the whole document *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN, Vol. 7, No. 96 (P-193) (1241), 22 April 1983 & JP, A, 5821224 (Fujitsu K.K.) 8 February 1983, see the whole document *
PATENTS ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN, Vol. 4, No. 160 (P-35) (642), 8 November 1980 & JP, A, 55106404 (Mitsubishi Denki K.K.) 15 August 1980, see the whole document *

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0595338A3 (fr) * 1992-10-29 1995-02-01 Hughes Aircraft Co Système d'éclairage réparti à commandes sur les fibres optiques.
US5434756A (en) * 1992-10-29 1995-07-18 Hughes Aircraft Company Distributed lighting system with fiber optic controls
EP0661571A3 (fr) * 1993-12-29 1996-03-20 At & T Corp Dispostitif de dérivation optique.

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2190513A (en) 1987-11-18
GB8608086D0 (en) 1986-05-08
EP0277144A1 (fr) 1988-08-10

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