Abstract: An optical circuit switch, method, and apparatus are disclosed. The optical circuit switch may include a plurality of mirror elements, each mirror element uniquely associated with a port from a plurality of ports, each mirror element coupled to a dedicated electrode and configured to rotate in response to a voltage applied to the dedicated electrode. A command interpreter may receive a command defining a plurality of port-pairs to be connected via the optical circuit switch and determine a respective target voltage value to be applied to the dedicated electrode coupled to each of the mirror elements associated with each of the port-pairs. A transition manager may cause voltages applied to the dedicated electrodes coupled to the mirror elements associated with the port-pairs to concurrently transition from respective previous voltage values to the respective target voltage values.

Abstract: A compound optical circuit switches and methods are disclosed. Two or more 1st-tier switches may be coupled to one or more 2nd-tier switches. Each of a plurality of input ports may be connected to a respective input of one of the 1st-tier switches and each of a plurality of output ports may be connected to a respective output of one of the 1st-tier switches. Each connection between an input port and an output port connected to the same 1st-tier switch may be made within the 1st-tier switch. Each connection between an input port and an output port connected to two different 1st-tier switches is made along a respective connection path through the 1st-tier switch connected to the input port, through a selected 2nd-tier switch, and through the 1st-tier switch connect to the output port.

Abstract: Methods of operating an optical circuit switch and optical circuit switches are disclosed. A command to make an optical connection between a first port and a second port may be received. A determination whether or not input signal light is present at the first port may be made. When light is present at the first port, an optical connection may be made between the first port and the second port. When light is not present at the first port, the optical circuit switch may wait until light is present at the first port before making the connection.

Abstract: Methods of operating an optical circuit switch and optical circuit switches are disclosed. To make a connection between a first port and a second port, baseline voltages may be determined, baseline voltages being voltages that, if respectively applied to one or more electrode coupled to a first mirror element uniquely associated with the first port and one or more electrode coupled to a second mirror element uniquely associated with the second port, cause the first and second mirror elements to rotate to make the connection in the absence of accumulated mirror element drift. Accumulated drift data associated with one or both of the first mirror element and the second mirror element may be retrieved from a memory. One or more of the baseline voltages may be modified based on the accumulated drift data to provide corrected voltages, and the corrected voltages may be applied to the electrodes.

Abstract: A compound optical circuit switches and methods are disclosed. Two or more 1st-tier switches may be coupled to one or more 2nd-tier switches. Each of a plurality of input ports may be connected to a respective input of one of the 1st-tier switches and each of a plurality of output ports may be connected to a respective output of one of the 1st-tier switches. Each connection between an input port and an output port connected to the same 1st-tier switch may be made within the 1st-tier switch. Each connection between an input port and an output port connected to two different 1st-tier switches is made along a respective connection path through the 1st-tier switch connected to the input port, through a selected 2nd-tier switch, and through the 1st-tier switch connect to the output port.

Abstract: Methods of operating an optical circuit switch and optical circuit switches are disclosed. To make a connection between a first port and a second port, baseline voltages may be determined, baseline voltages being voltages that, if respectively applied to one or more electrode coupled to a first mirror element uniquely associated with the first port and one or more electrode coupled to a second mirror element uniquely associated with the second port, cause the first and second mirror elements to rotate to make the connection in the absence of accumulated mirror element drift. Accumulated drift data associated with one or both of the first mirror element and the second mirror element may be retrieved from a memory. One or more of the baseline voltages may be modified based on the accumulated drift data to provide corrected voltages, and the corrected voltages may be applied to the electrodes.

Abstract: Methods of operating an optical circuit switch and optical circuit switches are disclosed. A command to make an optical connection between a first port and a second port may be received. A determination whether or not input signal light is present at the first port may be made. When light is present at the first port, an optical connection may be made between the first port and the second port. When light is not present at the first port, the optical circuit switch may wait until light is present at the first port before making the connection.

Abstract: An optical circuit switch, method, and apparatus are disclosed. The optical circuit switch may include a plurality of mirror elements, each mirror element uniquely associated with a port from a plurality of ports, each mirror element coupled to a dedicated electrode and configured to rotate in response to a voltage applied to the dedicated electrode. A command interpreter may receive a command defining a plurality of port-pairs to be connected via the optical circuit switch and determine a respective target voltage value to be applied to the dedicated electrode coupled to each of the mirror elements associated with each of the port-pairs. A transition manager may cause voltages applied to the dedicated electrodes coupled to the mirror elements associated with the port-pairs to concurrently transition from respective previous voltage values to the respective target voltage values.

Abstract: Compound optical circuit switches and methods are disclosed. Two or more 1st-tier switches may be configured to make selectable optical connections between a plurality of 1st-tier inputs and a plurality of 1st-tier outputs. Each 1st-tier switch may include input and output power meters to measure optical powers of signals received at the 1st-tier inputs and optical powers of signals output from the 1st-tier outputs, respectively. At least one 2nd-tier switch may include plural 2nd-tier inputs optically connected to respective 1st-tier outputs, plural 2nd-tier outputs optically connected to respective 1st-tier inputs, and plural 2nd-tier rotatable mirror elements to make selectable optical connections from the 2nd-tier inputs to the 2nd-tier outputs. A 2nd-tier switch controller may control positions of at least some of the 2nd-tier mirror elements based on optical power measurement data from the input power meters and the output power meters of the 1st-tier switches.

Abstract: Methods of operating an optical circuit switch and optical circuit switches are disclosed. An optical circuit switch may receive a first make command to make a first optical connection between a first port and a second port, the first port uniquely associated with a rotatable mirror element, determine a first baseline voltage to be applied to an electrode coupled to the mirror element to cause the mirror element to rotate about an axis to make the first optical connection, and apply the first baseline voltage to the electrode. The optical circuit switch may periodically adjust the voltage applied to the electrode to minimize an insertion loss of the first optical connection, and periodically store accumulated angular drift data in a memory, the accumulated angular drift data derived from a difference between the adjusted voltage applied to the first electrode and the first baseline voltage.