GB2446887A

GB2446887A - A 1

Info

Publication number: GB2446887A
Application number: GB0708654A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Zhou Rong
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-05-04
Filing date: 2007-05-04
Publication date: 2008-08-27
Also published as: GB0708654D0

Abstract

This application relates to optical MEMS switches and also to an NxM electrical switch. A 1x2 optical switch is shown in Fig. 4. Light from input fibre A is switched to output fibre B or output fibre C depending on the position of thin metal sheet F, which is pivoted about point G adjacent the end of the input fibre, and is controlled electrostatically. A mirror is provided on at least one surface of the thin metal sheet F, and this thin metal sheet also functions as a spring. Fig. 6 shows a similar switch, but this is electromagnetically controlled rather than electrostatically controlled. In the embodiment of Figs. 5 and 7 the input light guide A can be moved, using an electrostatic or electromagnetic force, between a first angular position in which fibre A connects with fibre B, and a second angular position in which fibre A connects with fibre C. Fig. 8 shows an NxM electric switch (ES) comprising 2N identical switch boards (SB) and 2N OC. Each SB is an "electric conduct tree" with one input, and 2m power switches (PS). The power switches are controlled by the OC in response to an address or telephone number, to route electrical signals accordingly. The power switches function via the electromagnetic-mechanic effect.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION: ANew Type of NxM Electric Switch

machine

Introduction

My invention: optic switch by means of electro-magnetjcmechjc effect---was published by UK patent office on 26/0412006 (GB24 19484 A). Fig.2 is the simple description of the optic switch machine. I have a few more explanation as follows: I. Cp and OC are separate. OC is the intelligent device for routing, needed by each switch plate; Cp is the traditional computer like a supervisor, scanning and recording the working situation of each user. Only terminal switch machines need Cp. Intermediate switch machines do not need Cp. This has been clearly shown in fig. 3 (original fig. 11).

OC should be a simple CPU or some other kinds of logic device. Its function is recognizing address or telephone number and turning on the corresponding electric switch, "in response to an address, or telephone number, to route optical signals accordingly". It is the intelligent device for all plates and for all optic switch machines (see fig. 2 and fig. 3).

2. A NxM optic switch machine comprises 2N identical plates, each having one optic input, one OC. 2in optic outputs. and at least 2m interconnected micro-switches. 2m micro-switches or outputs response in exact one-to-one relation to 2m,ddresses or telephone numbers. A NxM optic switch machine needs 2n identical OC, which can be either packed together as a single unit of the machine (as in fig. 2) or separately made into each plate as part of the plate.

3. Micro-switch or mini-switch is another key device. It must be reliable, efficient and as small as possible. Here, I developed another two types of micro-switch, called "mini-switch with electro-niechanic effect" (see fig. 4 and 5) and "mini-switch with eleetro-magnetjcmechjc effect" (see fig. 6 and 7). In the figures, three fibers ABC.

about 0.5 mm in diameter, len shape head, single mode if possible, are fixed in three positions. Between fiber A and B, there are two pieces of very thin metal sheets with the seine size (E, F), about O.Smm wide and 5mm long. E is entirely fixed on the external Al Structure (or other materials) between two fibers. F is a spring and a mirror, and fixed at one head G by the input fiber. D is a metal sheet below fiber C. In the fig. 4 and 5, on one side of two pieces of metal sheet there are metal tip lines, which face each other. When high voltage is on (thousands v). the electric field concentrates around the tips, producing electric field repulsion between two sheets. As the result, the spring mirror sheet moves up (stopped by D) and reflects light signal into fiber C. En the fig 4, when the high voltage is off, the spring mirror sheet moves down, the light signal goes straightly into fiber B. Fig. 5 shows another device with the same working principle: E', F', about 8mm wide and 7mm long, are the two metal sheets with tip lines facing each other. The fiber A is entirely fixed on the surface of F', and moves up and down with it. The heads of fiber A should be as close as possible to the heads of fiber B, C. When the high voltage is on, the light signal goes into fiber C; when the high voltage is ofT, the light signal goes into fiber B. No mirror, no reflect of light. /

4. The devices in fig. 6 and 7 are similar to those in fig. 4 and 5, but with different working principles: it is the electric-mechanicmagnetic effect.

As we know, telecommunication needs speed as fast as possible, so the speed for on and off m micro-switch has to be as fast as possible. The working speed of micro-switch in above two cases depends on the motion distance of the mirror or spring and the force produced by electric field or magnetic field. If the motion distance is smaller, the electric/magnetic force is bigger; the working speed of the microswitches is faster. Therefore, the size of micro-switch especially the motion distance of mirror or spring must be as small as possible, the force produced by the electric field or magnetic field must be as big as possible, and the force produced by spring should also be as small as possible (all the sizes in the figures are relative, but should be as small as possible, depending on manufacture technology).

II. New lype of NxM Electric Switch Machine The machine is in fig.8: A NxM electric switch consists of 2n exactly same switch board (SB); within each SB is an electric conduct tree with 2w power switches (PS), PS works by electo-magnectmechamc effect. In fig. 8 (1), (2). A, B are metal sheets, which produce dipole magnetic field NS. A is entirely fixed, B is a metal spring, which is fixed at point D. C is two pieces of thin Cu sheet and entirely fixed on the surface A and B. In (1), there is no magnetic field, PS is off; in (2), there is magnetic field, which moves B-C up to keep contact with A-C, PS2m is on.

Each PS is controlled by a specific output of OC. There is exact one-to-one relation between 2w PSs and 2m outputs from OC. OC here is same as OC in optic switch machine: recognizing incoming address or telephone number and switching on the corresponding specific PS. So each PS represents one address or telephone number and 2m PSs have one-to-one relation with 2m addresses or telephone numbers.

In the figure, electric signal enters SB from its left side with one branch going to its OC. By the intelligent selection or routing of OC, the signal goes out of SB from a specific PS. The output signals of the same PS (such as PSm) from 2n SBs are electric mixed (or optic multiplexed) and sent to the same user (or intermediate switch machine).

Notation in the figure: ES = electric switch; 0 = Optic, E = electric; MP = multiplex; EM electric mixture.

So the structure and working principles of this new type of electric switch is different from those of traditional electric switch, but similar to those of optic switch. Comparing fig.8 with fig. 2, A NxM electric switch and A NxM optic switch, both have 2n plates, both have 2m outputs from each plate, and the outputs from the same positions in 2n plates are mixed (or multiplexed) and sent to the same user (or intermediate switch machine). In addition, each incoming signal goes into one plate, with a branch to the corresponding OC for intelligent selection or routing. The difference between the two switch machines is the network within each plate: one is electric conduct tree with 2m power switches; one is optic network with 2m optic micro-switches.

Fwlhermore, the whole communication process in both cases is the same, which is shown in fig. 3.

The capacity of signal transmission of this new type of electric switch is much smaller than optic switch machine, but bigger than those of traditional electric switch machine. And this new electric switch machine is much cheaper, much easier to be made, than all other switch machines.

ill. CONCLUSION

This new electric switch machine can be used in full optic communication as terminal switch machine for electric users who do not need very big communication capacity. It can also be used to replace current electric switch machine in current telecommunication network because of its much bigger communication capacity.

Claims

CLAIMS: THE REQUESTED RIGHTS IN THE INVENTION 1. The structure and

principle of the new mini-switches in figure 4 -7.
2. The structure and principles of the new type of electric switch machine in figure 8.