Optimal positioning of reflecting optical devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9338528-B2
Application number	US-201313945268-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2013
Priority date	Jul 18, 2013
Publication date	May 10, 2016
Grant date	May 10, 2016

Abstract

Reflecting optical devices are optimally positioned by an all optical switch in an optically-connected system by transmitting optical power readings taken from an optimal monitoring module that are transmitted to the all optical switch for optimal positioning of a reflecting optical device in order to produce maximum optical output power.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for optimal positioning of reflecting optical devices by an all optical switch in an optically-connected system of a computing environment using a processor device, comprising: using optical power readings taken from an optimal monitoring module that are transmitted to the all optical switch for optimal positioning of a reflecting optical device in order to produce maximum optical output power; and transmitting the optical power readings to an optical switch controller using an optical control loop function, wherein the reflecting optical device is a microelectromechanical (MEMS) mirror and the optically-connected system is one of an optically-connected circuit network system and an electrical circuit system and the optimal monitoring module is included in each one of a plurality of optical transceivers and optical receivers; and aggregating the optical power readings of each of a plurality of optical transceivers and optical receivers prior to transmitting the optical power readings to the all optical switch, wherein each of the optical power readings taken by each of the plurality of optical transceivers and optical receivers are periodically performed.

2. The method of claim 1 , further including initially setting the reflecting optical device in an optimal position for producing the maximum optical output power.

3. The method of claim 2 , further including performing one of: detecting the reflecting optical device is no longer in the optimal position for producing the maximum optical output power based on a plurality of factors, wherein the plurality of
factors include at least temperature, an input optical power-to-output optical power ratio, movement of the reflecting optical device, and a bit-error ratio (BER), and readjusting the reflecting optical device to be in the optimal position for producing the maximum optical output power.

4. The method of claim 1 , further including monitoring optical power levels at one of a plurality of time intervals for detecting whether an input optical power-to-output optical power ratio has fallen below an optical power threshold.

5. The method of claim 1 , further including using the optical power readings with a positioning function for calculating the optimal positioning upon accepting a request to connect at least one input port to at least one output port for producing maximum optical output power.

6. A system, comprising: an all optical switch; a reflecting optical device in communication with the all optical switch; an optimal monitoring module in communication with the all optical switch, an optical switch controller connected to the all optical switch; a plurality of optical transceivers and receivers connected to the all optical switch; and at least one processor device in communication with the all optical switch and the optimal monitoring module, wherein the at least one processor device: using optical power readings taken from the optimal monitoring module that are transmitted to the all optical switch for optimal positioning of the reflecting optical device in order to produce maximum optical output power, and transmits the optical power readings to the all optical switch controller using an optical control loop function, wherein the reflecting optical device is a microelectromechanical (MEMS) mirror and the optimal monitoring module is included in each one of the plurality of optical transceivers and optical receivers, and wherein the at least one processor device aggregates the optical power readings of each of the plurality of optical transceivers and optical receivers prior to transmitting the optical power readings to the all optical switch, wherein each of the optical power readings taken by each of the plurality of optical transceivers and optical receivers are periodically performed.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one processor device initially sets the reflecting optical device in an optimal position for producing the maximum optical output power.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one processor device performs one of: detecting the reflecting optical device is no longer in the optimal position for producing the maximum optical output power based on a plurality of factors, wherein the plurality of factors include at least temperature, an input optical power-to-output optical power ratio, movement of the reflecting optical device, and a bit-error ratio (BER), and readjusting the reflecting optical device to be in the optimal position for producing the maximum optical output power.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one processor device monitors optical power levels at one of a plurality of time intervals for detecting whether an input optical power-to-output optical power ratio has fallen below an optical power threshold.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one processor device uses the optical power readings with a positioning function for calculating the optimal positioning upon accepting a request to connect at least one input port to at least one output port for producing maximum optical output power.

11. A computer program product for optimal positioning of reflecting optical devices by an all optical switch in an optically-connected system of a computing environment by at least one processor device, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:
a first executable portion that uses optical power readings taken from an optimal monitoring module that are transmitted to the all optical switch for optimal positioning of a reflecting optical device in order to produce maximum optical output power; and a second executable portion that transmits the optical power readings to an optical switch controller using an optical control loop function; wherein the reflecting optical device is a microelectromechanical (MEMS) mirror and the optically-connected system is one of an optically-connected circuit network system and an electrical circuit system and the optimal monitoring module is included in each one of a plurality of optical transceivers and optical receivers; and a third executable portion for aggregating the optical power readings of each of a plurality of optical transceivers and optical receivers prior to transmitting the optical power readings to the all optical switch, wherein each of the optical power readings taken by each of the plurality of optical transceivers and optical receivers are periodically performed.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 , further including a fourth executable portion that initially sets the reflecting optical device in an optimal position for producing the maximum optical output power.

13. The computer program product of claim 12 , further including a fifth executable portion that performs one of: detecting the reflecting optical device is no longer in the optimal position for producing the maximum optical output power based on a plurality of factors, wherein the plurality of factors include at least temperature, an input optical power-to-output optical power ratio, movement of the reflecting optical device, and a bit-error ratio (BER), and readjusting the reflecting optical device to be in the optimal position for producing the maximum optical output power.

14. The computer program product of claim 11 , further including a third executable portion that monitors optical power levels at one of a plurality of time intervals for detecting whether an input optical power-to-output optical power ratio has fallen below

Assignees

• Globalfoundries Inc

Inventors

• Borkenhagen John M
• Schenfeld Eugen
• Solomon Mark Z

Classifications

• H04Q2011/0049

  Crosstalk reduction; Noise; Power budget · CPC title

• H04Q11/0062

  Network aspects · CPC title

• H04Q2011/0026

  using free space propagation (e.g. lenses, mirrors) · CPC title

• H04Q2011/003

  using switches based on microelectro-mechanical systems [MEMS] · CPC title

• H04Q2011/009

  Topology aspects · CPC title