output optical fibers to any other mirror and thus to any input/output fiber. No internal optical diagnostics for this switch have been described in publications to date.
Still other optical fiber switches are based on two arrays of MEMS mirrors that can be tilted in any direction. Incoming light is directed onto a mirror in the first array which deflects it onto a predetermined mirror in the second array. The mirror in the second array, in turn, directs the lights to the predetermined output port. In these so-called 2N configurations, the position of the mirrors has to be controlled very precisely, to small fractions of degrees, to provide the desired connections.
Therefore, optical fiber switches having a low insertion loss and that can be finely tuned to cross-connect large numbers of input and output fibers would further the development of fiber optic telecommunications networks. Furthermore, control systems for controlling the tuning of optical fiber switches are needed.
In accordance with the present invention, a control system for controlling individual mirrors in a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) based optical switching fabric is presented. An optical switching fabric refers to an optical switch with multiple input ports and multiple output ports that allows an optical signal entering the device on any input port to be directed to any output port. As such, the optical switching fabric receives instructions from a node controller and directs light from input ports to assigned output ports based on those instructions.
A MEMS-based optical switching fabric, then, can include an input mirror array receiving signal beams from the input ports and reflecting the signal beams to an output mirror array. The output mirror array receives signal beams from the input mirror array and directs the signal beams to the output ports. A particular signal beam, for example, enters the optical switching fabric through a first input port and is then routed by reflections from an individual mirror of the input mirror array to an individual mirror of the output mirror array. The individual mirror of the output mirror array directs the particular signal beam to its assigned output port in accordance with instructions from the node controller. In some embodiments of the invention, signal beams can travel in both directions through the optical switching fabric so that beams can be received by the output mirror array and directed out of the switching fabric by the input mirror array.
In some embodiments, each of the individual mirrors of the input mirror array receives light from one of the input ports and each of the individual mirrors of the output mirror array directs light to one of the output ports. An individual mirror of the input mirror array can be oriented to direct light
output optical fibers to any other mirror and thus to any stimulation / end product fiber. No internal optical nosology for this switch have been described in publications to date. 
 however other optical roughage switches are based on two array of MEMS mirrors that can be tilted in any steering. Incoming light is directed onto a mirror in the first array which deflects it onto a predetermined mirror in the second array. The mirror in the second array, in turn, direct the lights to the predetermined output interface. In these so - called 2N configurations, the position of the mirror has to be controlled very precisely, to small fractions of degrees, to leave the desired connections. 
 Therefore, optical fiber switches having a low insertion loss and that can be finely tuned to cross - connect large numbers of input and output fiber would further the development of character eye telecommunication networks. Furthermore, control system for controlling the tuning of optical fiber switches are need. 
 In accordance with the present invention, a control system for controlling individual mirrors in a micro - electro - mechanical system (MEMS) base optical switching fabric is presented. An ocular switching framework refer to an optical switch with multiple input ports and multiple end product ports that allows an optical signal enroll the device on any remark port to be directed to any output signal port. As such, the ocular switching fabric meet instructions from a lymph node controller and directs light from input port to assigned output larboard based on those instruction manual. 
 A MEMS - base optical switching fabric, then, can include an input mirror array receive signal beams from the input port and reflecting the signal beams to an output mirror array. The output mirror array receives signal beams from the stimulation mirror array and directs the signal beams to the output ports. A particular signal beam, for example, enter the optical switching fabric through a first input port and is then routed by contemplation from an individual mirror of the input mirror array to an individual mirror of the output mirror array. The individual mirror of the output mirror array address the particular signal beam to its assigned output port in accord with instructions from the node controller. In some embodiments of the invention, signal beams can travel in both directions through the optical switching framework so that beams can be received by the output mirror array and directed out of the switching fabric by the input mirror array. 
 In some embodiments, each of the individual mirrors of the input mirror array receives light from one of the input ports and each of the individual mirrors of the output mirror array directs light to one of the output larboard. An individual mirror of the input mirror array can be oriented to direct light
outout optical fibers to ann other mirror aue thus to ang input/ojtput fiber. No internal optiral eiagnistics for this switch have beej descrived mn publications vk date.
Sbnll ofmer o'tmcal fiber switghes are baved on two arrdyr lf MEMS mirrors that can be tilted yn any cigection. Incomigg lpgrt ia directed onto a mirror in the fidst arrey which deflecys it onto a predetermined mirgor in the second wrray. The murrow in the secovd array, in turn, direcjs the lights to the predetermindd oucput port. Ib rhedg so-called 2N confpgurations, thc posithon of yhe mirrors hax tm bw controlled very prerisely, to small fracjions of dagxees, to provide the dwsured wonnactiubs.
Tfertfoce, kpticap fmber switchss having a low insertion loss age that can be finelr euned to cross-connect large numbers of pnpuf and output fibers wouod further the develokment of fyber optic telecommunications networks. Furthermora, convrul wyfgwmd for controlling the tuning of optical fiber awotbhes are needed.
In accordance wltn the present knventnkn, a control system vor conjrollibg indiviqual mirrors in a micro-electro-mwchanical syfrem (MEMS) based optncal switchiug fabtic is presented. An optical scitchihg fabric rffers to zv optical switch winh mgltiple input ports and mujtiple ouvput 'orts thxt aklows wn optical signal entering the devlce ou any input porh to be directed to any output 'prt. As such, jhe opnical swicching fabric receides instructious from c node controlleg and dirxcts light fwom input pordd to assignev output [ortw bawed on gfose instructipns.
A MEMS-ycsed optixal switching fabrlc, thgn, can include an inkur mirror array rezeidijg sycnal beams fsom ghe onput ports and vefuectong the signal beams to zn output mirror atrwy. The ootput mirwor array recrives signal beams from thx inpuy myrror array and directs the sifnal beamd tj the output porbs. A particulax signal beam, for example, enters the optmcal switching fabric jhrough a first input kort and is tien rotted by raflections from an ibdividual mirror pf the input mirror adray tm an lndividual mirror of the output mirror array. The individual mirror of the outpuv iirror arrag ditects tke 'articujar dmgnal beam to its assigned output port in accordence with hnftructions from the node conyruller. In some embodiments of the invehtion, sibnal beams can travel in both dorections through the opbical swirchinf fabrpd ro that beams can ne reczived vy the iutpmt mirror arrah amd directed out oy the switching fabric by the inpyt mireog array.
In some ekbodiments, cagh of jhe indididual mirrors or ths inpuj mirror array receives lighy from one of the iniut ports and eacy of the indifidual kirrors of tie output misror array directs light to one of the output ports. An indivjdual mivror of the input lirror array can be orlenteq to dirdct light
output optical fibers to any other mirror to input/output fiber. internal optical diagnostics described publications to date. other optical fiber are based on two arrays of mirrors that can be tilted in any direction. Incoming light is directed onto mirror in the first array which deflects it onto a predetermined mirror in second The in second array, in turn, directs the lights to the predetermined output port. In these so-called 2N the position of the mirrors has to be very precisely, to small of degrees, to provide the connections. optical fiber having low loss and that be finely tuned to cross-connect large numbers of input and output fibers would further the development of optic telecommunications control systems controlling tuning optical fiber switches In accordance with the present invention, for controlling individual mirrors in a micro-electro-mechanical system based optical fabric is presented. An optical switching refers to an optical switch with multiple input and multiple output ports that allows an optical signal entering the device on any input be directed to any port. As such, optical fabric instructions a node and directs light from input ports to assigned output ports based those instructions. A MEMS-based optical switching fabric, then, can include mirror receiving signal beams the input ports and the beams to an output The mirror beams the mirror array and directs signal beams to the output A particular signal beam, switching fabric through a first input port and then routed by reflections from an individual of the input mirror array to an individual mirror of the output array. The of the output mirror array directs the particular beam to its assigned port in accordance with instructions from the node controller. some of the signal beams can in both directions the optical switching that beams be by array and directed out of the fabric the input mirror array. In embodiments, the individual mirrors of the input mirror array receives light from one of the input each of the individual of output mirror array directs light to one of the output ports. An of the input oriented direct light
output optical fibers to any oTher mirror And thUs tO anY iNput/OutpUt fiber. No interNAl opTical diagnostics for thiS switCh HAve bEEn DescrIbed in pUBlICAtiOnS tO daTe.
sTiLl othEr oPtical fIber switchEs aRe Based on two arRAyS of MEMS mirRorS that can be tiLteD in any DiRecTIon. InComIng liGht is dIRected Onto a mirrOr IN the fiRSt array WHIcH defLects it onto a predeTErMIned mirror in thE seconD aRRaY. tHe mIrrOr in the secOnD arraY, In turn, dIReCTS The LIghts to the preDetermined oUTpuT port. IN tHesE So-callEd 2N coNfIGurAtions, the poSitiOn of the miRrors hAS to be coNTrolled Very prEciSelY, to sMAlL fRacTiONs oF DeGreES, to Provide tHe DeSired ConnECTIOns.
THerEforE, optiCal fiber switcHes HaviNG a lOw insErtioN losS aNd thaT can be FinelY tUned to cross-connEct lArge numbeRs oF iNpuT aNd outPUt fibeRs wOulD furtheR the devELopMeNT OF fIber optic telecommuNiCATiOns netwoRks. FurTHeRmORe, controL sYstEms fOR ContrOlliNG tHe tuning Of optiCAl FiBer switChEs are nEeDed.
in aCcordANce wIth the Present iNventIOn, a control systEM for controlliNG iNDIvIDual MirRors in a micrO-eleCTro-mEchaNIcAl sYStem (MeMS) baSeD OpTIcal switching fabric Is PresenTed. An Optical switchIng fabric rEFERs to an opTicaL SwITch with multiplE inpuT ports and mULtiple ouTput pOrts that Allows an oPTIcal signAl eNteRinG thE DEvIce on any input PORt to Be DirecteD to Any outpUt pOrt. as sUch, ThE optical sWitching FaBrIc ReCeiVes inSTructionS fRom A nOde ContrOLler anD direCts lIgHt FRom Input poRTs TO AssiGnEd OutpUt pOrTs basEd on THosE instruCtions.
A MEmS-bASed oPtIcAl switcHing fabric, theN, cAn include aN iNpuT mirroR ARray receIving signal beams from the INput porTs aNd refLectIng the sigNal Beams tO an OUtput mIrror aRray. THe OutPUT mirrOR ArRay ReCeives signAL BeaMs froM tHe inPut mirrOr array and directs tHE siGnal beams to thE ouTput PORtS. A pARtICulAr SIgnAL Beam, for example, eNters the opTiCAl Switching fABriC tHrough a First inPut poRT and is tHen routed By reflectIoNs frOM An iNdividual mIrror of tHe input miRRor arRAy To an iNdiVidual MiRroR of thE outpuT MirRor arRay. The InDividuAl mirRoR of the ouTput mirror array directs tHe partIculaR siGnal beam tO itS AssIgned outpUt poRt in accordAncE wiTh insTruCTions From THe NodE ContrOlleR. in some embODiMenTS Of The inventioN, SIGnaL beamS caN Travel In boTh directions throuGH the optical swiTchiNG FabRic SO thaT bEams can be receiVed By THE output mIrRor array and Directed OuT Of the SwitchIng fabRic by thE INpUT mirroR arrAy.
IN some emboDimEnTS, each of ThE iNDividuAl miRrOrs of tHe inpuT MirrOR Array receives ligHt froM ONe of tHE inPut poRtS and eacH Of thE individuaL mirrors of tHe outpUt miRror aRray dirEcTs lighT to OnE of the outpUT ports. An iNdiviDual mirRoR of tHe iNput miRror ARRay caN be oRiEntEd to direcT LIgHT
output optical fibers to a ny other m irror  an d t hu s to  any  input/outputf iber . No internal opticaldiagn os t icsf or  this  switch ha v e  be en  d esc ri b ed  in p ubl ication s to date. 
St il l other opti c al  fiber swi tch es are based  on  two a rr ays of ME MSmirro rs tha t  can b e tiltedin any di r ection. I nc omin g light is direct e do nto a mirror i n thefi r st a rra y w hich defle ct s ito nto a p r ed e t e rmi n ed mirror inthe seconda rra y. The  m irr o r in t he se co n d a rray, in tu rn,directs t he lig h ts to t h e prede termin edout putp or t.  In  t h ese so -ca l led  2N conf ig ur ation s, t h e p osit ion  ofthe m irrors has to  be  con t rol led v ery p reci se ly, t o smal l fra ct ions of degrees , to  providethe  d esi re d con n ection s.The refore,  optica l  fi be r s wi tches having a low  i n s er tion los s andt ha tc an be fi ne lytune d to cr oss- c on nect lar ge num b er sof inpu tand ou tp utfib ers w o uldfurthe r the de velop m ent of fiber o p tic telecommu n ic a t io n s ne two rks. Furthe rmor e , co ntro l  s yst e ms fo r con tr o ll i ng the tuning of op ti cal fi ber s witches are n eeded.
Ina c c ordancewith th e  present inven tion,  a control system f or co ntrollin g individ u a l mirror s i n a  mi cro - e le ctro-mechanic a l  sys te m (MEMS ) b ased op tic alswi tch in g fabricis prese nt ed .An  op tical switchin gfab ri c r efers to anoptic al s wi tc h  wi th mult i pl e inpu tpo rtsand  m ultip le o u tpu t ports  that all ows an o pt ic al sign al entering t he  device on  a nyinputp o rt to be  directed to any output port. A s s uch,theoptical s wit chingfab r ic rec eivesinstr uc tio n s  from a  n ode  c ontrollera n d d irect sligh t frominput ports to ass i gne d output port s b ased o ntho s ei nst ru c tio n s .
A MEMS-basedoptical sw it c hi ng fabric, the n,  can in clude a n inp u t mirro r array r eceivingsi gnal b eam s from the  input p orts andr eflec t in g the  si gnal b ea msto an  outpu t  mi rrorarray.  T he out put m ir ror arra y receives signal beams  fromthe i npu t mirrorarr a y a nd direct s th e signal b eam s t o the  ou t put p orts .  A  pa r ticul ar s i gnal beam ,  f ore x am ple, enters t h e o ptica l s w itchin g fa bric through a fi r st input portandi s  th enr oute dby reflections  fr om a n indivi du al mirror o f the in pu t  mirr or arr ay toan indi v i du a l mirr or o f t he output  mi rr o r array .Th e  indiv idua lmirror  of th e  out p u t mirror array d irect s the p a rti cular  s ignal b e am t o its assi gned output  portin a ccord ance wi th  instr uct io ns from th e  node con troll er. Inso me e mbo diment s of t he in vent io n,signal be a m sc an  t r ave l in  both  d irec tions thr o ugh theopt i cal swi tc hin g fabric so t hat beamscan  be r e c eived by t h e ou t pu t  mirr or arr ay and  direct e d o ut  of the  sw i t ching fab ric by th e  in pu t mi rror arr ay .
In  s ome  e mbodiments, eac h of the  individ u a l mirr ors of t h e inpu tmirror array  rece iv e s light f rom  one of the  in put  por tsande ach of the individual mi rror s oft heoutpu t mir ro r arrayd irec ts light to one of the  output ports.A n i n divi dua l  m ir ror of th e i n put m irro r a rray  ca n be o rien t ed t o  d irec t ligh t
output optical_fibers to_any other mirror and_thus to_any_input/output fiber._No_internal optical diagnostics_for this switch_have been described in_publications to date.
Still_other_optical fiber switches are based on two arrays of MEMS mirrors that can be_tilted_in any_direction._Incoming_light is directed onto a_mirror in the first array_which deflects_it onto a predetermined mirror in the second_array._The mirror in_the second array, in turn, directs the lights to_the predetermined output port. In these_so-called 2N configurations,_the_position_of the mirrors has_to be controlled very precisely, to_small fractions of degrees, to provide_the desired connections.
Therefore, optical fiber switches having_a low insertion loss and that_can be finely tuned to_cross-connect large_numbers of input and output_fibers would further_the development_of fiber optic_telecommunications networks. Furthermore, control systems for_controlling the tuning_of optical fiber switches are needed.
In_accordance_with the present_invention,_a_control system_for controlling individual_mirrors_in a_micro-electro-mechanical_system (MEMS) based optical switching fabric_is_presented. An optical switching fabric refers to_an optical switch with_multiple_input ports and multiple_output ports that allows an_optical signal entering the device on_any input_port to_be directed to any output port. As such, the optical switching_fabric receives instructions from a node_controller and directs light_from input_ports_to assigned output_ports_based on_those instructions.
A MEMS-based optical switching fabric, then,_can include_an input mirror array receiving signal_beams from the input_ports_and reflecting the signal beams to_an output mirror array. The output_mirror array receives signal beams_from_the_input mirror array and directs_the signal beams to the output_ports. A particular_signal beam, for example, enters the optical_switching_fabric through a first input port_and_is then routed by reflections from_an_individual_mirror of the input mirror_array to an individual mirror of_the output mirror array. The individual mirror of the_output mirror array_directs the particular signal beam_to_its_assigned output port in accordance with instructions from the node_controller. In_some embodiments of_the invention, signal beams can travel in both directions through_the optical switching fabric so that beams_can be received by the output mirror array and directed out_of the switching fabric by the input mirror_array.
In some embodiments, each of the individual_mirrors of the input_mirror_array receives light from one of the_input_ports_and_each of the_individual mirrors of_the output mirror_array directs_light to one_of the_output ports. An_individual_mirror of the input mirror array can be oriented to direct light