Directing Optical Channels Using a Reflective Device

Abstract

A device for directing one or more optical channels includes one or more micromirror elements. A micromirror element has a mirror and a mirror controller. The mirror is operable to reflect light at a first interaction area to yield a first passband for an optical channel, and to reflect light at a second interaction area to yield a second passband for the optical channel. The mirror controller operates to position the mirror at a first position at which light interacts with the first interaction area to yield the first passband, and to position the mirror at a second position at which light interacts with the second interaction area to yield the second passband.

1 - 9 . (canceled)  
   
   
       10 . A method for directing one or more optical channels, comprising: 
 reflecting light from one or more micromirror elements, each micromirror element associated with an optical channel, each micromirror element comprising a mirror operable to: 
 reflect light at a first interaction area of the mirror to direct an associated optical channel, the first interaction area having a first width operable to yield a first passband for the optical channel; and  
 reflect light at a second interaction area of the mirror to direct the optical channel, the second interaction area having a second width operable to yield a second passband for the optical channel, the second passband different from the first passband;  
   positioning a particular mirror of a particular micromirror element at a first position at which light interacts with the first interaction area of the particular mirror, the particular mirror positioned using a mirror controller; and    positioning the particular mirror at a second position at which light interacts with the second interaction area of the particular mirror.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein each mirror of the one or more micromirror elements has a substantially isosceles triangular shape having a height and a base, the height being approximately more than five times longer than the base.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein: 
 the one or more micromirror elements further comprise a first micromirror element and a second micromirror element, the first micromirror element comprising a first mirror and a first mirror controller, the second micromirror element comprising a second mirror and a second mirror controller; and    the method further comprises: 
 translating the first mirror along a first direction from the first position to the second position; and  
 translating the second mirror along a second direction from the first position to the second position, the second direction substantially parallel to the first direction.  
   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more micromirror elements further comprise a plurality of rows, each row comprising a plurality of micromirror elements.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 reflecting light from a first layer comprising the one or more micromirror elements; and    reflecting light from a second layer comprising a plurality of second layer micromirror elements, light interacting with the first layer prior to interacting with the second layer.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 reflecting light from a first layer comprising the one or more micromirror elements, a micromirror element of the first layer comprising a mirror having a substantially triangular shape; and    reflecting light from a second layer comprising a plurality of second layer micromirror elements, a second layer micromirror element comprising a mirror having a substantially rectangular shape, light interacting with the first layer prior to interacting with the second layer.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 reflecting light from a first layer comprising the one or more micromirror elements;    reflecting light from a second layer comprising a plurality of second layer micromirror elements, a second layer micromirror element comprising a mirror having a third interaction area and a fourth interaction area, light interacting with the first layer prior to interacting with the second layer; and    translating the particular mirror of the particular micromirror element of the one or more micromirror elements from the first position to the second position, the translation directing the light from the third interaction area to the fourth interaction area.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 positioning the particular mirror at a first port selection angle to direct the optical channel to a first port; and    rotating the particular mirror about a port selection axis to a second port selection angle to direct the optical channel to a second port.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 positioning the particular mirror at a first attenuation angle to yield reflected light having a first power; and    rotating the particular mirror about an attenuation axis to a second attenuation angle to yield reflected light having a second power.    
   
   
       19 - 20 . (canceled)