Integrated optical channel
First Claim
1. An apparatus for transmitting an optical signal between a source and a destination, the apparatus having:
- a body providing;
at least one first optical channel which is adapted for positioning in a space between a first end and a second end, such that in order for an optical signal beam to pass between the first end and the second end the optical signal beam must pass through the first optical channel;
the first optical channel having a first optical axis extending in a straight line between the first end and the second end;
the first end being in optical communication with one of the source and the destination;
the second end being in optical communication with the other of the source and the destination;
the optical channel having an N-fold first plurality of lenses comprising a first lens, a second lens and an (N−
2)-fold plurality of third lenses, the first lens being situated toward the first end of the first optical channel and spaced from the first distal end of the one of the source and the destination, the second lens being situated toward the second end of the first optical channel and spaced from the second distal end of the other of the source and the destination, and the third lenses being situated between the first lens and the second lens;
the lenses being axially situated at intervals along the first optical axis, so that the optical signal beam emitted from the first distal end of the source is repeatedly refocused along the first optical axis toward the destination, and is focused at the second distal end of the destination;
thereby providing for optical communication between the source and the destination along the first optical channel.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method that provides for improved optical communication between at least one source and at least one destination, with reduced loss of power and superior retention of the quality of a signal when compared with the prior art. The apparatus has a body having at least one integrated optical channel along which a light signal is transmitted via an N-fold plurality of lenses. A light signal transmitted along the integrated optical channel is repeatedly refocused along the optical axis and is then highly focused at the second end. Optionally, the light signal can be switched, attenuated, filtered, tapped or monitored by positioning appropriate optical devices between the lenses.
-
Citations
40 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for transmitting an optical signal between a source and a destination, the apparatus having:
a body providing;
at least one first optical channel which is adapted for positioning in a space between a first end and a second end, such that in order for an optical signal beam to pass between the first end and the second end the optical signal beam must pass through the first optical channel;
the first optical channel having a first optical axis extending in a straight line between the first end and the second end;
the first end being in optical communication with one of the source and the destination;
the second end being in optical communication with the other of the source and the destination;
the optical channel having an N-fold first plurality of lenses comprising a first lens, a second lens and an (N−
2)-fold plurality of third lenses,the first lens being situated toward the first end of the first optical channel and spaced from the first distal end of the one of the source and the destination, the second lens being situated toward the second end of the first optical channel and spaced from the second distal end of the other of the source and the destination, and the third lenses being situated between the first lens and the second lens;
the lenses being axially situated at intervals along the first optical axis, so that the optical signal beam emitted from the first distal end of the source is repeatedly refocused along the first optical axis toward the destination, and is focused at the second distal end of the destination;
thereby providing for optical communication between the source and the destination along the first optical channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
17. An apparatus for transmitting an optical signal from a source to a destination, the apparatus having:
-
a body providing;
at least one first optical channel which is adapted for positioning in a space between a first end and a second end, such that in order for an optical signal beam to pass between the first end and the second end the optical signal beam must pass through the first optical channel;
the first end being in optical communication with one of the source and the destination;
the second end being in optical communication with the other of the source and the destination;
the optical channel having an N-fold first plurality of lenses comprising a first lens, a second lens and an (N−
2)-fold plurality of third lenses, where N is an integer at least 2,the first lens being situated toward the first end of the first optical channel and spaced from the first distal end of the one of the source and the destination, the second lens being situated toward the second end of the first optical channel and spaced from the second distal end of the other of the source and the destination, and the third lenses being situated between the first lens and the second lens;
the lenses being axially situated at intervals along a straight line defining a first optical axis extending between the first end and the second end, so that the optical signal beam emitted from the first distal end of the source is repeatedly refocused along the first optical axis toward the destination, and is focused at the second distal end of the destination, the lenses being selected from light focusing elements including ball lenses, thin lenses, GRIN lenses, and composite lenses, the lenses having closely similar focal lengths, and each lens is spaced from a neighbouring lens along the first optical axis by a first length that is closely similar for each pair of neighbouring lenses, the first lens is spaced from the first distal end of the source by a second length that is approximately one-half of the first length, and the second lens is spaced from the second distal end also by the second length, the lenses being spaced from neighbouring lenses by a length that is not greater than four times the focal length of each of the lenses;
thereby providing for optical communication between the source and the destination along the first optical channel, the apparatus being adapted so that the first optical channel operates in one of;
a unidirectional manner, in which the source must be at the first end and the destination must be at the second end of the first optical channel;
a reversible unidirectional manner, in which the source is selectively at one of the first end and the second end and the destination is at the other of the first end and the second end of the first optical channel; and
a bi-directional manner in which there is a source and a destination at both of the first end and the second end of the first optical channel. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
-
-
20. An apparatus for transmitting an optical signal from a source to a destination, the apparatus having:
-
a body providing;
at least one first optical channel which is adapted for positioning in a space between a first end and a second end, such that in order for an optical signal beam to pass between the first end and the second end the optical signal beam must pass through the first optical channel;
the first end being in optical communication with one of the source and the destination;
the second end being in optical communication with the other of the source and the destination;
the optical channel having an N-fold first plurality of lenses comprising a first lens, a second lens and an (N−
2)-fold plurality of third lenses, where N is an integer at least 2,the first lens being situated toward the first end of the first optical channel and spaced from the first distal end of the one of the source and the destination, the second lens being situated toward the second end of the first optical channel and spaced from the second distal end of the other of the source and the destination, and the third lenses being situated between the first lens and the second lens;
the lenses being axially situated at intervals along a straight line defining a first optical axis extending between the first end and the second end, so that the optical signal beam emitted from the first distal end of the source is repeatedly refocused along the first optical axis toward the destination, and is focused at the second distal end of the destination, the lenses being selected from light focusing elements including ball lenses, thin lenses, GRIN lenses, and composite lenses, the lenses having closely similar focal lengths and lenses are spaced from neighbouring lenses by a regular pattern of spacings along the first optical axis so that successive lens are spaced from preceding lenses by a regular pattern of long spacings and short spacings, and the first lens being spaced from the first distal end of the source by a second length that is not larger than twice the focal length of each lens and the second lens being spaced from the destination also by said second length;
thereby providing for optical communication between the source and the destination along the first optical channel, the apparatus being adapted so that the first optical channel operates in one of;
a unidirectional manner, in which the source must be at the first end and the destination must be at the second end of the first optical channel;
a reversible unidirectional manner, in which the source is selectively at one of the first end and the second end and the destination is at the other of the first end and the second end of the first optical channel; and
a bi-directional manner in which there is a source and a destination at both of the first end and the second end of the first optical channel. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
-
-
23. An apparatus for transmitting an optical signal from a source to a destination, the apparatus having:
-
a body providing;
at least one first optical channel which is adapted for positioning in a space between a first end and a second end, such that in order for an optical signal beam to pass between the first end and the second end the optical signal beam must pass through the first optical channel;
the first end being in optical communication with one of the source and the destination;
the second end being in optical communication with the other of the source and the destination;
the optical channel having an N-fold first plurality of lenses comprising a first lens, a second lens and an (N−
2)-fold plurality of third lenses, where N is an integer at least 2,the first lens being situated toward the first end of the first optical channel and spaced from the first distal end of the one of the source and the destination, the second lens being situated toward the second end of the first optical channel and spaced from the second distal end of the other of the source and the destination, and the third lenses being situated between the first lens and the second lens;
the lenses being axially situated at intervals along a straight line defining a first optical axis extending between the first end and the second end, so that the optical signal beam emitted from the first distal end of the source is repeatedly refocused along the first optical axis toward the destination, and is focused at the second distal end of the destination, the lenses being selected from light focusing elements including ball lenses, thin lenses, GRIN lenses, and composite lenses, the lenses comprising at least two sets of lenses, each lens in a set of lenses having substantially the same focal length, the first set of lenses including the first lens and the second lens, the (N−
2)-fold plurality of third lenses including at least a second set of lenses,each lens in the second set of lenses having a focal length longer than the focal length of each lens in the first set of lenses, the lenses being spaced from each other in a regular pattern along the first optical axis, the first lens being spaced from the first distal end of the source by a second length that is not greater than twice the focal length of the first lens, and the second lens being spaced from the second distal end by a similar second length, the spacing between neighbouring lenses each of which is a member of the second set of lenses being greater than a spacing between a lens from the first set of lenses and a neighbouring lens that is from the second set of lenses, so that a light signal emitted from the first distal end of the source is continuously refocused by the succession of lenses and is focused at the second distal end of the destination;
thereby providing for optical communication between the source and the destination along the first optical channel, the apparatus being adapted so that the first optical channel operates in one of;
a unidirectional manner, in which the source must be at the first end and the destination must be at the second end of the first optical channel;
a reversible unidirectional manner, in which the source is selectively at one of the first end and the second end and the destination is at the other of the first end and the second end of the first optical channel; and
a bi-directional manner in which there is a source and a destination at both of the first end and the second end of the first optical channel. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
-
-
26. A method for transmitting an optical signal from a source to a destination, comprising:
-
providing an apparatus having;
a body providing;
at least one first optical channel which is adapted for positioning in a space between a first end and a second end, such that in order for an optical signal beam to pass between the first end and the second end the optical signal beam must pass through the first optical channel;
a source having a first distal end of a first optical fiber situated at the first end of the first optical channel, the source being in optical communication with the first end, and a destination having a second distal end of a second optical fiber situated at the second end of the first optical channel, the destination being in optical communication with the second end; and
the first optical channel having an N-fold first plurality of lenses comprising a first lens, a second lens and an (N−
2)-fold plurality of third lenses,the first lens being situated toward the first end of the first optical channel and spaced from the first distal end of the source, the second lens being situated toward the second end of the first optical channel and spaced from the second distal end of the destination, and the third lenses being spaced at intervals between the first lens and the second lens;
the lenses being selected from light focusing elements including ball lenses, thin lenses, GRIN lenses, and composite lenses, the lenses being axially situated at intervals along a straight line defining a first optical axis extending between the first end of the first optical fiber and the second end of the second optical fiber, so that the optical signal beam emitted from the first end of the first optical fiber is regularly and repeatedly re-focused along the first optical axis, and, when the first optical channel is operated in the reverse direction, an optical signal beam emitted from a source at the second end similarly is repeatedly re-focused in the opposite direction along the first optical axis, so that a light signal emitted from the first distal end of the source is continuously refocused by the succession of lenses and is focused at the second distal end of the destination;
a first lens being situated toward the source and spaced by a second length from the first distal end of the first optical fiber, a second lens being situated toward the destination and spaced by the second length from the second distal end of the second optical fiber, the second length being approximately one-half of the first length;
emitting a light signal from the first distal end of the first optical fiber that is continuously refocused by the succession of lenses and is focused at the second distal end of the second optical fiber, thereby providing for transmission of said light signal from the source to the second communication channel;
the apparatus being adapted so that the first optical channel operates in one of;
a unidirectional manner, in which the source must be at the first end and the destination must be at the second end of the first optical channel;
a reversible unidirectional manner, in which the source is selectively at one of the first end and the second end and the destination is at the other of the first end and the second end of the first optical channel; and
a bi-directional manner in which there is a source and a destination at both of the first end and the second end of the first optical channel. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
-
Specification