Optical circulator for bi-directional communication
First Claim
1. An optical circulator that accomplishes bi-directional communication for use in a fiber optic communications network, the optical circulator comprising:
- an optically non-reciprocal core through which passes a transmit signal in a transmit direction and a receive signal in a receive direction;
an input port optically communicating with the core and only delivering the transmit signal, with a well maintained state of polarization, to the core in the transmit direction;
an output port optically communicating with the core and only receiving the receive signal from the core in the receive direction; and
a network port optically communicating with the core and receiving the transmit signal in the transmit direction and receiving the receive signal in the receive direction;
wherein, the transmit signal input to the core at the input port is delivered to the network port, and the receive signal input to the core from the network port is output to the output port.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A low-cost circulator used in fiber optic networks to accomplish bi-directional communication along a single fiber optic cable. The circulator has three ports, namely an input port, an output port and a bi-directional network port. The circulator core is constructed such that when light with a specific polarization is input into the input port, it is bent into the bi-directional network port where it can be propagated to the fiber optic network. Light input from the bi-directional network port can be any state of polarization, and it passes through the circulator core to the output port.
31 Citations
28 Claims
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1. An optical circulator that accomplishes bi-directional communication for use in a fiber optic communications network, the optical circulator comprising:
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an optically non-reciprocal core through which passes a transmit signal in a transmit direction and a receive signal in a receive direction;
an input port optically communicating with the core and only delivering the transmit signal, with a well maintained state of polarization, to the core in the transmit direction;
an output port optically communicating with the core and only receiving the receive signal from the core in the receive direction; and
a network port optically communicating with the core and receiving the transmit signal in the transmit direction and receiving the receive signal in the receive direction;
wherein, the transmit signal input to the core at the input port is delivered to the network port, and the receive signal input to the core from the network port is output to the output port. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An optical circulator that accomplishes bi-directional communication for use in a fiber optic communications network, the optical circulator comprising:
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an optically non-reciprocal core through which passes a transmit signal in a transmit direction and a receive signal in a receive direction, the core having a first end and a second end disposed from the first end;
an input port optically communicating with the core and only delivering the transmit signal, with a well maintained state of polarization, to the core in the transmit direction;
a first lens optically coupled to the input port and the core;
an output port optically communicating with the core and only receiving the receive signal from the core in the receive direction;
a second lens optically coupled to the output port and the core;
a network port optically communicating with the core and receiving the transmit signal in the transmit direction and receiving the receive signal in the receive direction; and
a third lens optically coupled to the network port and the core;
wherein, the transmit signal input to the core at the input port is delivered to the network port, and the receive signal input to the core from the network port is output to the output port. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification