Consumer electronics with optical communication interface

• US 20060077778A1
• Filed: 08/05/2005
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: II-VI Delaware, Inc. (Coherent Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Finisar Corporation (II-VI Incorporated)
• Inventors: Guenter, James K., Tatum, Jimmy A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,706,692 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 369/44.110
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4204 the coupling comprising intermediate optical elements, e.g. lenses, holograms encapsulated active devices H01S5/02208, H01L33/52
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4246 Bidirectionally operating package structures

Abstract

Digital electronic devices for optical communication of digital video and/or audio signals between a digital source device and a digital sink device. A digital source device includes a transition minimized differential signaling (TMDS) transmitter for receiving control and digital video signals from a source controller and for converting the control and digital video signals into electric TMDS signals. An interface receives a first end of an optical fiber. An optical transmitter converts the electric TMDS signals to at least one optical signal and transmits the at least one optical signal to the first end of the optical fiber. A digital sink device receives the at least one optical signal from a second end of the optical fiber and converts the optical signal into TMDS signals. A TMDS receiver converts the TMDS signals into control and digital video signals and transmits the control and digital video signals to the sink controller.

Claims

1. A digital source device comprising:

a source controller;

a transition minimized differential signaling (TMDS) transmitter coupled to the source controller for receiving control and digital video signals from the source controller and for converting the control and digital video signals into electric TMDS signals;

an interface configured to receive a first end of an optical fiber;

an optical transmitter for receiving the electronic TMDS signals, converting the electric TMDS signals into at least one optical signal, and for transmitting the at least one optical signal to the first end of the optical fiber.

2. A digital source device according to claim 1, wherein the TMDS transmitter further receives a digital audio signal from the source controller and converts the digital audio signal into at least one of the electric TMDS signals.

3. A digital source device according to claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry configured to serialize the electrical TNMS signals received from the TDMS transmitter into an electrical serialized signal, wherein the optical transmitter receives the electrical serialized signal and converts the electrical serialized TDMS signal into the optical signal.

4. A digital source device according to claim 1, wherein the digital source device further comprises:

a wavelength division multiplexer (WDM) and/or a time division multiplexer (TDM).

5. A digital source device according to claim 1, wherein the digital source device further comprises:

a VCSEL;

a monitor optical receiver for monitoring the output of the VCSEL;

a modulation laser driver configured to modulate a bias drive current supplied to the VCSEL; and

a TO-Can package encasing the VCSEL, the monitor optical receiver, and the modulation laser driver.

6. A digital source device according to claim 1, wherein the digital source device is further configured to receive a first end of an electrical cable or a first end of a second optical fiber for receiving a return signal.

7. A digital source device according to claim 1, wherein the digital source device is configured to both transmit the at least one optical signal to the first end of the optical fiber and also configured to receive at least one optical signal from the first end of the optical fiber;

and

wherein the digital source device is configured for bidirectional optical communication with a digital sink device across the optical fiber.

8. A digital source device according to claim 7, wherein the digital source device comprises means for transmitting and receiving optical signals.

9. A digital source device according to claim 8, wherein the transmitting and receiving means comprises an optoelectronic device for detecting an incoming light beam along a light beam axis and for transmitting an outgoing light beam along the light beam axis, the optoelectronic device comprising:

an optical detector positioned along the light beam axis for receiving the incoming light beam and for detecting a first wavelength and/or range of wavelengths; and

the optical transmitter positioned along the light beam axis for transmitting the outgoing light beam, wherein the outgoing light beam includes a second wavelength and/or range of wavelengths.

10. A digital source device according to claim 8, wherein the transmitting and receiving means comprises an optoelectronic device comprising:

transmitter diode comprising a first PN junction with a first p layer and first n layer;

a first tunnel junction coupled monolithically to the transmitter diode, the tunnel junction comprising a heavily doped n+ layer and a heavily doped p+ layer; and

a first photodiode coupled monolithically to the first tunnel junction, the first tunnel junction comprising a second PN junction.

11. A digital source device according to claim 8, wherein the transmitting and receiving means comprises a bidirectional optical device comprising:

an optical port;

a wavelength splitter proximate to the optical port;

a light source proximate to the wavelength splitter; and

a detector proximate to the wavelength splitter; and

wherein;

the wavelength splitter passes light having a first wavelength from the light source to the optical port; and

the wavelength splitter reflects light having a second wavelength from the optical port to the detector.

12. A digital sink device comprising:

a sink controller;

an interface configured to receive an end of an optical fiber;

an optical receiver for receiving an optical signal from the first end of the optical fiber and for converting the optical signal into at least one transition minimized differential signaling (TMDS) signal; and

a TMDS receiver coupled to the sink controller for receiving the TMDS signals from the optical receiver, converting the TMDS signals into control and digital video signals, and for transmitting the control and digital video signals to the sink controller.

13. A digital sink device according to claim 12, wherein the TMDS receiver also converts the TMDS signals into at least one digital audio signal and transmits the at least one digital audio signal to the sink controller.

14. A digital sink device according to claim 12, wherein the digital sink device further comprises:

a wavelength division demultiplexer (WDD) and/or a time division demultiplexer (TDD).

15. A digital sink device according to claim 12, wherein the digital sink device further comprises a light emitting diode (LED) for transmitting a second optical signal onto the optical fiber in a direction opposite to that in which the digital sink device receives the received optical signal.

16. A digital sink device according to claim 12, wherein the digital sink device further comprises:

a VCSEL for transmitting a second optical signal onto the optical fiber in a direction opposite to that in which the digital sink device receives the optical signal;

a monitor optical receiver for monitoring the output of the VCSEL;

a modulation laser driver configured to modulate a bias drive current supplied to the VCSEL; and

a TO-Can package encasing the VCSEL, the monitor optical receiver, and the modulation laser driver.

17. A digital sink device according to claim 12, wherein the interface also receives an electrical cable or a second optical fiber for transmitting a return signal from the digital sink device to a digital source device.

18. A digital sink device according to claim 12, wherein the digital sink is configured to both receive the optical signal from the end of the optical fiber and also configured to transmit a return optical signal to the end of the optical fiber;

and

wherein the digital sink device is configured for bidirectional optical communication with a digital source device across the optical fiber.

19. A digital sink device according to claim 18, wherein the digital sink device comprises means for transmitting and receiving optical signals.

20. A digital sink device according to claim 19, wherein the transmitting and receiving means comprises an optoelectronic device for detecting an incoming light beam along a light beam axis and for transmitting an outgoing light beam along the light beam axis, the optoelectronic device comprising:

an optical detector positioned along the light beam axis for receiving the incoming light beam and for detecting a first wavelength and/or range of wavelengths; and

the optical transmitter positioned along the light beam axis for transmitting the outgoing light beam, wherein the outgoing light beam includes a second wavelength and/or range of wavelengths.

21. A digital sink device according to claim 19, wherein the transmitting and receiving means comprises an optoelectronic device comprising:

a transmitter diode comprising a first PN junction with a first p layer and a first n layer;

a first tunnel junction coupled monolithically to the transmitter diode, the tunnel junction comprising a heavily doped n+ layer and a heavily doped p+ layer; and

a first photodiode coupled monolithically to the first tunnel junction, the first tunnel junction comprising a second PN junction.

22. A digital sink device according to claim 19, wherein the transmitting and receiving means comprises a bidirectional optical device comprising:

an optical port;

a wavelength splitter proximate to the optical port;

a light source proximate to the wavelength splitter; and

a detector proximate to the wavelength splitter; and

wherein;

the wavelength splitter passes light having a first wavelength from the light source to the optical port; and

the wavelength splitter reflects light having a second wavelength from the optical port to the detector.

23. A method for communication between a digital source device and a digital sink device, the method comprising the following acts:

receiving electrical transition minimized differential signaling (“

TMDS”

) signals from a TMDS transmitter within the digital source device;

converting the TMDS signals into at least one optical signal within the digital source device;

transmitting the at least one optical signal to a first end of an optical fiber coupled to an interface of the digital source device;

receiving the optical signals from a second end of the optical fiber by a digital sink device coupled to a second end of the optical fiber;

converting the at least one optical signal into electrical TMDS signals within the digital sink device; and

transmitting the electrical TDMS signals to a sink controller.

24. The method according to claim 23, further comprising the following acts:

serializing the electrical TMDS signals into an electrical serialized signal within the digital source device; and

deserializing the electrical serialized signal into electrical TDMS signals within the digital sink device.

25. The method according to claim 23, further comprising the following acts:

transmitting a return optical signal in a second direction across the optical fiber, the second direction being opposite to the first direction.