MEDIA CONVERTER

• US 20070010132A1
• Filed: 05/09/2006
• Published: 01/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: II-VI Delaware, Inc. (Coherent Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Finisar Corporation (II-VI Incorporated)
• Inventors: Nelson, Stephen, Kamath, Kishore, Haile-Mariam, Atikem
• Granted Patent: US 7,331,819 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/577
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4201 Packages, e.g. shape, construction, internal or external details
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4274 Electrical aspects G02B6/4263 and G02B6/4265 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4284 of optical modules with disconnectable electrical connectors latching arms for electrical connectors H01R13/627
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6658 on printed circuit board H01R13/6666 - H01R13/6691 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/64 for high frequency, e.g. RJ 45

Abstract

Media converters for use in optical-to-electrical and electrical-to-optical conversion. A media converter includes an outer housing, an electrical plug disposed on one end of the outer housing, an optical cable disposed on an opposite end of the outer housing, and circuitry that connects to both the electrical plug and the optical cable. In this example, the circuitry receives electrical signals from the electrical plug and outputs corresponding optical signals to the optical cable. In addition, the circuitry also receives optical signals from the optical cable and outputs corresponding electrical signals to the electrical plug.

Claims

1. A media converter comprising:

an outer housing;

an electrical plug disposed on a first end of the outer housing;

an optical cable disposed on a second end of the outer housing;

an optical transmitter disposed within the housing and connected with the optical cable;

an optical receiver disposed within the housing and connected with the optical cable; and

circuitry that connects to both the electrical plug and the optical cable, the circuitry receives electrical signals from the electrical plug and outputs corresponding optical signals to the optical cable using the optical transmitter, the circuitry also receives optical signals from the optical cable and outputs corresponding electrical signals to the electrical plug using the optical receiver.

2. The media converter as recited in claim 1, wherein the electrical plug is RJ-45 compliant.

3. The media converter as recited in claim 1, wherein the circuitry receives power through the electrical plug.

4. The media converter as recited in claim 1, further comprising a power connector mounted in the housing through which power is received to power the circuitry.

5. The media converter as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the circuitry receives electrical signals from the electrical plug at gigabit speeds and outputs corresponding optical signals to the optical cable at gigabit speeds; and

the circuitry receives optical signals from the optical cable at gigabit speeds and outputs corresponding electrical signals to the electrical plug at gigabit speeds.

6. A media converter comprising:

an outer housing;

an electrical plug disposed on one end of the outer housing;

an optical port disposed in an opposite end of the outer housing; and

circuitry that connects to both the optical port and the electrical plug, the circuitry receives electrical signals from the electrical plug and outputs corresponding optical signals to the optical port, the circuitry also receives optical signals from the optical port and outputs corresponding electrical signals to the electrical plug.

7. The media converter as recited in claim 6, wherein the optical port comprises an optical receive port and an optical transmit port.

8. The media converter as recited in claim 7, wherein:

the circuitry receives electrical signals from the electrical plug and outputs corresponding optical signals to the optical transmit port; and

the circuitry receives optical signals from the optical receive port and outputs corresponding electrical signals to the electrical plug.

9. The media converter as recited in claim 6, wherein the electrical plug is RJ-45 compliant.

10. The media converter as recited in claim 6, wherein the circuitry is powered by power received through the electrical plug.

11. The media converter as recited in claim 6, further comprising a power connector through which power is received to power the circuitry.

12. The media converter as recited in claim 6, wherein:

the circuitry receives electrical signals from the electrical plug at gigabit speeds, converts a first format of the electrical signals to a second format and outputs corresponding optical signals to the optical port at gigabit speeds; and

the circuitry receives optical signals from the optical port at gigabit speeds, converts the second format of the optical signals to the first format, and outputs corresponding electrical signals to the electrical plug at gigabit speeds.

13. A media converter comprising:

an outer housing having a form factor configured to be at least partially disposed within a wall outlet box;

an optical port disposed in the outer housing;

a corresponding electrical jack disposed in the outer housing; and

circuitry that connects to both the optical port and the electrical jack, the circuitry receives electrical signals from the electrical jack and outputs corresponding optical signals to the optical port, the circuitry also receives optical signals from the optical port and outputs corresponding electrical signals to the electrical jack.

14. The media converter as recited in claim 13, further comprising a means for securing the outer housing to a wall outlet box.

15. The media converter as recited in claim 13, wherein the optical port comprises an optical receive port and an optical transmit port.

16. The media converter as recited in claim 15, wherein:

the circuitry receives electrical signals from the electrical jack and outputs corresponding optical signals to the optical transmit port; and

the circuitry receives optical signals from the optical receive port and outputs corresponding electrical signals to the electrical jack.

17. The media converter as recited in claim 13, wherein the electrical jack is RJ-45 compliant.

18. The media converter as recited in claim 13, wherein the circuitry is powered by power received through the electrical plug.

19. The media converter as recited in claim 13, further comprising a power connector through which power is received to power the circuitry.

20. The media converter as recited in claim 13, wherein:

the circuitry receives electrical signals from the electrical jack at gigabit speeds and outputs corresponding optical signals to the optical port at gigabit speeds; and

the circuitry receives optical signals from the optical port at gigabit speeds and outputs corresponding electrical signals to the electrical jack at gigabit speeds.

21. The media converter as recited in claim 13, wherein the electrical jack is disposed in a side of the outer housing that is visible and the optical port is disposed in a side of the outer housing that is not visible when the outer housing is at least partially disposed within a wall outlet box.

22. The media converter as recited in claim 13, wherein the optical port is disposed in a side of the outer housing that is visible and the electrical jack is disposed in a side of the outer housing that is not visible when the outer housing is at least partially disposed within a wall outlet box.

23. The media converter as recited in claim 13, wherein both the electrical jack and the optical port are disposed in a side of the outer housing that is visible when the outer housing is at least partially disposed within a wall outlet box.

24. The media converter as recited in claim 13, further comprising a means for visually ascertaining whether the media converter is connected to a power supply.

25. The media converter as recited in claim 13, further comprising a means for visually ascertaining whether data is being transmitted or received through one of the electrical jack or the optical port.

26. The media converter as recited in claim 13, wherein the circuitry further comprises:

a first printed circuit board connected with the electrical jack, the first printed circuit board having a first connector; and

a second printed circuit board connected with the optical port, the second printed circuit board having a second connector that connects with the first connector to place the optical port in communication with the electrical jack.

27. The media converter as recited in claim 26, wherein circuitry further processes the electrical signals which have a first format that comply with an electrical standard to a format that complies with an optical standard. 28. The media converter as recited in claim 27, further comprises indicators that identify one or more of transmission direction or power supplied to the optical port through the electrical jack.