Active optical cable with electrical connector
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An integrated cable comprising:
- a first optical fiber within the integrated cable;
a first opto-electrical transducer within the integrated cable and coupled to a first end of the first optical fiber such that when a first optical signal is present on the first optical fiber, the first opto-electrical transducer receives the first optical signal and converts the first optical signal into a first electrical signal; and
a first electrical connector integrated with the integrated cable and coupled to the first opto-electrical transducer such that when the first optical signal is received by the first opto-electrical transducer, the first electrical connector receives the first electrical signal, wherein the first electrical connector is sized to connect with a first electrical port external to the cable such that when connected to the first electrical port and when the first electrical signal is present on the first electrical connector, the first electrical signal is provided to the first electrical port, wherein the first electrical connector further includes one or more connections for a low speed serial data interface.
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Abstract
An active cable that communicates over much of its length using one or more optical fibers, but which includes at integrated electrical connector at least one of its ends. The cable may be an electrical to optical cable, and electrical to electrical cable, or one of many other potential configurations.
184 Citations
33 Claims
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1. An integrated cable comprising:
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a first optical fiber within the integrated cable;
a first opto-electrical transducer within the integrated cable and coupled to a first end of the first optical fiber such that when a first optical signal is present on the first optical fiber, the first opto-electrical transducer receives the first optical signal and converts the first optical signal into a first electrical signal; and
a first electrical connector integrated with the integrated cable and coupled to the first opto-electrical transducer such that when the first optical signal is received by the first opto-electrical transducer, the first electrical connector receives the first electrical signal, wherein the first electrical connector is sized to connect with a first electrical port external to the cable such that when connected to the first electrical port and when the first electrical signal is present on the first electrical connector, the first electrical signal is provided to the first electrical port, wherein the first electrical connector further includes one or more connections for a low speed serial data interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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10. (canceled)
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27. An integrated cable comprising:
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a first electro-optical transducer within the integrated cable and coupled to a first electrical connector such that when a first electrical signal is applied to the first electrical connector, the first electro-optical transducer receives the first electrical signal and converts the first electrical signal into a first optical signal;
a first optical fiber within the integrated cable and coupled to the first electro-optical transducer such that when the first electrical signal is present on the first electrical connector, the first optical fiber receives the first optical signal from the first electro-optical transducer at a first end of the first optical fiber, and nonvolatile memory disposed in the first electrical connector. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An integrated cable comprising:
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a first optical fiber within the integrated cable;
a first opto-electrical transducer within the integrated cable and coupled to a first end of the first optical fiber such that when a first optical signal is present on the first optical fiber, the first opto-electrical transducer receives the first optical signal and converts the first optical signal into a first electrical signal;
a first electrical connector integrated with the integrated cable and coupled to the first opto-electrical transducer such that when the first optical signal is received by the first opto-electrical transducer, the first electrical connector receives the first electrical signal, wherein the first electrical connector is sized to connect with a first electrical port external to the cable such that when connected to the first electrical port and when the first electrical signal is present on the first electrical connector, the first electrical signal is provided to the first electrical port; and
at least one electrical conductor spanning the length of the integrated cable, wherein the at least one electrical conductor is configured to transmit low speed serial data from one end of the integrated cable to the other end of the integrated cable.
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Specification