POWER OVER OPTICAL FIBER SYSTEM
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A power over optical fiber system comprising:
- a first transmit unit comprising one or more lasers, an optical receiver, and a transmit control element, wherein the transmit control element controls the output of the one or more lasers and the transmit control element is coupled to the optical receiver to receive a feedback control signal from the optical receiver;
a first receive unit comprising one or more photovoltaic receivers, a voltage output connection, an optical transmitter, and a receive control element, wherein the receive control element is configured to enable current to be directed from the one or more photovoltaic receivers to the voltage output connection and wherein the photovoltaic receivers and the optical transmitter are configured to be connected to the one or more lasers and optical receiver via optical fiber and wherein the receive control element sends an energy received control signal to the optical transmitter when the one or more photovoltaic receivers receive optical laser energy, andwherein the optical transmitter outputs an optical signal when the energy received control signal is generated and the optical receiver is configured to receive the optical signal from the optical transmitter and generate the feedback control signal when the optical signal is received, andwhereby laser power output by the first transmit unit is converted to electrical energy by the one or more photovoltaic receivers and the electrical energy is output at the voltage output connection of the receive unit.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for providing power to remote equipment where a transmit unit having lasers transmits laser light over optical fiber to a receive unit having photovoltaic receivers. The photovoltaic receivers convert the laser light to electrical energy for the remote equipment. The receive unit also sends a feedback signal to the transmit unit which the transmit unit uses to determine whether the lasers should be enabled for full power.
-
Citations
35 Claims
-
1. A power over optical fiber system comprising:
-
a first transmit unit comprising one or more lasers, an optical receiver, and a transmit control element, wherein the transmit control element controls the output of the one or more lasers and the transmit control element is coupled to the optical receiver to receive a feedback control signal from the optical receiver; a first receive unit comprising one or more photovoltaic receivers, a voltage output connection, an optical transmitter, and a receive control element, wherein the receive control element is configured to enable current to be directed from the one or more photovoltaic receivers to the voltage output connection and wherein the photovoltaic receivers and the optical transmitter are configured to be connected to the one or more lasers and optical receiver via optical fiber and wherein the receive control element sends an energy received control signal to the optical transmitter when the one or more photovoltaic receivers receive optical laser energy, and wherein the optical transmitter outputs an optical signal when the energy received control signal is generated and the optical receiver is configured to receive the optical signal from the optical transmitter and generate the feedback control signal when the optical signal is received, and whereby laser power output by the first transmit unit is converted to electrical energy by the one or more photovoltaic receivers and the electrical energy is output at the voltage output connection of the receive unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A transmit unit for a power over optical fiber system, the transmit unit comprising:
-
one or more lasers, wherein the one or more lasers are configured to transmit optical laser energy into optical fiber; an optical receiver configured to receive an optical signal from optical fiber; and
,a transmit control element, wherein the transmit control element controls the output of the one or more lasers and the transmit control element is coupled to the optical receiver to receive a feedback control signal from the optical receiver, whereby the transmit unit controllably transfers optical laser energy from the one or more lasers to a receive unit for conversion into electrical energy. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A receive unit for a power over optical fiber system, the receive unit comprising:
-
one or more photovoltaic receivers configured to receive optical laser energy from optical fiber; a voltage output connection; an optical transmitter configured to send an optical signal into optical fiber; and
,a receive control element, wherein the receive control element is configured to enable current to be directed from the one or more photovoltaic receivers to the voltage output connection and wherein the receive control element sends an energy received control signal to the optical transmitter when the one or more photovoltaic receivers receive optical laser energy, whereby the receive unit controllably converts optical laser energy sent from a transmit unit to electrical energy for output at the voltage output connection. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A method for transmitting electrical power over optical fiber comprising:
-
transmitting optical laser energy at a first power level from a transmit unit over one or more optical fibers to a receive unit said power level being sufficient to supply power to operate a microprocessor to generate a feedback signal; transmitting a feedback signal over optical fiber from the receive unit to the transmit unit on or after receipt of the optical laser energy at the first power level at the receive unit; in response to the feedback signal received by the transmit unit, transmitting optical laser energy at a second power level over the one or more optical fibers from the transmit unit to the receive unit on or after the receipt of the feedback signal at the transmit unit, wherein the second power level is greater than the first power level; and converting the optical laser energy at the second power level received at the receive unit to electrical energy. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
-
-
22. The method according to claim 22 further comprising:
-
monitoring the feedback signal for the presence or absence of the feedback signal; and terminating transmitting of the optical laser energy at the second power level transmitting optical laser energy at the first power level upon detection of the absence of the feedback signal. - View Dependent Claims (28)
-
-
29. A method for transmitting optical laser energy for conversion to electrical energy:
-
transmitting optical laser energy at a first power level over optical fibers; receiving a feedback signal over optical fiber after the transmission of optical laser energy at the first power level; and transmitting optical laser energy at a second power level over the optical fibers on or after the receipt of the feedback signal, wherein the second power level is greater than the first power level. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
-
-
33. A method for receiving optical laser energy for conversion to electrical energy:
-
receiving optical laser energy at a first power level from one or more optical fibers; transmitting a feedback signal over a feedback optical fiber upon receipt of the optical laser energy at the first power level; receiving laser optical laser energy at a second power level from the one or more optical fibers, wherein the second power level is higher than the first power level; and converting the optical laser energy at the second power level to electrical energy. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
-
Specification