LOW-PROFILE OPTICAL COMMUNICATIONS MODULE HAVING TWO GENERALLY FLAT OPTICAL CONNECTOR MODULES THAT SLIDINGLY ENGAGE ONE ANOTHER
First Claim
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1. A low-profile optical communications module comprising:
- a low-profile first optical connector module having generally planar upper and lower surfaces and at least one optical waveguide channel formed therein, each optical waveguide channel having a first end a second end and extending in directions that are generally parallel to the generally planar upper and lower surfaces;
a low-profile second optical connector module having generally planar upper and lower surfaces and at least one optical waveguide channel formed therein, each optical waveguide channel of the second low-profile optical connector module having a first end a second end and extending in directions that are generally parallel to the generally planar upper and lower surfaces of the second optical connector module, the first and second optical connector modules being in sliding engagement with each other such that the optical connector modules are movable into a fully engaged position by a sliding action of one or both of the optical connector modules in a direction that is generally parallel to the planar upper and lower surfaces of the connector modules;
a first optical coupling system disposed in the first optical connector module, the first optical coupling system receiving light propagating out of the second end of said at least one optical waveguide channel and directing the light in a direction toward the generally planar upper surface of the second optical connector module; and
a second optical coupling system disposed in the second optical connector module, wherein when the first and second optical connector modules are in the fully engaged position, the second optical coupling system receives light directed by the first optical coupling system toward the generally planar upper surface of the second optical connector module and directs the received light into the second end of said at least one optical waveguide channel formed in the second optical connector module.
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Abstract
A low-profile optical communications module is provided that has two generally flat optical connector modules that slidingly engage one another to allow optical signals to be coupled between the optical connector modules. Because of the generally flat shapes of the optical connector modules and the manner in which they slidingly engage on another, the optical communications module has a very low profile that makes it well suited for use in thin devices, such as laptop and notebook computers and other electronics devices.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A low-profile optical communications module comprising:
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a low-profile first optical connector module having generally planar upper and lower surfaces and at least one optical waveguide channel formed therein, each optical waveguide channel having a first end a second end and extending in directions that are generally parallel to the generally planar upper and lower surfaces; a low-profile second optical connector module having generally planar upper and lower surfaces and at least one optical waveguide channel formed therein, each optical waveguide channel of the second low-profile optical connector module having a first end a second end and extending in directions that are generally parallel to the generally planar upper and lower surfaces of the second optical connector module, the first and second optical connector modules being in sliding engagement with each other such that the optical connector modules are movable into a fully engaged position by a sliding action of one or both of the optical connector modules in a direction that is generally parallel to the planar upper and lower surfaces of the connector modules; a first optical coupling system disposed in the first optical connector module, the first optical coupling system receiving light propagating out of the second end of said at least one optical waveguide channel and directing the light in a direction toward the generally planar upper surface of the second optical connector module; and a second optical coupling system disposed in the second optical connector module, wherein when the first and second optical connector modules are in the fully engaged position, the second optical coupling system receives light directed by the first optical coupling system toward the generally planar upper surface of the second optical connector module and directs the received light into the second end of said at least one optical waveguide channel formed in the second optical connector module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for optically coupling light between first and second low profile optical connector modules of an optical communications module, the method comprising:
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providing a low-profile first optical connector module having generally planar upper and lower surfaces and at least one optical waveguide channel formed therein, each optical waveguide channel having a first end a second end and extending in directions that are generally parallel to the generally planar upper and lower surfaces; providing a low-profile second optical connector module having generally planar upper and lower surfaces and at least one optical waveguide channel formed therein, each optical waveguide channel of the second low-profile optical connector module having a first end a second end and extending in directions that are generally parallel to the generally planar upper and lower surfaces of the second optical connector module; slidingly engaging the low-profile first optical connector module with the second optical connector module by applying a sliding action on at least the first optical connector module in a direction that is generally parallel to the planar upper and lower surfaces of the first and second connector modules to cause the first and second optical connector modules to become fully engaged with one another in a fully engaged position; propagating light along at least one of the optical waveguide channels of the first optical connector module in a direction from a first end of the optical waveguide channel to a second end of the optical waveguide channel; with a first optical coupling system of the first optical connector module, receiving light propagating out of the second end of said at least one optical waveguide channel and directing the received light in a direction toward the generally planar upper surface of the second optical connector module; and with a second optical coupling system of the second optical connector module, receiving light directed by the first optical coupling system toward the generally planar upper surface of the second optical connector module and directing the received light into the second end of one of the optical waveguide channels of the second optical connector module, wherein the optical waveguide channels of the first and second optical connector modules are generally parallel to one another. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An optical communications module comprising:
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a low-profile first optical connector module having a generally flat shape and having at least upper and lower surfaces, and wherein at least one optical waveguide channel is formed in first optical connector module, each optical waveguide channel having a first end a second end; a low-profile second optical connector module having a generally flat shape and having at least upper and lower surfaces, the lower and upper surfaces of the first and second optical connector modules, respectively, being generally parallel to each other, the first and second optical connector modules being in sliding engagement with each other such that the optical connector modules are movable into a fully engaged position by a sliding action of one or both of the optical connector modules in a direction that is generally parallel to the lower and upper surfaces of the first and second connector modules, respectively; a first optical coupling system disposed in the first optical connector module, the first optical coupling system receiving light propagating out of the second end of said at least one optical waveguide channel and directing the light in a direction toward the lower and upper surfaces of the first and second optical connector modules, respectively; and a second optical coupling system disposed in the second optical connector module, wherein when the first and second optical connector modules are in the fully engaged position, the second optical coupling system receives light directed by the first optical coupling system toward the upper surface of the second optical connector module and directs the received light onto at least one optical-to-electrical converter of the optical communications system.
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21. An optical communications module comprising:
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a low-profile first optical connector module having a generally flat shape and having at least upper and lower surfaces, and wherein at least one optical waveguide channel is formed in first optical connector module, each optical waveguide channel having a first end a second end; a low-profile second optical connector module having a generally flat shape and having upper and lower surfaces, the lower and upper surfaces of the first and second optical connector modules, respectively, being generally parallel to each other, the first and second optical connector modules being in sliding engagement with each other such that the optical connector modules are movable into a fully engaged position by a sliding action of one or both of the optical connector modules in a direction that is generally parallel to the lower and upper surfaces of the first and second connector modules, respectively; a second optical coupling system disposed in the second optical connector module, wherein when the first and second optical connector modules are in the fully engaged position, the second optical coupling system receives light produced by at least one electrical-to-optical converter of the optical communications module and directs a first portion of the received light onto the first optical coupling system and directs a second portion of the received light onto a monitoring optical-to-electrical converter of the optical communications module; and a first optical coupling system disposed in the first optical connector module, wherein when the first and second connector modules are in the fully engaged position, the first optical coupling system receives said first portion of light and directs at least a portion of the first portion of the received light into the second end of said at least one optical waveguide channel of the first optical connector module such that the light propagates toward the first end of said at least one optical waveguide channel of the first optical connector module.
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Specification