HYBRID ELECTRICAL-OPTICAL DATA COMMUNICATIONS CABLE WITH WIRELINE CAPACITANCE COMPENSATION

• US 20150010311A1
• Filed: 07/02/2014
• Published: 01/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mobix Labs, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cosemi Technologies
• Inventors: Nguyen, Nguyen X., Kuo, Chien-Yu, Parekh, Devang
• Granted Patent: US 9,397,750 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/116
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4246 Bidirectionally operating package structures
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4277 Protection against electromagnetic interference [EMI], e.g. shielding means shielding of electric apparatus H05K9/00, of instruments G12B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4293 hybrid electrical and optical connections for transmitting electrical and optical signals
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/045 using multiple communication channels, e.g. parallel and serial
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/10 Use of a protocol of communication by packets in interfaces along the display data pipeline
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/18 Use of optical transmission of display information
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/006 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25 Arrangements specific to fibre transmission

Abstract

A communications cable is disclosed. The cable includes a first circuit configured to receive electrical data signals from a data source via an input connector, and convert the electrical data signals into optical signals for transmission by way of one or more optical fibers. The cable includes a second circuit configured to convert the optical signals received via the one or more optical fibers back to electrical data signals for providing to a data sink via an output connector. The cable includes a third circuit for applying pre- and post-signal conditioning to bi-directional control data for transmission to and received from the data sink via wires. The cable includes a fourth circuit for applying pre- and post-signal conditioning to bi-directional control data for transmission to and received from the data source via wires. The pre- and post-signal conditioning compensate for capacitance and/or resistance effects on the signals introduced by the wires.

Claims

1. A communications cable, comprising:

an input connector configured to;

connect to a data source;

receive a first set of electrical data signals from the data source;

receive a second set of electrical data signals from the data source; and

provide a third set of electrical data signals from a data sink to the data source;

an output connector configured to;

connect to the data sink;

provide the first set of electrical data signals to the data sink;

provide the second set of electrical data signals to the data sink; and

receive the third set of electrical data signals from the data sink;

a plurality of optical fibers coupled to the input and output connectors;

a plurality of electrical wires coupled to the input and output connectors;

a first circuit configured to convert the first set of electrical data signals into optical signals for transmission to the output connector by way of the optical fibers, respectively;

a second circuit configured to convert the optical signals received by way of the optical fibers back to the first set of electrical data signals;

a third circuit configured to apply a first signal conditioning on the second set of electrical data signals received by way of the wires, respectively; and

a fourth circuit configured to apply a second signal conditioning on the third set of electrical data signals received by way of the wires, respectively.

2. The communications cable of claim 1, wherein the first signal conditioning is configured to compensate for adverse effects on the second set of electrical data signals introduced by the wires, respectively.

3. The communications cable of claim 2, wherein the adverse effects are due to capacitance or resistance of the wires.

4. The communications cable of claim 1, wherein the first signal conditioning comprises one or more of the following:

amplifying, buffering, and equalizing the second set of electrical data signals.

5. The communications cable of claim 1, wherein the second signal conditioning is configured to compensate for adverse effects on the third set of electrical data signals introduced by the wires, respectively.

6. The communications cable of claim 5, wherein the adverse effects are due to capacitance or resistance of the wires.

7. The communications cable of claim 1, wherein the second signal conditioning comprises one or more of the following:

amplifying, buffering, and equalizing the third set of electrical data signals.

8. The communications cable of claim 1, wherein the third circuit is configured to apply a third signal conditioning on the second set of electrical data signals prior to transmission to the output connector by way of the wires, respectively.

9. The communications cable of claim 8, wherein the third signal conditioning is configured to compensate for adverse effects on the second set of electrical data signals to be introduced by the wires, respectively.

10. The communications cable of claim 9, wherein the adverse effects are due to capacitance or resistance of the wires.

11. The communications cable of claim 8, wherein the third signal conditioning comprises one or more of the following:

amplifying and pre-emphasizing the second set of electrical data signals.

12. The communications cable of claim 1, wherein the fourth circuit is configured to apply a third signal conditioning on the third set of electrical data signals prior to transmission to the input connector by way of the wires, respectively.

13. The communications cable of claim 12, wherein the third signal conditioning is configured to compensate for adverse effects on the third set of electrical data signals to be introduced by the wires, respectively.

14. The communications cable of claim 13, wherein the adverse effects are due to capacitance or resistance of the wires.

15. The communications cable of claim 12, wherein the third signal conditioning comprises one or more of the following:

amplifying and pre-emphasizing the third set of electrical data signals.

16. The communications cable of claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third sets of electrical data signals are compliant with HDMI, DisplayPort or DVI protocol.

17. A communications cable, comprising:

an input connector configured to;

connect to a data source;

receive a first set of electrical data signals from the data source;

receive a second set of electrical data signals from the data source; and

provide a third set of electrical data signals from a data sink to the data source;

an output connector configured to;

connect to the data sink;

provide the first set of electrical signals to the data sink;

provide the second set of electrical signals to the data sink; and

receive the third set of electrical data signals from the data sink;

one or more optical fibers coupled to the input and output connectors;

one or more electrical wires coupled to the input and output connectors;

a first circuit configured to convert the first set of electrical data signals into optical signals for transmission to the output connector by way of the one or more optical fibers;

a second circuit configured to convert the optical signals received by way of the one or more optical fibers back to the first set of electrical signals;

a third circuit configured to apply a first signal conditioning on the second set of electrical data signals received by way of the one or more wires; and

a fourth circuit configured to apply a second signal conditioning on the third set of electrical data signals received by way of the one or more wires.

18. The communications cable of claim 17, wherein the first, second, and third sets of electrical data signals are compliant with HDMI, DisplayPort or DVI protocol.

19. A communications cable, comprising:

an input connector configured to;

connect to a data source;

receive a first set of parallel electrical data signals from the data source;

receive a second set of electrical data signals from the data source; and

provide a third set of electrical data signals from a data sink to the data source;

an output connector configured to;

connect to the data sink;

provide the first set of parallel electrical data signals to the data sink;

provide the second set of electrical data signals to the data sink; and

receive the third set of electrical data signals from the data sink;

a plurality of optical fibers coupled to the input and output connectors, wherein the number of optical fibers is less than the number of the parallel electrical data signals of the first set;

one or more electrical wires coupled to the input and output connectors;

a first circuit configured to convert the first set of electrical data signals into optical signals for transmission to the output connector by way of the one or more optical fibers;

a second circuit configured to convert the optical signals received by way of the one or more optical fibers back to the first set of electrical data signals;

a third circuit configured to apply a first signal conditioning on the second set of electrical data signals received by way of the one or more wires; and

a fourth circuit configured to apply a second signal conditioning on the third set of electrical data signals received by way of the one or more wires.

20. The communications cable of claim 19, wherein the first, second, and third sets of electrical signals are compliant with HDMI, DisplayPort or DVI protocol.