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Local area network optical fiber data communication

  • US 4,366,565 A
  • Filed: 07/29/1980
  • Issued: 12/28/1982
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1980
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An optical data communication system comprising a plurality of stations linked together by a multimode optical waveguide to form an optical signal, each of said stations comprising:

  • an array of lasers,a switching matrix for controlling the propagation of radiation from said lasers into said optical waveguide,a multiplexer/coupler for coupling radiation from said lasers to said waveguide, radiation from different lasers being coupled to different angular modes of propagation in said waveguide,a coupler/demultiplexer for demultiplexing radiation received at said station from said waveguide,an optical pulse regenerator coupled to said coupler/demultiplexer, said pulse regenerator having a threshold level above which the optical signal is optically amplified and reshaped and below which the signal is suppressed, andan optical processor to which is applied the optical signal from the pulse regenerator, said optical processor including optical logic circuits for detecting the address of data packets contained in signals transmitted along said optical waveguide and for routing said signals either to a host computer at said station or to said switching matrix.

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