Fiber optic coupling system
First Claim
1. A fiber optic coupling device for bi-directional transmission of optical signals within a range of wavelengths between a fiber optic link cable and a transmitter/receiver comprising:
- receive lightguide for guiding optical input signals over said range of wavelengths to said transmitter/receiver;
transmit lightguide for transmitting optical output signals substantially within said range of wavelengths from said transmitter/receiver;
coupler/connector means, operating without wavelength multiplexing, for axially and angularly aligning said transmit and receive lightguides with said fiber optic link cable;
said coupler/connector means or said fiber optic link cable reducing the intensity of reflected optical signalsthereby allowing simultaneous distinguishable bi-directional optical communication of data within said range of wavelengths.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fiber optic coupling device for providing simultaneous bi-directional transmission of optical signals within a single wavelength band over a single fiber optic link cable, including a coupler/connector which precisely aligns and longitudinally separates transmit and receive lightguide fibers and a fiber optic link cable. The cores of the transmit and receive lightguide fibers are tightly aligned with a minimum thickness of cladding for increased packing efficiency, and the end faces of the transmit and receive lightguides are maintained parallel to and a predetermined distance from an end face of the fiber optic link cable to ensure that reflected signals will not be detected as received signals and allow simultaneous distinguishable bi-directional communication of optical data within a single wavelength band.
137 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A fiber optic coupling device for bi-directional transmission of optical signals within a range of wavelengths between a fiber optic link cable and a transmitter/receiver comprising:
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receive lightguide for guiding optical input signals over said range of wavelengths to said transmitter/receiver; transmit lightguide for transmitting optical output signals substantially within said range of wavelengths from said transmitter/receiver; coupler/connector means, operating without wavelength multiplexing, for axially and angularly aligning said transmit and receive lightguides with said fiber optic link cable; said coupler/connector means or said fiber optic link cable reducing the intensity of reflected optical signals thereby allowing simultaneous distinguishable bi-directional optical communication of data within said range of wavelengths. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 29, 30, 31)
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9. A fiber optic coupling device for bi-directional transmission of optical signals within a range of wavelengths comprising:
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receive lightguide including first core and cladding for guiding optical input signals over said range of wavelengths to a transmitter/receiver; transmit lightguide including second core and cladding for transmitting optical output signals substantially within said range of wavelengths from said transmitter/receiver; fiber optic link cable including third core and cladding, said third core having larger diameter than each of said first and second cores; coupler/connector means, operating without wavelength multiplexing, for maintaining said transmit and receive lightguides in a closely spaced configuration and axially and angularly aligning said transmit and receive lightguides with said fiber optic link cable; said coupler/connector means or said fiber optic link cable reducing the intensity of reflected optical signals thereby allowing simultaneous distinguishable bi-directional optical communication of data within said range of wavelengths. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 32, 33, 34)
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15. A bi-directional fiber optic communication device comprising:
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receiver for detecting optical input signals, said optical input signals comprising first modulated light within a band of wavelengths corresponding with an LED output, and for generating electrical input signals in response thereto; transmitter for producing optical output signals, said optical output signals comprising second modulated light within said band of wavelengths, in response to electrical output signals; receive lightguide connected to said receiver for guiding said optical input signals thereto; transmit lightguide connected to said transmitter for transmitting said optical signals therefrom; coupler/connector means for axially and angularly aligning said transmit and receive lightguides with a fiber optic link cable said coupler/connector or said fiber optic link cable reducing the intensity of reflected optical signals;
thereby providing for simultaneous bi-directional coupling of said optical input and output signals between said transmit and receive lightguide means and said fiber optic link cable. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 35, 36, 37)
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21. An optical fiber transmission system for simultaneous bi-directional transmission of optical signals comprising:
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first transmitter/receiver means for detecting optical input signals over a range of wavelengths and generating first electrical input signals in response thereto, and for producing optical output signals in a band of wavelengths substantially within said range of wavelengths in response to first electrical output signals; second transmitter/receiver means for detecting said optical output signals over said range of wavelengths and generating second electrical input signals in response thereto, and for producing said optical input signals substantially within said band of wavelengths in response to second electrical output signals; fiber optic link cable for transmitting said optical input and output signals between said first and second transmitter/receivers; coupler/connector means at each end of said fiber optic link cable to attach said link cable to said first and second transmitter/receivers said coupler/connector or said fiber optic link cable reducing the intensity of reflected optical signals thereby allowing simultaneous distinguishable bi-directional communication of said optical input and output signals within said range of wavelengths. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification