Optical interconnect for high speed processors

• US 5,515,194 A
• Filed: 05/28/1993
• Issued: 05/07/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kanterakis, Emmanuel, Wang, Jian-Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): Boudreau, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): BACARES, RAFAEL D
• Application Number:
  US08/068,518
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 359/124, 359/125, 359/127, 359/128, 359/129, 359/130, 359/131, 359/117, 359/634, 385/24, 385/25, 385/36, 364/713, 395/200
• US Class Current: 398/48
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/642 Optical derotators, i.e. systems for compensating for image rotation, e.g. using rotating prisms, mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2848 having refractive means, e.g. imaging elements between light guides as splitting, branching and/or combining devices, e.g. lenses, holograms
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/29311 Diffractive element operating in transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4215 the intermediate optical elements being wavelength selective optical elements, e.g. variable wavelength optical modules or wavelength lockers G02B6/4246 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4249 comprising arrays of active devices and fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/43 Arrangements comprising a plurality of opto-electronic elements and associated optical interconnections
• CPC Class Codes: G06E 3/006 Interconnection networks, e.g. for shuffling
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4012 Beam combining, e.g. by the use of fibres, gratings, polarisers, prisms
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4025 Array arrangements, e.g. constituted by discrete laser diodes or laser bar H01S5/42 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4087 emitting more than one wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0062 Network aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0007 Construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0013 using gating amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0015 using splitting combining
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0018 using tunable transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0022 using fibre gratings
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0024 using space switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0026 using free space propagation (e.g. lenses, mirrors)
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0039 Electrical control
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0052 Interconnection of switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0092 : Ring

Abstract

An optical interconnect for use with SIMD processors, including holographic-optical elements, dove prisms, beamsplitters and a processor. Laser diodes, with each operating at a different wavelength, generate coherent-light beams at different wavelengths. A fiber combiner, an optical fiber and a fiber splitter are connected to divide output light from the laser diodes into equal path lengths. The output light is modulated by data from a respective SIMD processor. The output light forms an input ring at an input plane. Each holographic-optical element reflects only one wavelength of the output light. Dove prisms perform certain fixed interconnections. Beamsplitters reflect the light from the selected optical channel to an output-ring array.

Claims

1. An optical interconnect for a plurality of single-instruction-multiple-data (SIMD) processors, comprising:

a controller;

a plurality of laser diodes, with each of said plurality of laser diodes operating at a different wavelength;

a first plurality of optical-switching devices with each optical-switching device of the first plurality of optical-switching devices connected respectively to a laser diode;

a fiber combiner, connected to said first plurality of optical-switching devices, for combining output light from said first plurality of optical-switching devices;

an optical fiber connected to said fiber combiner for carrying the output light from said fiber combiner;

a fiber splitter connected to said optical fiber for dividing the output light into a plurality of equal-length paths, with each equal-length path corresponding to each of said plurality of SIMD processors;

a second plurality of optical-switching devices connected to a plurality of outputs, respectively, of said fiber splitter, for modulating the output light;

a plurality of optical fibers connected to said second plurality of optical-switching devices, respectively, forming an input ring at an input plane of said optical interconnect;

a plurality of holographic-optical elements coupled to said input ring wherein each holographic-optical element reflects one light wavelength and is transparent to other light wavelengths;

a plurality of dove prisms coupled to said plurality of holographic-optical elements, responsive to a respective channel, for rotating an image about an optical axis with respect to the image formed at the input ring;

an output-ring array connected to said plurality of SIMD processors; and

a plurality of beamsplitters coupled to said plurality of dove prisms, respectively, for reflecting the selected optical channel to said output-ring array.

2. An optical interconnect for a plurality of single-instruction-multiple-data (SIMD) processors, comprising:

first generating means for generating a control signal;

second generating means for generating a plurality of coherent-light beams at a plurality of wavelengths, respectively;

means responsive to the control signal, for selecting a single coherent-light beam at a single wavelength from the plurality of wavelengths as an output light;

means for comprising output light from said selecting means, and for dividing the output light into a plurality of equal-length paths, with each equal-length path corresponding to each of said plurality of SIMD processors;

means, responsive to data, for modulating the output light;

means for forming an input ring at an input plane of said optical interconnect;

first reflecting means for reflecting one light wavelength and transparent to other light wavelengths;

means, responsive to the control signal, for rotating, at a given time, an image formed at said forming means; and

second reflecting means for reflecting the rotated image to an output-ring array.

3. The optical interconnect as set forth in claim 2 wherein:

said first generating means includes a controller, for generating the control signal; and

said second generating means includes a plurality of lasers with each laser operating at a different wavelength.

4. The optical interconnect as set forth in claim 2 wherein said combining-and-dividing means includes:

a fiber combiner, connected to said selecting means, for combining output light from said second generating means;

an optical fiber connected to said fiber combiner for carrying the output light from said fiber combiner; and

a fiber splitter connected to said optical fiber for dividing the output light into the plurality of equal-length paths, with each equal-length path corresponding to each of said SIMD processors.

5. The optical interconnect as set forth in claim 2 wherein said modulating means includes a second plurality of optical-switching devices connected to said combining-and-dividing means for modulating the output light with data from a SIMD processor.

6. The optical interconnect as set forth in claim 2 wherein:

said first reflecting means includes a plurality of holographic-optical elements, wherein each holographic-optical element reflects light at one wavelength and passes light at other wavelengths;

said rotating means includes a plurality of dove prisms; and

said second reflecting means includes a plurality of beamsplitters.

7. The optical interconnect as set forth in claim 3 wherein said combining-and-dividing means includes:

a fiber combiner, connected to said selecting means, for combining output light from said second generating means;

an optical fiber connected to said fiber combiner for carrying the output light from said fiber combiner; and

a fiber splitter connected to said optical fiber for dividing the output light into the plurality of equal-length paths, with each equal-length path corresponding to each of said SIMD processors.

8. The optical interconnect as set forth in claim 3 wherein said modulating means includes a second plurality of optical-switching devices connected to said combining-and-dividing means for modulating the output light with data from a SIMD processor.

9. The optical interconnect as set forth in claim 3 wherein said modulating means includes means for modulating current of said plurality of lasers with data from said plurality of SIMD processors, respectively.

10. The optical interconnect as set forth in claim 3 wherein:

said first reflecting means includes a plurality of holographic-optical elements, wherein each holographic-optical element reflects light at one wavelength and passes light at other wavelengths;

said rotating means includes a plurality of dove prisms; and

said second reflecting means includes a plurality of beamsplitters.

11. The optical interconnect as set forth in claim 4 wherein said modulating means includes a second plurality of optical-switching devices connected to said combining-and-dividing means for modulating the output light with data from a SIMD processor.

12. The optical interconnect as set forth in claim 4 wherein:

said first reflecting means includes a plurality of holographic-optical elements, wherein each holographic-optical element reflects light at one wavelength and passes light at other wavelengths;

said rotating means includes a plurality of dove prisms; and

said second reflecting means includes a plurality of beamsplitters.

13. The optical interconnect as set forth in claim 7 wherein said modulating means includes a second plurality of optical-switching devices connected to said combining-and-dividing means for modulating the output light with data from at least one SIMD processor.

14. The optical interconnect as set forth in claim 7 wherein said modulating means includes means for modulating current of said plurality of lasers with data from said plurality of SIMD processors, respectively.

15. The optical interconnect as set forth in claim 7 wherein:

said first reflecting means includes a plurality of holographic-optical elements, wherein each holographic-optical element reflects light at one wavelength and passes light at other wavelengths;

said rotating means includes a plurality of dove prisms; and

said second reflecting means includes a plurality of beamsplitters.

16. The optical interconnect as set forth in claim 5 wherein:

said first reflecting means includes a plurality of holographic-optical elements, wherein each holographic-optical element reflects light at one wavelength and passes light at other wavelengths;

said rotating means includes a plurality of dove prisms; and

said second reflecting means includes a plurality of beamsplitters.

17. The optical interconnect as set forth in claim 8 wherein said modulating means includes means for modulating current of said plurality of lasers with data from said plurality of SIMD processors, respectively.

18. The optical interconnect as set forth in claim 7 wherein:

said first reflecting means includes a plurality of holographic-optical elements, wherein each holographic-optical element reflects light at one wavelength and passes light at other wavelengths;

said rotating means includes a plurality of dove prisms; and

said second reflecting means includes a plurality of beamsplitters.

19. The optical interconnect as set forth in claim 11 wherein:

said first reflecting means includes a plurality of holographic-optical elements, wherein each holographic-optical element reflects light at one wavelength and passes light at other wavelengths;

said rotating means includes a plurality of dove prisms; and

said second reflecting means includes a plurality of beamsplitters.

20. The optical interconnect as set forth in claim 13 wherein:

said first reflecting means includes a plurality of holographic-optical elements, wherein each holographic-optical element reflects light at one wavelength and passes light at other wavelengths;

said rotating means includes a plurality of dove prisms; and

said second reflecting means includes a plurality of beamsplitters.

21. An optical interconnect for a plurality of single-instruction-multiple-data (SIMD) processors, said optical interconnect connected between an input ring at an input plane and an output-ring array, comprising:

first generating means for generating a control signal;

second generating means for generating a plurality of coherent-light beams at a plurality of wavelengths, respectively;

means, responsive to the control signal, for selecting a single coherent-light beam at a single wavelength from the plurality of coherent light beams as an output light;

means, responsive to data, for modulating the output light;

first reflecting means, coupled to said input ring, for reflecting one light wavelength and for passing other light wavelengths;

means, coupled to said first reflecting means, for rotating an image formed at said input ring; and

second reflecting means, coupled to said rotating means, for reflecting the selected optical rotated image to said output-ring array.

22. The optical interconnect as set forth in claim 21 wherein said first reflecting means includes a plurality of holographic-optical elements, wherein each holographic-optical element reflects light as one wavelength and passes light at other wavelengths.

23. The optical interconnect as set forth in claim 22 wherein said rotating means includes a plurality of dove prisms coupled to said plurality of holographic-optical elements for rotating an image about an optical axis with respect to the image formed at said input ring.

24. The optical interconnect as set forth in claim 23 wherein said second reflecting means includes a plurality of beamsplitters coupled to said plurality of dove prisms, for reflecting a selected optical channel to said output-ring array.

25. The optical interconnect as set forth in claim 21 wherein said rotating means includes a plurality of dove prisms coupled to said first reflecting means for rotating a selected channel about an optical axis with respect to an image formed by an input ring.

26. The optical interconnect as set forth in claim 25 wherein said second reflecting means includes a plurality of beamsplitters coupled to said plurality of dove prisms for reflecting a selected optical channel to said output-ring array.

27. The optical interconnect as set forth in claim 21 wherein said second reflecting means includes a plurality of beamsplitters coupled to said rotating means, for reflecting a selected optical channel to said output-ring array.

28. The optical interconnect as set forth in claim 22 wherein said second reflecting means includes a plurality of beamsplitters coupled to said rotating means, for reflecting a selected optical channel to said output-ring array.

29. A method for optically interconnecting a plurality of single-instruction-multiple-data (SIMD) processors, comprising the steps of:

generating a control signal;

generating a plurality of coherent-light beams at a plurality of wavelengths, respectively;

selecting a single coherent-light beam at a single wavelength from the plurality of wavelengths;

combining the selected coherent-light beam from the plurality of coherent-light beams as an output light;

dividing the output light for each of the plurality of wavelengths into a plurality of equal-length paths, with each of the equal-length paths corresponding to each of the SIMD processors;

modulating, using data from the SIMD processors corresponding to the selected single wavelength, the output light;

forming, with the output light at a respective wavelength an input ring at an input plane;

reflecting, from the input plane, the output light;

rotating, in response to the control signal, an image formed at the input plane; and

reflecting the rotated image to an output-ring array.

30. A method for optically interconnecting a plurality of single-instruction-multiple-data (SIMD) processors, comprising the steps of:

generating a control signal;

generating a plurality of coherent-light beams at a plurality of wavelengths, respectively;

selecting a single coherent-light beam at a single wavelength from the plurality of wavelengths as an output light;

modulating, using data from the SIMD processors corresponding to the selected single wavelength, the output light;

forming, with the output light at a respective wavelength an input ring at an input plane;

reflecting, from the input plane, the output light;

rotating an image formed at the input plane; and

reflecting the rotated image to an output-ring array.