System and method for optically powering a remote network component
First Claim
1. A system for optically powering a network component that processes an input signal, comprising:
- a circuit including a VCSEL;
an optical power source located remotely with respect to said circuit;
an optical fiber coupled to said power source that conducts optical power to said circuit, andan optical-electro converter for converting optical power from said power source via said fiber into a biasing current,wherein said VCSEL is biased by said biasing current generated by light from said optical power source and includes an input that receives said input signal and an output that provides an optical output signal, andwherein said circuit further includes and a bias tee connected to said biasing current, said input signal and said VCSEL input such that said output is a beam of modulated laser light generated by said VCSEL.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Both a system and method for optically powering a network component, such as the transponder of a picocell, is provided. The system includes a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) for processing an input signal, a remotely-located optical power source, and an optical fiber for conducting optical power from the source to the VCSEL. The VCSEL may be electrically biased from current generated by an optical-electro converter coupled to the fiber, or directly optically biased from light from the optical power source. A bias tee is connected between an input signal and an input of the VCSEL such that the VCSEL generates a modulated optical signal. The system may be the transponder of a picocell system where the VCSEL generates an optical uplink signal conducted to a head-end circuit via the same or a separate optical fiber.
124 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A system for optically powering a network component that processes an input signal, comprising:
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a circuit including a VCSEL; an optical power source located remotely with respect to said circuit; an optical fiber coupled to said power source that conducts optical power to said circuit, and an optical-electro converter for converting optical power from said power source via said fiber into a biasing current, wherein said VCSEL is biased by said biasing current generated by light from said optical power source and includes an input that receives said input signal and an output that provides an optical output signal, and wherein said circuit further includes and a bias tee connected to said biasing current, said input signal and said VCSEL input such that said output is a beam of modulated laser light generated by said VCSEL. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An optically powered network component, comprising:
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a circuit including a VCSEL; and
,an optical-electro converter that converts optical power into electrical power; a first optical fiber that conducts remotely generated optical power to said optical-electro converter such that said VCSEL is biased by electrical power generated by said converter and converts an electrical uplink signal into an optical uplink signal, a radio frequency circuit that receives a radio signal and converts it into said electrical uplink signal, and a third optical fiber that conducts an optical downlink signal to a second optical-electro converter that generates an electrical downlink signal, wherein said circuit includes a bias tee connected to said biasing current, said electrical downlink signal and an input of said VCSEL. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An optically powered network transponder of a picocell system, comprising:
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an optical-electro converter that converts light into a biasing current; a first optical fiber that conducts said light from a head-end circuit to said optical-electro converter; a VCSEL biased by said biasing current that generates an optical uplink signal, and a second optical fiber that conducts said optical uplink signal from said VCSEL to a head-end circuit of said picocell system, wherein said circuit includes a bias tee connected to said biasing current and an input of said VCSEL.
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Specification