Active optical cable with integrated eye safety
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An integrated cable comprising:
- a first optical fiber within the integrated cable;
a first opto-electrical transducer within the integrated cable and coupled to a first end of the first optical fiber such that when a first optical signal is present on the first optical fiber, the first opto-electrical transducer receives the first optical signal and converts the first optical signal into a first electrical signal;
a first electrical connector integrated with the integrated cable and coupled to the first opto-electrical transducer such that when the first optical signal is received by the first opto-electrical transducer, the first electrical connector receives the first electrical signal, wherein the first electrical connector is sized to releasably connect with a first electrical port external to the cable such that when connected to the first electrical port and when the first electrical signal is present on the first electrical connector, the first electrical signal is provided to the first electrical port; and
means for disabling or reducing power of one or more optical transmitter within the integrated cable if the first optical fiber of the integrated cable is physically severed.
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Abstract
An active cable that is configured to communicate over much of its length using one or more optical fibers, and that includes an integrated electrical connector at at least one end. The active cable includes an integrated eye safety controls to thereby reduce the chance of injury should the active cable be severed, or otherwise unplugged at an optical end, if any. The cable may be an electrical to optical cable, and electrical to electrical cable, or one of many other potential configurations.
172 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An integrated cable comprising:
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a first optical fiber within the integrated cable; a first opto-electrical transducer within the integrated cable and coupled to a first end of the first optical fiber such that when a first optical signal is present on the first optical fiber, the first opto-electrical transducer receives the first optical signal and converts the first optical signal into a first electrical signal; a first electrical connector integrated with the integrated cable and coupled to the first opto-electrical transducer such that when the first optical signal is received by the first opto-electrical transducer, the first electrical connector receives the first electrical signal, wherein the first electrical connector is sized to releasably connect with a first electrical port external to the cable such that when connected to the first electrical port and when the first electrical signal is present on the first electrical connector, the first electrical signal is provided to the first electrical port; and means for disabling or reducing power of one or more optical transmitter within the integrated cable if the first optical fiber of the integrated cable is physically severed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An integrated cable comprising:
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a first electro-optical transducer within the integrated cable and coupled to the first electrical connector such that when a first electrical signal is applied to the first electrical connector, the first electro-optical transducer receives the first electrical signal and converts the first electrical signal into a first optical signal; a first optical fiber within the integrated cable and coupled to the first electro-optical transducer such that when the first electrical signal is present on the first electrical connector, the first optical fiber receives the first optical signal from the first electro-optical transducer at a first end of the first optical fiber; and a mechanism to disable or reduce power of one or more optical transmitter within the integrated cable if the first optical fiber of the integrated cable is physically severed.
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Specification