Optical networks for consumer electronics
First Claim
1. A digital optical interface device comprising:
- a DVI or HDMI input interface configured to electrically connect to a DVI or HDMI receptacle of a digital source device to receive input TMDS electrical signals from the digital source device, the input interface comprising a serializer for serializing the TMDS signals into a electrical serialized signal and an optical transmitter configured to receive the electrical serialized signal and convert the electrical serialized signal to an input optical signal, the optical transmitter further configured to transmit the input optical signal to an input optical fiber;
a coupler configured to couple the input optical signal with at least two optical output fibers coupled to the input optical fiber by the coupler;
wherein each optical output fiber is coupled to a respective output interface, each output interface being configured to electrically connect to a different DVI or HDMI receptacle of two different digital sink devices, each output interface comprising an optical receiver configured to receive the input optical signal from a respective one of the at least two optical output fibers and convert the input optical signal to an output serialized electronic video signal that is received by respective deserializers of the respective output interface, each deserializer deserializing the respective output serialized electronic video signal back into the TMDS electrical signals that are suitable for use by a respective one of the DVI or HDMI digital sink devices, wherein the digital optical interface device is configured to communicate the same signals from the digital source device to at least two digital sink devices.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Digital optical networks for communication between digital consumer electronic devices are disclosed. A digital optical network can include an input interface configured to electrically couple to a DVI or HDMI receptacle of a source device. The input interface includes an optical transmitter for converting a TMDS signal into an optical signal. An input optical fiber optically coupled to the optical transmitter receives the optical signal. A coupler is coupled to the input optical fiber and couples the optical signal with at least one of multiple output optical fibers coupled to the coupler. Output interfaces each include an optical transmitter for converting the optical signal back into the electrical TMDS signal. The output interfaces are configured to electrically couple the TMDS signals with respective DVI or HDMI receptacles of DVI or HDMI sink devices.
162 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A digital optical interface device comprising:
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a DVI or HDMI input interface configured to electrically connect to a DVI or HDMI receptacle of a digital source device to receive input TMDS electrical signals from the digital source device, the input interface comprising a serializer for serializing the TMDS signals into a electrical serialized signal and an optical transmitter configured to receive the electrical serialized signal and convert the electrical serialized signal to an input optical signal, the optical transmitter further configured to transmit the input optical signal to an input optical fiber; a coupler configured to couple the input optical signal with at least two optical output fibers coupled to the input optical fiber by the coupler; wherein each optical output fiber is coupled to a respective output interface, each output interface being configured to electrically connect to a different DVI or HDMI receptacle of two different digital sink devices, each output interface comprising an optical receiver configured to receive the input optical signal from a respective one of the at least two optical output fibers and convert the input optical signal to an output serialized electronic video signal that is received by respective deserializers of the respective output interface, each deserializer deserializing the respective output serialized electronic video signal back into the TMDS electrical signals that are suitable for use by a respective one of the DVI or HDMI digital sink devices, wherein the digital optical interface device is configured to communicate the same signals from the digital source device to at least two digital sink devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A digital optical network comprising:
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an input interface configured to electrically couple to a DVI or HDMI receptacle of a DVI or HDMI source device, the input interface including; an optical transmitter configured to convert electrical transition minimized differential signaling (TMDS) signals and a control signal received from the DVI or HDMI source device into an optical signal; a serializer for serializing the electrical TMDS signal along with the control signal into an electrical serialized TMDS signal; an input optical fiber optically coupled to the optical transmitter to receive the optical signal; a coupler configured to couple the optical signal with at least two of multiple output optical fibers coupled to the coupler; and at least two output interfaces, each of the at least two output interfaces being configured to electrically couple to a respective DVI or HDMI receptacle of at least two DVI or HDMI sink devices, each of the at least two output interfaces including; an optical receiver configured to receive and convert the optical signal back into the electrical TMDS signal; and a deserializer for deserializing the electrical serialized TMDS signal back into the electrical TMDS signals and control signal and configured to transmit the electrical TMDS signals and control signal to a respective one of the DVI or HDMI sink devices, wherein the digital optical network is configured to transmit all of the signals generated by the DVI or HDMI source device to both of the DVI or HDMI sink devices via optical transmission. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A digital electro-optical system configured to allow a digital source device to communicate with at least two digital sink devices, comprising:
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an input interface including electrical contacts configured to receive electrical TMDS and control signals generated by the digital source device, the electrical input interface including a serializer configured to serialize the TMDS and control signals into a serialized electrical signal, and an optical transmitter configured to convert the serialized electrical signal to an optical signal; an optical input fiber optically coupled to the optical transmitter and configured to receive the optical signal; a coupler coupled to the input optical fiber and coupled to at least two output optical fibers for transferring the optical signal from the input optical fiber to the at least two output optical fibers; a first output interface including a first optical receiver optically coupled to a first output optical fiber of the at least two output optical fibers and configured to convert the optical signal received from the first optical fiber to a first copy of the serialized electrical signal, the first output interface further including a first deserializer configured to deserialize the first copy of the serialized electrical signal into a first copy of the TMDS and control input signals, the first output interface further including electrical contacts configured to transmit the first copy of the electrical TMDS and control signals to a first digital sink device of the at least two digital sink devices; and a second output interface including a second optical receiver optical coupled to a second output optical fiber of the at least two output optical fibers and configured to convert the optical signal received from the second optical fiber to a second copy of the serialized electrical output signal, the second output interface further including a second deserializer configured to deserialize the second copy of the serialized electrical signal into a second copy of the TMDS and control input signals, the second output interface farther including electrical contacts configured to transmit the second copy of the electrical output signals to a second digital sink device of the at least two digital sink devices, wherein at least one of the interfaces includes an optoelectronic device including; a transmitter diode including a first p-n junction with a first p-layer and a first n-layer; a first tunnel junction coupled monolithically to the transmitter diode, the tunnel junction including a heavily doped n+ layer and a heavily doped p+ layer; and a first photodiode coupled monolithically to the first tunnel junction, the first tunnel junction including a second p-n junction. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification