Power over optical fiber system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A power over optical fiber system comprising:
- a first transmit unit comprising one or more lasers, an optical receiver, and a transmit control element, wherein the transmit control element controls the output of the one or more lasers and the transmit control element is coupled to the optical receiver to receive a feedback control signal from the optical receiver;
a first receive unit comprising one or more photovoltaic receivers, a voltage output connection, an optical transmitter, and a receive control element, wherein the receive control element is configured to enable current to be directed from the one or more photovoltaic receivers to the voltage output connection and wherein the photovoltaic receivers and the optical transmitter are configured to be connected to the one or more lasers and optical receiver via optical fiber and wherein the receive control element sends an energy received control signal to the optical transmitter when the one or more photovoltaic receivers receive optical laser energy;
wherein the optical transmitter outputs an optical signal when the energy received control signal is generated and the optical receiver is configured to receive the optical signal from the optical transmitter and generate the feedback control signal when the optical signal is received;
whereby laser power output by the first transmit unit is converted to electrical energy by the one or more photovoltaic receivers and the electrical energy is output at the voltage output connection of the receive unit;
wherein the first receive unit further comprises a control output circuit and a control input circuit, the control input circuit configured to couple to the control output circuit of one or more other receive units, wherein the receive control element is configured to monitor the control input circuit to determine the status of the one or more other receive units and to determine whether to enable current to be directed from the one or more photovoltaic receivers to the voltage output connection.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for providing power to remote equipment where a transmit unit having lasers transmits laser light over optical fiber to a receive unit having photovoltaic receivers. The photovoltaic receivers convert the laser light to electrical energy for the remote equipment. The receive unit also sends a feedback signal to the transmit unit which the transmit unit uses to determine whether the lasers should be enabled for full power.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A power over optical fiber system comprising:
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a first transmit unit comprising one or more lasers, an optical receiver, and a transmit control element, wherein the transmit control element controls the output of the one or more lasers and the transmit control element is coupled to the optical receiver to receive a feedback control signal from the optical receiver; a first receive unit comprising one or more photovoltaic receivers, a voltage output connection, an optical transmitter, and a receive control element, wherein the receive control element is configured to enable current to be directed from the one or more photovoltaic receivers to the voltage output connection and wherein the photovoltaic receivers and the optical transmitter are configured to be connected to the one or more lasers and optical receiver via optical fiber and wherein the receive control element sends an energy received control signal to the optical transmitter when the one or more photovoltaic receivers receive optical laser energy; wherein the optical transmitter outputs an optical signal when the energy received control signal is generated and the optical receiver is configured to receive the optical signal from the optical transmitter and generate the feedback control signal when the optical signal is received; whereby laser power output by the first transmit unit is converted to electrical energy by the one or more photovoltaic receivers and the electrical energy is output at the voltage output connection of the receive unit; wherein the first receive unit further comprises a control output circuit and a control input circuit, the control input circuit configured to couple to the control output circuit of one or more other receive units, wherein the receive control element is configured to monitor the control input circuit to determine the status of the one or more other receive units and to determine whether to enable current to be directed from the one or more photovoltaic receivers to the voltage output connection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A receive unit for a power over optical fiber system, the receive unit comprising:
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one or more photovoltaic receivers configured to receive optical laser energy from optical fiber; a voltage output connection; an optical transmitter configured to send an optical signal into optical fiber; and
,a receive control element, wherein the receive control element is configured to enable current to be directed from the one or more photovoltaic receivers to the voltage output connection and wherein the receive control element sends an energy received control signal to the optical transmitter when the one or more photovoltaic receivers receive optical laser energy; whereby the receive unit controllably converts optical laser energy sent from a transmit unit to electrical energy for output at the voltage output connection; wherein the receive unit further comprises a control output circuit and a control input circuit, the control input circuit configured to couple to the control output circuit of one or more other receive units, wherein the receive control element is configured to monitor the control input circuit to determine the status of the one or more other receive units and to determine whether to enable current to be directed from the one or more photovoltaic receivers to the voltage output connection. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A method for transmitting electrical power over optical fiber comprising:
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transmitting optical laser energy at a first power level from a transmit unit over one or more optical fibers to a receive unit said power level being sufficient to supply power to operate a microprocessor to generate a feedback signal; transmitting a feedback signal over optical fiber from the receive unit to the transmit unit on or after receipt of the optical laser energy at the first power level at the receive unit; in response to the feedback signal received by the transmit unit, transmitting optical laser energy at a second power level over the one or more optical fibers from the transmit unit to the receive unit on or after the receipt of the feedback signal at the transmit unit, wherein the second power level is greater than the first power level; converting the optical laser energy at the second power level received at the receive unit to electrical energy; wherein the transmit unit comprises a closeable enclosure partially or fully enclosing a connection between the one or more optical fibers and the transmit unit, and the method further comprises; detecting whether the closeable enclosure is closed; not transmitting the optical laser energy at the first power level if the closeable enclosure is not closed and the transmission has not started; and discontinuing the transmission of optical laser energy if the closeable enclosure is not closed and the transmission of optical laser energy has started. - View Dependent Claims (13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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14. A method for transmitting electrical power over optical fiber comprising:
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transmitting optical laser energy at a first power level from a transmit unit over one or more optical fibers to a receive unit said power level being sufficient to supply power to operate a microprocessor to generate a feedback signal; transmitting a feedback signal over optical fiber from the receive unit to the transmit unit on or after receipt of the optical laser energy at the first power level at the receive unit; in response to the feedback signal received by the transmit unit, transmitting optical laser energy at a second power level over the one or more optical fibers from the transmit unit to the receive unit on or after the receipt of the feedback signal at the transmit unit, wherein the second power level is greater than the first power level; and converting the optical laser energy at the second power level received at the receive unit to electrical energy and wherein the receive unit comprises a closeable enclosure partially or fully enclosing a connection between the one or more optical fibers and the transmit unit, and the method further comprises; detecting whether the closeable enclosure is closed; not transmitting the feedback signal if the closeable enclosure is not closed and the transmission of the feedback signal to the first transmit unit has not yet started; and discontinuing the transmission of the feedback signal if the closeable enclosure is not closed and the transmission of the feedback signal has started.
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15. A method for transmitting electrical power over optical fiber comprising:
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transmitting optical laser energy at a first power level from a transmit unit over one or more optical fibers to a receive unit said power level being sufficient to supply power to operate a microprocessor to generate a feedback signal; transmitting a feedback signal over optical fiber from the receive unit to the transmit unit on or after receipt of the optical laser energy at the first power level at the receive unit; in response to the feedback signal received by the transmit unit, transmitting optical laser energy at a second power level over the one or more optical fibers from the transmit unit to the receive unit on or after the receipt of the feedback signal at the transmit unit, wherein the second power level is greater than the first power level; converting the optical laser energy at the second power level received at the receive unit to electrical energy; transmitting optical laser energy at a first power level from one or more additional transmit units over optical fibers to one or more additional receive units, wherein each additional transmit unit is connected to one additional receive unit said first power level being sufficient to supply power to operate a microprocessor to generate a feedback signal; transmitting a feedback signal over optical fiber from each additional receive unit to the additional transmit unit from which the additional receive unit is receiving optical laser energy on or after receipt of the optical laser energy at the lower power levels at each additional receive unit; in response to the feedback signal received by the transmit unit, transmitting optical laser energy at a higher power level over the optical fibers from the one or more additional transmit units to the one or more additional receive units on or after the receipt of each feedback signal at each additional transmit unit; converting the optical laser energy at the higher power levels received at each additional receive unit to electrical energy; communicating a ready signal among all receive units when each receive unit is ready to output electrical energy; outputting the electrical energy from each receive unit when the ready signal is present; and combining the outputs from each receive unit in parallel, whereby the parallel combination of the outputs provides electrical energy at a current higher than that obtained from a single receive unit output.
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16. A method for transmitting electrical power over optical fiber comprising:
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transmitting optical laser energy at a first power level from a transmit unit over one or more optical fibers to a receive unit said power level being sufficient to supply power to operate a microprocessor to generate a feedback signal; transmitting a feedback signal over optical fiber from the receive unit to the transmit unit on or after receipt of the optical laser energy at the first power level at the receive unit; in response to the feedback signal received by the transmit unit, transmitting optical laser energy at a second power level over the one or more optical fibers from the transmit unit to the receive unit on or after the receipt of the feedback signal at the transmit unit, wherein the second power level is greater than the first power level; converting the optical laser energy at the second power level received at the receive unit to electrical energy; transmitting optical laser energy at a lower power level from one or more additional transmit units over optical fibers to one or more additional receive units, wherein each additional transmit unit is connected to one additional receive unit; transmitting a feedback signal over optical fiber from each additional receive unit to the additional transmit unit from which the additional receive unit is receiving optical laser energy on or after receipt of the optical laser energy at the lower power level at each additional receive unit; transmitting optical laser energy at a higher power level over the optical fibers from the one or more additional transmit units to the one or more additional receive units on or after the receipt of each feedback signal at each additional transmit unit; converting the optical laser energy at the higher power level received at each additional receive unit to electrical energy; communicating a ready signal among all receive units when each receive unit is ready to output electrical energy; outputting the electrical energy from each receive unit, when the ready signal is present; and serially connecting the outputs from each receive unit, whereby the serial combination of the outputs provides electrical energy at a voltage higher than that obtained from a single receive unit output.
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Specification