Method and apparatus for coupling optical signal with packaged circuits via optical cables and lightguide couplers

• US 8,340,527 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2011
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elbex Video Limited (Elbex Japan Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Elbex Video Limited (Elbex Japan Ltd.)
• Inventors: Elberbaum, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Li, Shi K
• Application Number:
  US13/220,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20110311219A1
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 398/107, 398/111, 398/113
• US Class Current: 398/113
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/02033 Core or cladding made from organic material, e.g. polymeric material G02B1/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3644 the coupling means being through-holes or wall apertures
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3817 containing optical and electrical conductors cables including electrical and optical conductors H01B11/22; G02B6/3816 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4292 the light guide being disconnectable from the opto-electronic element, e.g. mutually self aligning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4295 coupling with semiconductor devices activated by light through the light guide, e.g. thyristors, phototransistors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/475 Mechanical aspects of installing cables in ducts or the like for buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 23/168 using cams
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 23/24 with two operating positions
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/0271 structurally combining a switch and an electronic component for relays H01H50/021
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/167 the light sources and the devices sensitive to radiation all being semiconductor devices characterised by potential barriers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/173 formed in, or on, a common substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40013 Details regarding a bus controller

Abstract

Method and apparatus for coupling electrical and communication circuits, included in a packaged semiconductor comprising photo receivers, photo transmitters and photovoltaic cells, through lightguide and optical fiber cables. The packaged semiconductor combinations comprise one, two or plurality of photo elements for a single or plurality one way optical signal, receive or transmit, and a single or plurality of two way optical signal communications via direct optical links and via optical prisms, filters, half mirrors and lenses. The packaged semiconductor includes at least one optical access to a single or plurality of lightguides or optical fiber with single core and for multicore lightguides. A built-in or attachable holders are used for attaching the different lightguide cables to the one or plurality of optical accesses with the attached cable end is terminated by cutting, trimming and shaping. The packaged circuit comprising electrical switches, current sensors, basic elements such as diodes, transistors and FETs, switches and power switches and different basic electrical circuit and communication, distribution circuits including CPU, DSP and complex semiconductor circuits, as used for communicating within limited short distances through optical network of lightguides and fiber optical cables. A packaged semiconductor of an SPDT power switch circuit is integrated with an SPDT manually activated switch, for providing dual switching for lights and other electrical appliances, via manual action and remotely via the lightguide or the optical fiber.

Claims

1. A method for coupling an optical signal via at least one optical cable selected from a group comprising lightguide, optical fiber and a combination thereof to a semiconductor circuit contained in a packaged plastic enclosure of an integrated lightguide coupler for monitoring and communicating data pertaining to a current drawn through one of an AC power line and an AC power outlet including one of reporting and controlling the consumed power by an electrical appliance;

said packaged plastic enclosure of said integrated lightguide coupler further contains at least one optical access made of a plastic molded structure, and at least one photo element selected from a group comprising a photo diode, a photovoltaic cell, a photo diac, a photo thyristor, a photo triac, a photo transistor, a photo MOSFET, an LED, a laser and combinations thereof, said at least one photo element being integrated with said semiconductor circuit, and said semiconductor circuit being selected from a group comprising a current sensor, a current data processor and a combination thereof;

said optical access providing for directly attaching and optically linking said at least one optical cable with said at least one photo element, at least one holder selected from a group comprising a structured holder within said enclosure, an attachable holder and a combination thereof for holding a terminated end of said optical cable attached to said access, said method comprising the steps of;

a. terminating said optical cable end by a sharp cut;

b. attaching the terminated end directly to said access;

c. holding the terminated end attached to said access by said holder; and

d. exchanging said optical signal selected from a group comprising transmit, receive and two way communication between said optical cable and said photo element for communicating said data with said circuit.

2. The method for coupling an optical signal to a semiconductor circuit according to claim 1, wherein said optical access is made of a plastic molded structure for directly attaching and optically linking said terminated end with at least two photo elements comprising one receiver and one transmitter contained in said enclosure of said integrated lightguide coupler for exchanging two way optical signals via said at least one optical cable.

3. The method for coupling an optical signal to a semiconductor circuit according to claim 1, wherein said access is made of a plastic molded structure for directly attaching and optically linking said terminated end with at least three photo elements selected from one of a combination comprising one receiver with two transmitters and one transmitter with two receivers contained in said enclosure of said integrated lightguide coupler for exchanging two way optical signals via said at least one optical cable.

4. The method for coupling an optical signal to a semiconductor circuit according to claim 1, wherein said enclosure of said lightguide coupler contains two said optical accesses made of a plastic molded structure for optically linking two terminated ends with at least two photo elements comprising one receiver and one transmitter contained in said enclosure of said integrated lightguide coupler for exchanging two way optical signals via a receive optical link and a transmit optical link;

said accesses are spaced to commensurate with one of an optical cable with dual core and two of said optical cable with a single core each, and wherein said holder and said access are further structured in one of a combination comprising said holder for holding the optical cable with dual core directly attached and optically linked to two said accesses spaced for said dual core and two holders for holding optically two said optical cables each with a single core directly attached and liked to said accesses spaced for two single core optical cables.

5. The method for coupling an optical signal to a semiconductor circuit according to claim 1, wherein said optical access is made of a plastic molded structure for directly attaching and optically linking a plurality of terminated ends of a multicore optical cable with a plurality of photo elements selected from one of a plurality of receivers and a plurality of transmitters contained in said enclosure of said integrated lightguide coupler for propagating a plurality of one way optical signals via said multicore optical cable, and wherein said holder holds said multicore optical cable directly attached to said access for linking each of a plurality of said elements with one core of said multicore.

6. The method for coupling an optical signal to a semiconductor circuit according to claim 1, wherein said enclosure of said integrated lightguide coupler contains a plurality of optical accesses each made of a plastic molded structure for directly attaching and optically linking a plurality of terminated ends of a plurality of said optical cables with a plurality of photo elements selected from one of a plurality of receivers and a plurality of transmitters contained in said enclosure of said integrated lightguide coupler for propagating a plurality of one way optical signals via said plurality of said optical cables each with a single core, and wherein one of a plurality of holders holds one of said plurality of optical cables with a single core directly attached to one of said plurality of accesses.

7. The method for coupling an optical signal to a semiconductor circuit according to claim 1, wherein said optical access is made of a plastic molded structure for directly attaching and optically linking a plurality of terminated ends of multicore optical cable with a plurality of pairs of photo elements contained in said enclosure of said integrated lightguide coupler, each of said pairs comprising one receiver and one transmitter is spaced to commensurate with a multicore optical cable for exchanging two way optical signals via one core of said multicore, and wherein said holder holds said multicore optical cable directly attached to said access for linking at least two said pairs with at least two cores of said multicore.

8. The method for coupling an optical signal to a semiconductor circuit according to claim 1, wherein said enclosure of said integrated lightguide coupler contains a plurality of optical accesses each made of a plastic molded structure for directly attaching and optically linking one said terminated end with one pair of a plurality of pairs of photo elements contained in said enclosure of said integrated lightguide coupler, each of said pairs comprising one receiver and one transmitter for exchanging two way optical signals via one of a plurality of optical cables each with a single core, and wherein at least two holders hold at least two said optical cables each with a single core directly attached to two of said accesses.

9. The method for coupling an optical signal to a semiconductor circuit according to claim 1, wherein one of a plurality of pairs of photo elements each pair comprising one receiver linked via a receive link with one transmitter linked via a transmit link of an optical access made of a plastic molded structure with multi optical links and a plurality of optical accesses each made of a plastic molded structure with a single optical link are contained in said enclosure of said integrated lightguide coupler for exchanging a plurality of two way optical signals, and wherein a combination selected from one of said holder for holding the terminated ends of an optical cable with multicore directly attached to said access and a plurality of holders for holding a plurality of terminated ends of optical cables each with a single core directly attached to said plurality of accesses for directly linking at least two said pairs of said photo elements with two pairs of cores of said multicore or four of said optical cables each with a single core.

10. The method for coupling an optical signal to a semiconductor circuit according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of photo elements and a plurality of accesses each is made of a plastic molded structure for distributing optical signals selected from a group comprising receive, transmit, two way and combinations thereof via at least one of said plurality of accesses are contained in said enclosure of said integrated lightguide coupler, and wherein at least one of a plurality of holders holds at least one said terminated end directly attached to one access for optically linking of at least one of a plurality of optical cables to at least one of said accesses.

11. The method for coupling an optical signal to a semiconductor circuit according to claim 1, wherein said element and said circuit are adapted to receive an optical signal from an optical transmitter for installing an identifying data of said appliance into a memory associated with said circuit, and wherein said current data processor outputs a combined data of at least a portion of said identifying data with a current drain data for at least one of addressing and controlling the consumed power and for reporting at least one of said appliance status, the consumed power and current drain using a combined optical signal.

12. The method for coupling an optical signal to a semiconductor circuit according to claim 11, wherein one of said thyristor, triac and MOSFET of a first integrated lightguide coupler is used for controlling the consumed power.

13. The method for coupling an optical signal to a semiconductor circuit according to claim 12, wherein a second integrated lightguide coupler is a transceiver for said combined optical signal and wherein said current data processor processes the received combined optical signal for outputting an optical signal comprising said portion of said identifying data combined with commands to said first integrated lightguide coupler for controlling the power consumed.

14. The method for coupling an optical signal to a semiconductor circuit according to claim 11, wherein a second integrated lightguide coupler is one of a receiver and a transceiver for said combined optical signal and wherein said current data processor processes the received combined optical signal for outputting combined electrical signals converted from said combined optical signals for reporting the consumed power including the converting of electrical signals received into a combined optical signals.

15. The method for coupling an optical signal to a semiconductor circuit according to claim 1, wherein said plastic molded structure is made of one of a clear and a tinted resin including a coating selected from a group comprising a cut filter coat, a pass filter coat, half mirror coat and combinations thereof for providing optical links selected from a group comprising in-line single optical link, in-line two optical links, in-line three optical links, in-line more than three optical links, plurality of a single in-line optical links, plurality of two in-line optical links, a plurality of three in-line optical links and combinations thereof.

16. An integrated lightguide coupler comprising a semiconductor circuit being selected from a group comprising a current sensor, a current data processor and a combination thereof integrated with at least one photo element selected from a group comprising a photo diode, a photovoltaic cell, a photo diac, a photo thyristor, a photo triac, a photo transistor, a photo MOSFET, an LED, a laser and combinations thereof and at least one optical access made of a plastic molded structure for directly linking said optical element with a terminated end of an optical cable are all contained in a packaged plastic enclosure of said integrated lightguide coupler;

at least one holder selected from a group comprising a structured holder within said enclosure, an attachable holder and a combination thereof for holding a terminated end of at least one said optical cable selected from a group comprising lightguide, optical fiber and a combination thereof directly attached and optically linked to said access;

said integrated lightguide coupler is electrically connected via contacts of said enclosure selected from a group comprising pins, solder pins, surface mount contacts, surface mount terminals, power contacts, plugs, sockets, posts, blades, terminal blocks, screw terminals, crimp terminals, fast on terminals, solder terminals, solder contacts, and combinations thereof via one of directly and via electrical wire to an electrical appliance; and

said optical cable end terminated by a sharp cut is attached and held by said holder to said access for coupling optical signals selected from a group comprising transmit, receive and two way communication with said circuit through said at least one photo element for monitoring and communicating a data pertaining to a current drawn through one of an AC power line and an AC power outlet including one of reporting and controlling the consumed power by an electrical appliance.

17. The integrated lightguide coupler according to claim 16, wherein said optical access is made of a plastic molded structure for directly attaching and optically linking said terminated end with at least two photo elements comprising one receiver and one transmitter contained in said lightguide coupler enclosure for exchanging two way optical signals via said at least one optical cable.

18. The integrated lightguide coupler according to claim 16, wherein said optical access is made of a plastic molded structure for directly attaching and optically linking said terminated end with at least three photo elements selected from one of a combination comprising one receiver with two transmitters and one transmitter with two receivers contained in said lightguide coupler enclosure for exchanging two way optical signals via said at least one optical cable.

19. The integrated lightguide coupler according to claim 16, wherein said optical access is made of a plastic molded structure for directly attaching and optically linking two terminated ends with at least two photo elements comprising one receiver and one transmitter contained in said lightguide coupler enclosure for exchanging two way optical signals via one of an optical cable with dual core and two of said optical cables each with a single core, and wherein said holder and said access are structured in one of a combination comprising said holder for holding said optical cable with dual core directly attached to said access and two said holders for holding two said optical cables each with a single core directly attached to said access.

20. The integrated lightguide coupler according to claim 16, wherein said optical access is made of a plastic molded structure for directly attaching and optically linking a plurality of terminated ends of a multicore optical cable with a plurality of photo elements selected from one of a plurality of receivers and a plurality of transmitters for propagating a plurality of one way optical signals via said access are contained in said lightguide coupler enclosure, and wherein said holder holds said multicore optical cable directly attached to said access for linking each of said photo elements with one core of said multicore.

21. The integrated lightguide coupler according to claim 16, wherein a plurality of optical accesses each made of a plastic molded structure for directly attaching and optically linking a plurality of terminated ends with of a plurality of photo elements selected from one of a plurality of receivers and a plurality of transmitters for propagating a plurality of one way optical signals via said plurality of said accesses are contained in said lightguide coupler enclosure, and wherein a plurality of holders hold said plurality of said optical cables each with a single core directly attached and linked to one of said plurality of accesses.

22. The integrated lightguide coupler according to claim 16, wherein said optical access made of a plastic molded structure for directly attaching and optically linking a plurality of terminated ends of a multicore optical cable with a plurality of pairs of photo elements are contained in said lightguide coupler enclosure, each pair of said pairs comprising one receiver and one transmitter is spaced to commensurate with said multicore optical cable for exchanging two way optical signals via one core of said multicore, and wherein said holder holds said multicore optical cable directly attached to said access for linking at least two said pairs with at least two cores of said multicore.

23. The integrated lightguide coupler according to claim 16, wherein a plurality of optical accesses made of a plastic molded structure each linked with one pair of a plurality of pairs of photo elements comprising one receiver and one transmitter are contained in said lightguide coupler enclosure, each said pair for exchanging two way optical signals via one of a plurality of said optical cables each with a single core and wherein a plurality of holders hold said plurality of optical cables directly attached to said accesses for optically linking each said pair with one of said plurality of optical cables.

24. The integrated lightguide coupler according to claim 16, wherein one of an optical access with multi links made of a plastic molded structure and a plurality of optical accesses each made of a plastic molded structure with a single link for linking a plurality of pairs of photo elements each pair of said pairs comprising one receiver linked via a receive link and one transmitter linked via a transmit link are contained in said lightguide coupler enclosure, each pair is optically linked via one of two links of said multi links with two cores of a multicore optical cable and via two said single link with two said optical cables each with a single core for exchanging two way optical signals via two cores of said multicore or via two said single cores, and wherein one of said holder holds the terminated ends of said multicore optical cable directly attached to said access and a plurality of holders hold the terminated ends of a plurality of said optical cables each with a single core directly attached to said accesses for optically linking at least two of said pairs with two pairs of cores of said multicore or four of said optical cable each with a single core.

25. The integrated lightguide coupler according to claim 16, wherein a plurality of photo elements and a plurality of accesses each made of a plastic molded structure for distributing optical signals selected from a group comprising receive, transmit, two way and combinations thereof are contained in said lightguide coupler enclosure, and wherein at least one of a plurality of holders holds at least one said terminated end of at least one of a plurality of optical cables directly attached and optically linked to at least one of said accesses.

26. The integrated lightguide coupler according to claim 16, wherein said element and said circuit are adapted to receive an optical signal from an optical transmitter for installing an identifying data of said appliance into a memory associated with said circuit, and wherein said current data processor outputs a combined data of at least a portion of said identifying data with a current drain data for at least one of addressing and controlling the consumed power and for reporting at least one of said appliance status, the consumed power and the current drain using a combined optical signal.

27. The integrated lightguide coupler according to claim 26, wherein one of said thyristor, triac and MOSFET of a first lightguide coupler enclosure is used for controlling the consumed power.

28. The integrated lightguide coupler according to claim 27, wherein a second lightguide coupler enclosure is a transceiver for said combined optical signal and wherein said current data processor processes the received said combined optical signal for outputting an optical signal comprising said portion of said identifying data combined with commands to said first packaged semiconductor for controlling the power consumed.

29. The integrated lightguide coupler according to claim 26, wherein a second lightguide coupler enclosure is one of a receiver and a transceiver for said combined optical signal and wherein said current data processor processes the received said combined optical signal for outputting combined electrical signals converted from said combined optical signals for reporting the consumed power including the converting of electrical signals received into a combined optical signals.

30. The integrated lightguide coupler according to claim 16, wherein said plastic molded structure is made of one of a clear and a tinted resin including a coating selected from a group comprising a cut filter coat, a pass filter coat, half mirror coat and combinations thereof for providing optical links selected from a group comprising in-line single optical link, in-line two optical links, in-line three optical links, in-line more than three optical links, plurality of a single in-line optical links, plurality of two in-line optical links, a plurality of three in-line optical links and combinations thereof.