Free space fiber-optic connector
First Claim
1. A fiber-optic connector assembly comprising:
- a first connecting portion, the first connecting portion including;
a fiber-optic receiver configured to receive an optical signal from an input optical fiber at a fiber communication wavelength between about 1300 nm and about 1650 nm; and
a free-space optical transmitter configured to transmit a free-space optical signal at a free-space communication wavelength between about 360 nm and about 3 microns through a free space medium, the optical signal modulated with data recovered from the received optical signal; and
a second connecting portion, the second connecting portion including;
a free-space optical receiver configured to receive at least a portion of the free-space optical signal transmitted from the free-space optical transmitter; and
a fiber-optic transmitter configured to transmit a fiber-optic signal at a fiber communication wavelength between about 1300 nm and about 1650 nm through an output optical fiber, the fiber-optic signal modulated with data recovered from the portion of the space optical signal received at the free-space optical receiver,wherein the first and second connecting portions are configured to be physically connected to each other such that when connected, the free-space optical transmitter is spaced apart from the free-space optical receiver by a distance in the free space medium.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus of establishing a free-space communication link through a medium. The medium can be an occluded environment with increased absorption and/or scattering effects. The free-space communication link includes a transmitter configured to transmit an optical signal at a wavelength suitable for transmission through the medium without suffering excessive optical losses due to absorption and/or scattering effects. The free-space communication link includes a receiver configured to receive the transmitted optical signal. The transmitter-receiver pair is configured to efficiently transmit optical signals at the suitable wavelength over a distance between about 1 mm and about 50 m. The transmitter and the receiver can be configured as portions of a fiber-optic connector assembly that can be used to connect two fiber-optic cables in an occluded environment.
33 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A fiber-optic connector assembly comprising:
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a first connecting portion, the first connecting portion including; a fiber-optic receiver configured to receive an optical signal from an input optical fiber at a fiber communication wavelength between about 1300 nm and about 1650 nm; and a free-space optical transmitter configured to transmit a free-space optical signal at a free-space communication wavelength between about 360 nm and about 3 microns through a free space medium, the optical signal modulated with data recovered from the received optical signal; and a second connecting portion, the second connecting portion including; a free-space optical receiver configured to receive at least a portion of the free-space optical signal transmitted from the free-space optical transmitter; and a fiber-optic transmitter configured to transmit a fiber-optic signal at a fiber communication wavelength between about 1300 nm and about 1650 nm through an output optical fiber, the fiber-optic signal modulated with data recovered from the portion of the space optical signal received at the free-space optical receiver, wherein the first and second connecting portions are configured to be physically connected to each other such that when connected, the free-space optical transmitter is spaced apart from the free-space optical receiver by a distance in the free space medium. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An optical communication system comprising:
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a first free-space optical transmitter configured to transmit a first optical signal at a first free-space communication wavelength between about 360 nm and about 3 microns through a free space medium, the first free-space optical transmitter comprising an optical source and a collimating lens configured to collimate light output from the optical source; and a first free-space optical receiver coupled to the first free-space optical transmitter and spaced apart from the first free-space optical transmitter by a distance less than or equal to about 50 cm in the free space medium, the first free-space optical receiver configured to receive at least a portion of the first free-space optical signal, the first free-space optical receiver comprising an optical detector and a focusing lens having an optical axis and a focal length, the optical detector positioned at a distance less than or greater than the focal length of the focusing lens. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An optical communication system comprising:
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a first transceiver comprising; a first free-space optical receiver configured to receive optical signals at a first wavelength λ
1; anda first plurality of free-space optical transmitters configured to transmit optical signals at a second wavelength λ
2; anda second transceiver configured to receive signals transmitted from the first transceiver and transmit signals to first transceiver, the second transceiver comprising; a second free-space optical receiver configured to receive optical signals transmitted from the first plurality of free-space optical transmitters at the second wavelength λ
2; anda second plurality of free-space optical transmitters configured to transmit optical signals at the first wavelength λ
1 to the first free-space optical receiver,wherein the second transceiver is spaced apart from the first transceiver by a distance in a free-space medium. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of connecting a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion of a fiber-optic connector assembly, the method comprising:
bringing the first connecting portion within a distance of the second connecting portion such that the first connecting portion is self-guided under the influence of an attractive force towards the second connecting portion and physically contacts the second connecting portion such that an optical transmitter disposed in the first connecting portion or the second connecting portion is spaced apart from an optical receiver disposed in the second connecting portion or the first connecting portion by a space including a medium. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
Specification