Voltage controlled optical directional coupler
First Claim
1. A voltage controlled optical directional coupler, comprising:
- a first optical hybrid coupler comprising a trunk input;
a second optical hybrid coupler coupled with a tap output; and
one or more voltage controlled optical elements configured to couple the first optical hybrid coupler to the second optical hybrid coupler, the one or more voltage controlled optical elements having a variable transparency depending on a voltage applied to the one or more voltage controlled optical elements;
wherein the voltage controlled optical directional coupler is configured to divert a portion of optical power received to the trunk input to the tap output based on a variable coupling ratio of the voltage controlled optical directional coupler, the variable coupling ratio being dependent on the variable transparency of the one or more voltage controlled optical elements;
wherein a first output of the second optical hybrid coupler is coupled to the tap output, a second output of the second hybrid optical coupler is coupled to an optical termination, and the voltage controlled optical directional coupler is configured to pass through to a trunk output of the first hybrid optical coupler a remaining portion of optical power received to the trunk input and not diverted to the tap output.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A voltage controlled optical directional coupler (VCODC) having a coupling ratio that can be adjusted to any desired value through voltage tuning is disclosed. The VCODC may include a first optical hybrid coupler and a second optical hybrid coupler, which may be coupled with each other via one or more voltage controlled optical elements having a variable transparency depending on a voltage applied to the one or more voltage controlled optical elements. The VCODC may be configured to divert a portion of optical power received to a trunk input of the VCODC to a tap output of the VCODC based on the variable coupling ratio of the VCODC, which may be dependent on the variable transparency of the one or more voltage controlled optical elements.
818 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A voltage controlled optical directional coupler, comprising:
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a first optical hybrid coupler comprising a trunk input; a second optical hybrid coupler coupled with a tap output; and one or more voltage controlled optical elements configured to couple the first optical hybrid coupler to the second optical hybrid coupler, the one or more voltage controlled optical elements having a variable transparency depending on a voltage applied to the one or more voltage controlled optical elements; wherein the voltage controlled optical directional coupler is configured to divert a portion of optical power received to the trunk input to the tap output based on a variable coupling ratio of the voltage controlled optical directional coupler, the variable coupling ratio being dependent on the variable transparency of the one or more voltage controlled optical elements;
wherein a first output of the second optical hybrid coupler is coupled to the tap output, a second output of the second hybrid optical coupler is coupled to an optical termination, and the voltage controlled optical directional coupler is configured to pass through to a trunk output of the first hybrid optical coupler a remaining portion of optical power received to the trunk input and not diverted to the tap output. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for operating a voltage controlled optical directional coupler comprising:
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a first optical hybrid coupler comprising a trunk input; and a second optical hybrid coupler coupled with a tap output of the voltage controlled optical directional coupler, the first optical hybrid coupler being coupled with the second optical hybrid coupler via one or more voltage controlled optical elements having a variable transparency depending on a voltage applied to the one or more voltage controlled optical elements, the method comprising; setting a target optical power at the tap output (POPT TAP) for the voltage controlled optical directional coupler, wherein a portion of optical power received to the trunk input is diverted to the tap output based on a variable coupling ratio of the voltage controlled optical directional coupler, the variable coupling ratio being dependent on the variable transparency of the one or more voltage controlled optical elements; observing an actual POPT TAP; determining whether the actual POPT TAP is equal to the target POPT TAP; and adjusting the variable coupling ratio of the voltage controlled optical directional coupler to achieve the target POPT TAP by tuning the voltage applied to the one or more voltage controlled optical elements in an instance in which the actual POPT TAP is not equal to the target POPT TAP; and
passing through to a trunk output of the first hybrid optical coupler a remaining portion of optical power received to the trunk input and not diverted to the tap output. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system comprising:
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a voltage controlled optical directional coupler comprising; a first optical hybrid coupler comprising a trunk input; a second optical hybrid coupler coupled with a tap output; and one or more voltage controlled optical elements configured to couple the first optical hybrid coupler to the second optical hybrid coupler, the one or more voltage controlled optical elements having a variable transparency depending on a voltage applied to the one or more voltage controlled optical elements; wherein the voltage controlled optical directional coupler is configured to divert a portion of optical power received to the trunk input to the tap output based on a variable coupling ratio of the voltage controlled optical directional coupler, the variable coupling ratio being dependent on the variable transparency of the one or more voltage controlled optical elements; a control loop configured to adjust the variable coupling ratio of the voltage controlled optical directional coupler to achieve a target optical power at the tap output (POPT TAP) by tuning the voltage applied to the one or more voltage controlled optical elements in an instance in which an observed POPT TAP is not equal to the target POPT TAP; and processing circuitry configured to set the target POPT TAP;
wherein a first output of the second optical hybrid coupler is coupled to the tap output, a second output of the second hybrid optical coupler is coupled to an optical termination, and the voltage controlled optical directional coupler is configured to pass through to a trunk output of the first hybrid optical coupler a remaining portion of optical power received to the trunk input and not diverted to the tap output. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification