Apparatus for modular implementation of multi-function active optical cables

• US 9,979,486 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2015
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zephyr Photonics
• Original Assignee: Zephyr Photonics
• Inventors: Louderback, Duane, Kleven, Kjersti Anna, Eustis, Tyler Joe, Harris, Mitchell Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): SINGH, DALZID E
• Application Number:
  US14/854,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20160028483A1
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 398 16, 398116, 398139, 398141, 398142
• 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 6/3885 Multicore or multichannel optical connectors, i.e. one single ferrule containing more than one fibre, e.g. ribbon type optical ribbon cable G02B6/4403, G02B6/448
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4269 with heat sinks or radiation fins
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4293 hybrid electrical and optical connections for transmitting electrical and optical signals
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4416 Heterogeneous cables
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4471 Terminating devices demountable connectors G02B6/3807; Cable clamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/038 using bypasses
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/071 using a reflected signal, e.g. using optical time domain reflectometers [OTDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/077 using a supervisory or additional signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/0791 Fault location on the transmission path
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/0795 Performance monitoring; Measurement of transmission parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/0797 Monitoring line amplifier or line repeater equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/2581 Multimode transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/807 Optical power feeding, i.e. transmitting power using an optical signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

Apparatus enabling modular implementation of active optical cable (AOC) with multiple integrated functions including: integration of different types of data on the AOC via media conversion; distribution of electrical power over the AOC; electrical multiplexing data channels for optical fibers; integration of voltage regulators enabling AOC operation at different supply voltages; integration of voltage regulators to provide stable, low noise power source; ruggedized, blind-mateable electrical connectors; integration of electronics and optoelectronics inside a connector backshell; implementation of health monitoring and test channel enabling monitoring, test, and control of both ends of the AOC and monitoring and control of upstream systems and components; and enabling a form, fit, function replacement of existing electrical cables to improve SWaP, electromagnetic interference resiliency, length-bandwidth product, electromagnetic pulse resistance, signal integrity, system reliability, testability and maintenance. AOCs are customized for different connectors, pin-outs, electrical data combinations, power distribution and power supplies with minimal redesign/requalification.

Claims

1. An active optical cable module comprising:

an electrical connector;

one or more boards electrically coupled to the electrical connector, the one or more boards including;

an optical engine comprising;

one or more optical emitters;

one or more photodetectors configured to receive and monitor optical power;

first electronics for driving the one or more optical emitters;

second electronics for receiving electronic signals from the one or more photodetectors; and

optical connections and electrical connections coupled to the one or more boards; and

an enclosure containing the one or more boards and the optical connections and electrical connections; and

one or more controllers in communication with at least one of;

the one or more optical emitters and the one or more photodetectors, the one or more controllers being configured to;

monitor a temperature of at least one of the one or more optical emitters and the one or more photodetectors,

monitor a transmitted optical power by the one or more optical emitters, and a received optical power by the one or more photodetectors,

adjust bias current and modulation current of the one or more optical emitters based on the temperature, and

adjust the transmitted optical power to compensate for changes in at least one of optical coupling and fiber cable assembly based on the received optical power,

wherein the active optical cable module is configured to receive/send two or more of electrical data types on an electrical communication cable and transmit/receive corresponding two or more optical data types on an optical fiber and receive and transmit electrical power on a separate electrical power cable, wherein a portion of the electrical power is used or tapped off to power the active optical cable module and a remaining portion of electrical power is passed through the active optical cable module.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the active optical cable module apparatus is configured to perform one or more of the following functions:

health and status monitoring;

built-in test or firmware upgrades;

transmission of electrical power;

simultaneous transmission of electrical power, optical data, and electrical data over the active optical cable;

or

simultaneous optical transmission of both data and power over the active optical cable.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more optical emitters include one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs), Fabry-Perot lasers, Distributed Feedback (DFB) lasers, vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), top-emitting VCSELs, bottom-emitting VCSELs or high-power lasers used for power distribution.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more photodetectors include one or more p-i-n photodetectors, semiconductor-metal (MSM) photodetectors, avalanche photodetectors, traveling wave photodetectors or resonant cavity photodetectors.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronics for receiving the electrical signals from the one or more photodetectors comprise a transimpedance amplifier (TIA) followed by a limiting amplifier (LA).

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an electrical interface engine and wherein the electrical interface engine is configured to interface with two or more of the following electrical data types:

10/100/1000 BaseT Tx Ethernet, transistor-transistor- logic (TTL), CMOS logic, RS-422, RS-485, RS-232, MIL-STD-1553, ARINC-429, an I2C two wire interface, a CAN Bus, FireWire, USB, serial digital interface (SDI), CameraLink, digital visual interface (DVI), HDMI, FibreChannel, Serial RapidiO, electrical interlocks, low latency control signals, analog sensors, analog servos, analog actuators, analog commutation devices, or electrical motor controls.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more photodetectors are configured to detect degradation in the one or more optical emitters.

8. An active optical cable comprising:

a first optoelectronic module and a second optoelectronic module; and

a cable assembly interchangeably and communicatively coupled between the first optoelectronic module and the second optoelectronic module, wherein the cable assembly includes optical fibers;

wherein each of the first optoelectronic module and the second optoelectronic module includes;

an electrical interface engine configured to interface with multiple electrical data streams of multiple electrical data types as input or output, and

an optical interface engine configured to interface with multiple optical data streams of multiple electrical data types as input or output, and

wherein the first optoelectronic module, the second optoelectronic module, or both the first optoelectronic module and the second optoelectronic module are configured to perform one or more of the following functions;

health and status monitoring including monitoring a temperature of at least one of the first optoelectronic module and the second optoelectronic module, or monitoring a transmitted optical power and a received optical power by at least one of the first optoelectronic module and the second optoelectronic module;

adjusting bias current and modulation current of the first optoelectronic module or the second optoelectronic module based on the temperature;

adjusting the transmitted optical power to compensate for changes in at least one of optical coupling and fiber cable assembly based on the received optical power;

built-in test; and

firmware upgrades; and

wherein at least one of the first optoelectronic module and the second optoelectronic module are also configured to;

receive/send two or more of electrical data types on an electrical communication cable and transmit/receive corresponding two or more optical data types on an optical fiber and receive and transmit electrical power on a separate electrical power cable, wherein a portion of the electrical power is used or tapped off to power the first optoelectronic module and the second optoelectronic module and a remaining portion of the electrical power is passed through the first optoelectronic module and the second optoelectronic module.

9. The active optical cable of claim 8, wherein the first optoelectronic module and the second optoelectronic module and the cable assembly in combination are configured to perform simultaneous transmission of optical data and electrical data.

10. The active optical cable of claim 8, wherein the electrical interface engine and the optical interface engine in one of the first optoelectronic module and the second optoelectronic module are configured to convert the multiple electrical data streams of multiple electrical data types into the multiple optical data streams of multiple electrical data type.

11. The active optical cable of claim 10, wherein the optical interface engine and the electrical interface engine in the other of the two optoelectronic modules are configured to convert the multiple optical data streams of multiple data types into the multiple electrical data streams of multiple data types or covert the multiple electrical data streams of multiple data types into the multiple optical data streams of multiple data types.

12. The active optical cable of claim 8, wherein for each of the first optoelectronic module and the second optoelectronic module:

the optical interface engine includes a modular optical interface that is coupled to a board; and

the electrical interface engine includes a modular electrical interface that is coupled to the board.

13. The active optical cable of claim 8, wherein each of the first optoelectronic module and the second optoelectronic include control electronics and wherein the control electronics are configured to route data to an alternative optical channel when a primary channel is degraded or non-functional.

14. An optoelectronic module for implementing in an active optical cable, the optoelectronic module comprising:

a connector configured to make a physical connection with one end of a cable assembly;

an electrical interface engine configured to interface with multiple electrical data streams of multiple electrical data types as one of a first input or a second output; and

an optical interface engine configured to interface with multiple optical data streams of multiple electrical data types as one of a second input or a second output,

wherein the optical module is configured to perform one or more of the following functions;

health and status monitoring including monitoring a temperature of the active optical module or monitoring a transmitted optical power and a received optical power;

adjusting bias current and modulation current of the optoelectronic module based on the temperature;

adjusting the transmitted optical power to compensate for changes in at least one of optical coupling and fiber cable assembly based on the received optical power;

built-in test; and

firmware upgrades; and

wherein the optical module is configured to;

receive/send two or more of electrical data types on an electrical communication cable and transmit/receive corresponding two or more optical data types on an optical fiber and receive and transmit electrical power on a separate electrical power cable, wherein a portion of the electrical power is used or tapped off to power the optoelectronic module and a remaining portion of electrical power is passed through the optoelectronic module, the remaining portion of electrical power being transmitted along with the two or more optical data types or the two or more electrical data types over the active optical cable.

15. The optoelectronic module of claim 14, wherein the electrical interface engine includes multiplexing electronics, demultiplexing electronics, or both to route data over more than one optical channel simultaneously.

16. The optoelectronic module of claim 15, wherein the multiplexing electronics, the demultiplexing electronics, both include:

a serializer/deserializer (SERDES).

17. The optoelectronic module of claim 16, wherein the SERDES is included in a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

18. The optoelectronic module of claim 14, wherein:

the optical interface engine includes a modular optical interface that is coupled to a board; and

the electrical interface engine includes a modular electrical interface that is coupled to the board.

19. The optoelectronic module of claim 18, wherein the electrical interface components are modular and interchangeable to implement interfaces with different electrical data types without changing other parts of the active optical cable.

20. The optoelectronic module of claim 14, comprising control electronics configured to perform temperature compensation.

21. The optoelectronic module of claim 14, wherein the health and status monitoring or built-in test functionality implements optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR) or transmits data generated in the active optical cable to verify correct operation of the active optical cable.

22. The optoelectronic module of claim 14, wherein the health and status monitoring comprises at least one of reporting temperatures in the optoelectronic modules, reporting incoming supply voltage levels, reporting flags for voltage ranges outside tolerances, reporting optical emitter degradation, reporting health and status information from the electrical interface engine, reporting optical channels that are non-functional, reporting optical channels that are functional but degraded to a level requiring replacement of the active optical cable apparatus, reporting health information for a component or a system not part of the active optical cable apparatus or reporting information about cable health.

23. An active optical cable module comprising:

an electrical connector;

one or more boards electrically coupled to the electrical connector, the one or more boards including;

an optical engine comprising;

one or more optical emitters;

one or more photodetectors capable of receiving and monitoring optical power;

one or more controllers in communication with at least one of the one or more optical emitters and the one or more photodetectors, the one or more controllers being configured to;

monitor at least a temperature of at least one of the one or more optical emitters and the one or more photodetectors,

adjust bias current and modulation current of the one or more optical emitters based on the temperature,

monitor a transmitted optical power by the one or more optical emitters and a received optical power by the one or more photodetectors, and

adjust the transmitted optical power to compensate for changes in at least one of optical coupling and fiber cable assembly based on the received optical power;

first electronics for driving the one or more optical emitters;

second electronics for receiving signals from the one or more photodetectors; and

optical connections and electrical connections coupled to the one or more boards; and

an enclosure containing the one or more boards and the optical connections and electrical connections;

wherein the active optical module is configured to receive/send two or more of electrical data types on an electrical communication cable and transmit/receive corresponding two or more optical data types on an optical fiber and receive and transmit electrical power on a separate electrical power cable, wherein a portion of the electrical power is used or tapped off to power the active optical cable module and a remaining portion of electrical power is passed through the active optical cable module.