WDM Mux/DeMux on cable and methods of making the same

• US 9,983,374 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2016
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alliance Fiber Optic Products Incorporated (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Alliance Fiber Optic Products Incorporated (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Li, Yao, Xiao, Charlie
• Primary Examiner(s): WOLDEKIDAN, HIBRET ASNAKE
• Application Number:
  US15/278,188
• Publication Number:
  US 20170017053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• Field of Search: 398135-139, 398 79, 398 68, 398 82
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/29365 in a multireflection configuration, i.e. beam following a zigzag path between filters or filtering operations
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2938 for multiplexing or demultiplexing, i.e. combining or separating wavelengths, e.g. 1xN, NxM
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3664 2D cross sectional arrangements of the fibres
• 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 6/4446 Cable boxes, e.g. splicing boxes with two or more multi fibre cables
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4452 Distribution frames

Abstract

Techniques for WDM Mux/DeMux on cable and methods of making the same are described According to one aspect of the present application, a unit designed to provide multiplexing or demultiplexing (Mux/Demux) functions is implemented on cable. In other words, the Mux/Demux unit is coupled by a multi-fiber cable to a system (e.g., a system rack for router or switch that has multiple pluggable transceiver slots).

Claims

1. An optical device comprising:

a first enclosure comprising a first transition area inside the first enclosure at a first end of the first enclosure, a second transition area inside the first enclosure at a second end of the first enclosure, and passive optical components between the first transition area and the second transition area to provide multiplexing or demultiplexing (Mux/Demux) functions;

a multi-fiber cable extending from outside the first enclosure to the first transition area inside of the first enclosure for optical coupling of a plurality of optical fibers of the multi-fiber cable to the passive optical components of the first enclosure;

a duplex fiber cable extending from outside the first enclosure into the second transition area inside the first enclosure and for optical coupling of at least two fibers, one optical fiber from an input to the passive optical components of the first enclosure to provide Mux/Demux functions and another optical fiber from an output of the passive optical components to provide Mux/Demux functions, wherein the plurality of optical fibers extend outwardly from the passive optical components of the first enclosure into the first transition area and to the multi-fiber cable and the at least two fibers extend outwardly from the passive optical components of the first enclosure into the second transition area and to the duplex fiber cable; and

a second enclosure coupled to the multi-fiber cable in a form factor to be received in one of multiple pluggable transceiver slots in a system rack, the second enclosure including a transceiver;

wherein the first transition area and the second transition area isolate the plurality of fibers of the multi-fiber cable and the at least two fibers of the duplex fiber cable from external pull forces on the multi-fiber cable and the duplex fiber cable, respectively.

2. The optical device of claim 1, wherein the passive optical components are fixed to a substrate housed in the first enclosure.

3. The optical device of claim 2, wherein the passive optical components and the substrate are epoxy sealed, soldered or laser welded in a unit so that moisture would not enter into the unit or degrade performance of each of the passive optical components.

4. The optical device of claim 1, wherein the first enclosure is a ruggidized cage to accommodate the first transition area and the second transition area.

5. The optical device as recited in claim 4, wherein the passive optical components are embedded within the ruggidized cage.

6. The optical device as recited in claim 4, further comprising a first crimp tube for the multi-fiber cable and a second crimp tube for the duplex fiber cable, wherein the first and second crimp tubes are embedded in the ruggidized cage to isolate the plurality of fibers and the at least two fibers from experiencing undesired forces.

7. The optical device as recited in claim 1, wherein the multi-fiber cable is a fiber ribbon or encapsulated in a multi-fiber boot.

8. The optical device as recited in claim 1, wherein the duplex fiber cable extends beyond the first enclosure and ends in a duplex fiber connector.

9. The optical device as recited in claim 1, wherein the Mux/DeMux functions are implemented based on thin-film filters, a planar lightwave circuit (PLC) or a combination of the thin-film filters and PLC.

10. A system comprising:

a pluggable active module having a plurality of multi-wavelength transmitting optical sub-assembly (TOSA) units and receiving optical sub-assembly (ROSA) units, each having multiple parallel wavelength channels and a multi-fiber connector adapter port, wherein the pluggable active module in a form factor to be received in one of multiple pluggable transceiver slots in a system rack;

an enclosure comprising a box with a first end and a second end, a first transition area inside the enclosure at the first end of the box and a second transition area inside the enclosure at the second end of the box, the box housing at least one passive optical unit, wherein the passive optical unit including passive optical components is provided to perform multiplexing or demultiplexing (Mux/Demux) functions and facilitate Mux/DeMux of the wavelength channels;

a multi-fiber cable extending from outside the enclosure into the first transition area inside the enclosure for optical coupling of a plurality of fibers of the multi-fiber cable to the at least one passive optical unit housed in the box; and

a duplex fiber cable extending from outside the enclosure into the second transition area inside the enclosure for optical coupling of at least two fibers, one optical fiber from of the at least one passive optical component housed in the box to provide Mux/Demux functions and another optical fiber from an output of the at least one passive optical component to provide Mux/Demux functions, wherein the plurality of fibers extend outwardly from the at least one passive optical component house in the box into the first transition area and to the multi-fiber cable and the at least two fibers extend outwardly from the at least one passive optical component housed in the box into the second transition area and to the duplex fiber cable;

wherein the enclosure is a ruggidized cage, the box is embedded within the ruggidized cage, and the first transition area and the second transition area isolate the plurality of fibers of the multi-fiber cable and the at least two fibers from experiencing undesired forces resulting from external pull forces on the multi-fiber cable and the duplex fiber cable, respectively.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one passive optical component is fixed to a substrate housed in the box.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one passive optical component and the substrate are epoxy sealed, soldered or laser welded in a unit so that moisture will not enter into the unit or degrade performance of the at least one passive optical component.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising a first crimp tube for the multi-fiber cable and a second crimp tube for the duplex fiber cable, wherein the first and second crimp tubes are embedded in the ruggidized cage to isolate the plurality of fibers and the at least two fibers from experiencing undesired forces.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the multi-fiber cable is a fiber ribbon or is encapsulated in a multi-fiber boot.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein a cross section of the at least one passive optical unit is a polygon shape or a circular shape.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the polygon shape is rectangular or hexagonal.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one passive optical component is fixed to two sides of a substrate to form two independently working (Mux/Demux) functions.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the Mux/DeMux functions are implemented based on thin-film filters, a planar lightwave circuit (PLC) or a combination of the thin-film filters and PLC.

19. A system comprising:

a pluggable active module having a plurality of multi-wavelength transmitting optical sub-assembly (TOSA) units and receiving optical sub-assembly (ROSA) units, each having multiple parallel wavelength channels and a multi-fiber connector adapter port, wherein the pluggable active module in a form factor to be received in one of multiple pluggable transceiver slots in a system rack;

an enclosure comprising a box with a first end and a second end, the box housing at least one passive optical unit, wherein the passive optical unit including passive optical components is provided to perform multiplexing or demultiplexing (Mux/Demux) functions and facilitate Mux/DeMux of the wavelength channels, wherein the passive optical unit has at least two fibers extending externally from the second end of the box to a duplex fiber cable a predefined distance away from the passive optical unit; and

a multi-fiber cable provided to couple the passive optical unit to the pluggable active module, wherein the multi-fiber cable is coupled to a plurality of fibers from the passive optical unit extending from the first end of the box, wherein the passive optical components are fixed to a substrate housed in the box, the passive optical components and the substrate are epoxy sealed, soldered or laser welded in a unit so that moisture will not enter into the unit or degrade performance of each of the passive optical components;

wherein the enclosure is a ruggidized cage to accommodate two transition areas for the plurality of fibers to transition to the multi-fiber cable and the at least two fibers to transition to the duplex fiber cable, and isolate the plurality of fibers and the at least two fibers from experiencing undesired forces.

20. An optical device comprising:

a first enclosure and a second enclosure, wherein the first enclosure comprises a box with a first end and a second end opposite the first end, a first transition area inside the first enclosure and extending from the first end of the box and a second transition area inside the first enclosure and extending from the second end of the box, wherein the box houses passive optical components to provide multiplexing or demultiplexing (Mux/Demux) functions, and the second enclosure comprises a transceiver and in a form factor to be received in one of multiple pluggable transceiver slots in a system rack;

a multi-fiber cable extending from outside the first enclosure into the first transition area inside the first enclosure for optical coupling of a plurality of fibers of the multi-fiber cable to the passive optical components housed in the box;

a duplex fiber cable extending from outside the enclosure into the second transition area inside the first enclosure for optical coupling of at least two fibers, wherein the at least two fibers comprise one fiber from an input to the passive optical components to provide Mux/Demux functions and another fiber from an output of the passive optical components to provide Mux/Demux functions;

a first crimp tube for the multi-fiber cable and a second crimp tube for the duplex cable;

wherein the first and second crimp tubes are embedded in the first enclosure to isolate the plurality of fibers and at least two fibers, respectively, from experiencing undesired forces.