Shared multi-channel parallel optical interface

• US 7,082,267 B1
• Filed: 08/25/2000
• Issued: 07/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rdm Foundation
• Original Assignee: Rdm Foundation
• Inventors: Mays, Robert Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sedighian, M. R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Li, Shi K.
• Application Number:
  US09/648,847
• Time in Patent Office: 2,160 Days
• Field of Search: 359 15- 19, 398/141, 398/156, 398/130, 398/131
• US Class Current: 398/156
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/114 Indoor or close-range type systems

Abstract

An optical communication method and system that features concurrently refracting and filtering, employing a holographic transform function, optical energy to impinge upon an optical detector with unwanted characteristics of the optical energy being removed. To that end, the system includes a source of optical energy to direct optical energy along a path, an optical detector disposed in the path, and an optical apparatus. The optical apparatus includes a lens having an arcuate surface and a holographic transform function recorded throughout the volume of the lens.

Claims

1. An optical communication system comprising:

a source of optical energy to propagate optical energy along an optical path;

a detector positioned in the optical path; and

an optical system having an arcuate surface and a holographic transform function disposed within a volume of the optical system, with the optical system being disposed to filter the optical energy in accordance with properties of the holographic transform function to remove optical energy having unwanted characteristics, defining transformed optical energy, and refract the transformed energy in accordance with properties of the arcuate surface to impinge upon the detector.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the characteristics are selected from a group consisting essentially of polarization, wavelength and phase.

3. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the source of optical energy includes an array of optical transmitters to generate optical energy to propagate along a plurality of axes and the detector includes an array of optical receivers, each of which is positioned to sense optical energy propagating along one of the plurality of optical axes and the optical system includes an array of lenses, each of which is disposed in one of the plurality of axes and includes the arcuate surface with the holographic transform being disposed within a volume of the array of lenses.

4. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the source of optical energy includes an array of optical transmitters to generate optical energy to propagate along a plurality of axes and the detector includes an array of optical receivers, each of which is positioned to sense optical energy propagating along one of the plurality of optical axes and the optical system including a plurality of lenses having the arcuate surface with holographic transform function being disposed within a volume thereof, with the plurality of lenses being arranged in first and second arrays, the first array being disposed between the array of optical transmitters and the array of optical receivers and the second array being disposed between the first array and the optical receivers.

5. The system as recited in claim 4 wherein the holographic transform function associated with a subgroup of the lenses of the first array, defining a transfer function, differs from the holographic transform function associated with the remaining lenses of the first array of lenses, and the holographic transform function associated with a subset of the lenses of the second array matches the transfer function.

6. The optical communication system as recited in claim 1 wherein the optical system has opposed sides with a spherical surface being positioned on one of the opposed sides and a planar surface being disposed on the remaining side of the opposed sides.

7. The optical communication system as recited in claim 1 wherein the optical system has opposed sides with a cylindrical surface being positioned on one of the opposed sides and a planar surface being disposed on the remaining side of the opposed sides.

8. The optical communication system as recited in claim 1 wherein the optical system has opposed sides with a spherical surface being positioned on one of the opposed sides and a rotary symmetric arrangement of grooves defining a fresnel lens being disposed on the remaining side of the opposed sides.

9. The optical communication system as recited in claim 1 wherein the optical system has opposed sides with a cylindrical surface being positioned on one of the opposed sides and a rotary symmetric arrangement of grooves defining a fresnel lens being disposed on the remaining side of the opposed sides.

10. The optical communication system as recited in claim 1 wherein the optical system has opposed sides, both of which are arcuate.

11. An optical communication system comprising:

an array of optical transmitters to generate optical energy to propagate along a plurality of axes;

an array of optical receivers, each of which is positioned to sense optical energy propagating along one of the plurality of optical axes;

a first array of refractory lenses, each of which is disposed in one of the plurality of axes and has a first holographic transform function disposed therein to filter from the optical energy unwanted characteristics, with the first holographic transform function associated with a subgroup of the lens of the first array, defining a transfer function, differing from the first holographic transform function associated with the remaining lens of the first array of lenses, with the first holographic transform function disposed within a volume of each of the lenses of the first array; and

a second array of refractory lenses, each of which is disposed between the first array of lenses and the array of optical receivers to collect optical energy propagating along the one of the plurality of optical axes, with a subset of the lenses of the second array having a second holographic transform function disposed therein that matches the transfer function, with the second holographic transform function disposed throughout a volume of each of the lenses of the second array.

12. The optical communication system as recited in claim 11 wherein the lenses of the first and second array include a rotary symmetric arrangement of grooves defining a fresnel lens.

13. The optical communication system as recited in claim 11 wherein the lenses of the first and second arrays have a spherical surface and an additional surface disposed opposite to the spherical surface, with a fresnel lens being disposed on the additional surface.

14. The optical communication system as recited in claim 11 wherein the lenses of the first and second arrays have a cylindrical surface and an additional surface disposed opposite to the cylindrical surface, with a fresnel lens being disposed on the additional surface.

15. The system as recited in claim 11 wherein the characteristics are selected from the group consisting essentially of polarization, wavelength and phase.

16. A communication system comprising:

a source of energy to propagate energy along a path;

a detector positioned in the path; and

a filtering element having a volume with a holographic transform function recorded in the volume, with the filtering element being disposed to filter the energy in accordance with properties of the holographic transform function to remove energy having unwanted characteristics, defining transformed energy, and impinge the transformed energy in accordance with properties of the arcuate surface upon the detector, wherein the filtering element has opposed sides, both of which are arcuate.

17. The system as recited in claim 16 wherein the characteristics are selected from a group consisting essentially of polarization, wavelength and phase.

18. The system as recited in claim 16 wherein the source of energy includes an array of optical transmitters to generate optical energy to propagate along a plurality of axes and the detector includes an array of optical receivers, each of which is positioned to sense optical energy propagating along one of the plurality of optical axes and the optical system includes an array of lenses, each of which is disposed in one of the plurality of axes.

19. The system as recited in claim 16 wherein the source of energy includes an array of optical transmitters to generate optical energy to propagate along a plurality of axes and the detector includes an array of optical receivers, each of which is positioned to sense optical energy propagating along one of the plurality of optical axes and the optical system including a plurality of lenses arranged in first and second arrays, the first array being disposed between the array of optical transmitters and the array of optical receivers and the second array being disposed between the first array and the optical receivers.

20. The system as recited in claim 16 wherein the communication system is an optical communalization system, the energy is an optical energy, the path is an optical path, the detector is an optical detector, and the filtering element is an optical filtering element.