Cable for radio frequency communication
First Claim
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1. A communication link for communicating between a host device and a client device remote from the host device, the communication link comprising:
- at least one optical fiber comprising a first terminal end and a second terminal end;
a head end unit optically coupled to the at least one optical fiber at the first terminal end, the head end unit comprising a first electro-optic converter configured to convert a received optical signal into an electrical signal or vice versa; and
a remote antenna assembly comprising a second electro-optic converter that converts a received optical signal into an electrical signal or vice versa,wherein the remote antenna assembly further comprises an electromagnetic coupler configured to couple electromagnetic energy to the client device in the near field, the electromagnetic coupler comprising;
a substrate comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface;
a conductive ground plane disposed on the first surface of the substrate, the conductive ground plane defining an aperture extending therethrough; and
a conductive strip disposed on the second surface of the substrate.
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Abstract
A fiber-optic based communication system for facilitating communication between a client device, such as a hand-held computing device, and a host device, such as a desktop computer, a lap-top computer, a tablet device or any other computing device. The communication system includes a cable comprising electronic devices positioned at terminal ends of an optical fiber that provides for communication between the client device and the host device, and the communication occurs via electromagnetic coupling in the near field at at least one end of the cable.
18 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A communication link for communicating between a host device and a client device remote from the host device, the communication link comprising:
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at least one optical fiber comprising a first terminal end and a second terminal end; a head end unit optically coupled to the at least one optical fiber at the first terminal end, the head end unit comprising a first electro-optic converter configured to convert a received optical signal into an electrical signal or vice versa; and a remote antenna assembly comprising a second electro-optic converter that converts a received optical signal into an electrical signal or vice versa, wherein the remote antenna assembly further comprises an electromagnetic coupler configured to couple electromagnetic energy to the client device in the near field, the electromagnetic coupler comprising; a substrate comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; a conductive ground plane disposed on the first surface of the substrate, the conductive ground plane defining an aperture extending therethrough; and a conductive strip disposed on the second surface of the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of forming a wireless communication system between a host device and a client device comprising:
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providing a communication link comprising a head end unit and a remote antenna assembly, the head end unit and the remote antenna assembly being in optical communication over an optical fiber, the remote antenna assembly comprising an electromagnetic coupler configured to couple electromagnetically with the client device in the near field, wherein the electromagnetic coupler comprises; a substrate comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; a conductive ground plane disposed on the first surface of the substrate, the conductive ground plane defining an aperture extending therethrough; and a conductive strip disposed on the second surface of the substrate; wirelessly receiving with the electromagnetic coupler an RF signal from the client device in the near field; receiving an optical carrier signal at the remote antenna assembly from the head end unit over the optical fiber; using the received RF signal to RF modulate the optical carrier signal at the remote antenna assembly; optically transmitting the RF modulated optical carrier signal over the optical fiber to the head end unit; converting the RF modulated optical carrier signal to an RF electrical signal; and transmitting the RF electrical signal to the host device. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A communication cable for communicating between a host device and a client device remote from the host device, the communications cable comprising:
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an optical fiber comprising a first terminal end and a second terminal end; a head end unit optically coupled to the optical fiber at the first terminal end, the head end unit comprising a first electro-optic converter configured to convert a received optical signal into an electrical signal or vice versa; a remote antenna assembly comprising a second electro-optic converter that converts a received optical signal into an electrical signal or vice versa, and further comprising an electromagnetic coupler configured to operate at RF frequencies in the near field, the electromagnetic coupler comprising; a dielectric substrate comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; and a metallic layer disposed on the first surface comprising a strip portion and a pad portion contiguous with the strip portion, wherein a light source configured to provide an optical carrier light to the second electro-optic converter in the remote antenna assembly is positioned in the head end unit. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification