Avionics pluggable active optical connector

A data transmission system comprising:

• a fiber optical network comprising a plurality of pairs of optical fiber cables and a plurality of pairs of termini, each terminus terminating an end of a respective optical fiber cable;
• a plurality of electronic devices;
• a plurality of mating connectors which are respectively attached and electrically coupled to the plurality of electronic devices, each mating connector having first and second multiplicities of electrical connectors;
• and
• a plurality of pluggable active optical connectors which are respectively attached and electrically coupled to the plurality of mating connectors, attached to the plurality of pairs of termini, and optically coupled to the plurality of pairs of optical fiber cables,
• wherein each of the plurality of pluggable active optical connectors comprises a respective connector housing, a respective pair of printed circuit boards contained within the respective connector housing, and a respective pair of optical-electrical bidirectional transceivers optically coupled to the respective pair of optical fiber cables, electrically coupled to the respective pair of printed circuit boards, and contained within the respective connector housing, and
• wherein each optical-electrical bidirectional transceiver comprises a respective laser device, a respective photodetector, and a respective single housing comprising a first receptacle that is configured to receive the respective laser device and respective photodetector and a second receptacle that is integrally formed with the first receptacle and configured to receive one end of the respective terminus of the respective pair of termini, the first receptacle of the respective single housing being integrally formed or rigidly affixed to the second receptacle of the respective single housing.

A data transmission system comprising:

• a fiber optical network comprising a plurality of pairs of optical fiber cables and a plurality of pairs of termini, each terminus terminating an end of a respective optical fiber cable;
• a plurality of electronic devices;
• a plurality of mating connectors which are respectively attached and electrically coupled to the plurality of electronic devices, each mating connector having first and second multiplicities of electrical connectors;
• and
• a plurality of pluggable active optical connectors which are respectively attached and electrically coupled to the plurality of mating connectors and respectively optically coupled to the fiber optical network,
• wherein each of the plurality of pluggable active optical connectors comprises:
• a connector housing;
• first and second printed circuit boards contained within the connector housing;
• third and fourth multiplicities of electrical connectors electrically coupled to and supported by the printed circuit board and electrically coupled to the first and second multiplicities of electrical connectors respectively;
• first and second bidirectional optical sub-assemblies contained within the connector housing, the first bidirectional optical sub-assembly comprising a laser device and a photodetector which are electrically coupled to the first printed circuit board and a first housing mounted to the first printed circuit board, the second bidirectional optical sub-assembly comprising a laser device and a photodetector which are electrically coupled to the second printed circuit board and a second housing mounted to the second printed circuit board, each of the first and second housings being a single housing comprising a first receptacle that is configured to receive the laser device and the photodetector and a second receptacle that is integrally formed with the first receptacle and configured to receive one end of a terminus that terminates an optical cable, the first receptacle of the housing being integrally formed or rigidly affixed to the second receptacle of the housing,
• wherein the laser devices of the first and second bidirectional optical sub-assemblies are electrically coupled to respective first pairs of electrical connectors of the third and fourth multiplicities of electrical connectors and optically coupled to transmit light to an end of a respective optical fiber in response to electrical signals received via the pair of electrical connectors of the third and fourth multiplicities of electrical connectors;
• and
• wherein the photodetector is electrically coupled to respective second pairs of electrical connectors of the third and fourth multiplicities of electrical connectors and optically coupled to send electrical signals to the respective second pairs of electrical connectors of the third and fourth multiplicities of electrical connectors in response to receipt of light from the end of the respective optical fiber.