# US 11,121,776 B2 · Faceplate pluggable remote laser source and system incorporating same

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- Number: US 11,121,776 B2
- Document ID: US11121776B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/988,377
- Filed: 2020-08-07
- Published: 2021-02-11
- Granted: 2021-09-14
- Earliest claimed: 2019-08-08
- Assignees: Rockley Photonics Limited
- Applicants: Rockley Photonics Limited
- Inventors: Steve Akwaa Aboagye; David Arlo Nelson; Cyriel Johan Agnes Minkenberg; Rajagopal Krishnaswamy
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11121776B2

## CPC

- G02B 6/4256: {Details of housings}
- G02B 6/423: {using guiding surfaces for the alignment}
- G02B 6/4284: {of optical modules with disconnectable electrical connectors (latching arms for electrical connectors H01R13/627)}
- G02B 6/4292: {the light guide being disconnectable from the opto-electronic element, e.g. mutually self aligning arrangements}
- G02B 6/44528: {Patch-cords; Connector arrangements in the system or in the box (routing arrangements H04Q1/00)}
- H04B 10/503: {Laser transmitters}
- G02B 6/4249: {comprising arrays of active devices and fibres}
- G02B 6/44526: {Panels or rackmounts covering a whole width of the frame or rack}
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- H04B: TRANSMISSION

## Abstract

A faceplate pluggable remote laser source and system incorporating such a laser source. The system may include an enclosure having a faceplate; a first optical connector, in the faceplate; a laser module; and a loopback fiber cable, connected between the laser module and the first optical connector. The faceplate may form an exterior boundary of the enclosure. The laser module may have a first end including an electrical interface, and a second end including an optical interface. The first end of the laser module may be engaged in a receptacle in the faceplate, and the second end of the laser module may extend outside the faceplate. The laser module may be configured to receive electrical power through the electrical interface, and to produce unmodulated light at the optical interface. The loopback fiber cable and the first optical connector may be configured to route the unmodulated light back into the enclosure.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system, comprising:
an enclosure having a faceplate;
a first optical connector, in the faceplate;
a laser module; and
a loopback fiber cable, connected between the laser module and the first optical connector,
the faceplate forming an exterior boundary of the enclosure,
the laser module having a first end comprising an electrical interface, and a second end comprising an optical interface,
the first end of the laser module being engaged in a receptacle in the faceplate,
the second end of the laser module extending outside the faceplate,
the laser module being configured to receive electrical power through the electrical interface, and to produce unmodulated light at the optical interface,
the loopback fiber cable and the first optical connector being configured to route the unmodulated light back into the enclosure.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the laser module has a QSFP-DD form factor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the first optical connector is a Multi-fiber Push On connector.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the optical interface of the laser module comprises a second optical connector, the second optical connector being a Multi-fiber Push On connector.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the loopback fiber cable comprises an optical fiber, the optical fiber not being a polarization-maintaining fiber.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising an optical-electronic switch module in the enclosure, the optical-electronic switch module comprising a plurality of optical engines, each of the optical engines being configured:
to convert optical data signals to electrical data signals, and
to convert electrical data signals to optical data signals.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein the laser module comprises a laser, and wherein the system further comprises an optical path from the laser of the laser module to an optical modulator of an optical engine of the plurality of optical engines, the optical path lacking an optical isolator.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein the optical-electronic switch module is rectangular, and the optical-electronic switch module is oblique to the enclosure.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the optical-electronic switch module is at an angle of about 45 degrees relative to the enclosure.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein an optical fiber path between the optical-electronic switch module and the faceplate comprises a second optical connector, inside the enclosure.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein a plurality of optical fiber paths, including the optical fiber path, between the optical-electronic switch module and the faceplate comprise a shared optical connector.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the laser module comprises a control circuit, comprising:
a circuit for supplying a drive current to a laser of the laser module,
an amplifier for amplifying a signal from a monitoring photodiode in the laser module,
a temperature sensing circuit,
a built-in self-test circuit, and
a microcontroller.

### Claim 13

A system, comprising:
an enclosure having a faceplate;
an optical-electronic switch module in the enclosure; and
a plurality of laser modules connected to the optical-electronic switch module through optical fibers,
wherein the optical-electronic switch module comprises:
a switch integrated circuit; and
a plurality of optical engines, co-packaged with the switch integrated circuit,
wherein a first optical engine of the plurality of optical engines is configured:
to convert optical data signals to electrical data signals; and
to convert electrical data signals to optical data signals, using light from a first laser module of the plurality of laser modules,
wherein the optical-electronic switch module further comprises a plurality of fiber cables for receiving optical data signals, for receiving unmodulated light, and for transmitting optical data signals, each of the fiber cables comprising a plurality of optical fibers, and each of the fiber cables terminating in a fiber connector,
the system further comprising a mid-board connector in the enclosure for connecting a plurality of the fiber cables of the optical-electronic switch module to a plurality of fiber cables extending to the faceplate.

### Claim 14

A system, comprising:
an enclosure having a faceplate;
an optical-electronic switch module in the enclosure;
a plurality of laser modules connected to the optical-electronic switch module through optical fibers;
a first optical connector in the faceplate; and
a loopback fiber cable,
wherein the optical-electronic switch module comprises:
a switch integrated circuit; and
a plurality of optical engines, co-packaged with the switch integrated circuit
wherein a first optical engine of the plurality of optical engines is configured:
to convert optical data signals to electrical data signals; and
to convert electrical data signals to optical data signals, using light from a first laser module of the plurality of laser modules wherein:
a first end of the first laser module is engaged in a receptacle in the faceplate;
a second end of the first laser module extends outside the faceplate;
the first laser module is configured to produce unmodulated light at the second end of the first laser module; and
the loopback fiber cable and the first optical connector are configured to route the unmodulated light back into the enclosure.