Couplers for terminating optical fiber ends

An optical fiber transmission network for transmitting at least one of encoded data, voice, and video signals at a modulation rate in excess of 1 mHz between first and second telecommunication units, comprising:

• first and second telecommunication units;
• a first optical fiber having first and second ends for transmitting at least one of encoded data, voice, and video signals at a modulation rate in excess of 1 mHz between the units;
• means for modulating light from a light source so as to encode information indicative of the data, voice, or video signals at a modulation rate in excess of 1 mHz to be transmitted from the first telecommunication unit to the second telecommunication unit;
• means for injecting the modulated light into the first optical fiber through a side of the fiber at a first bend at a location in close proximity to the first fiber end so as to propagate towards the second fiber end;
• means for withdrawing and detecting the modulated light at a location in close proximity to the second fiber end;
• and
• means for recreating the data, voice, or video information from the detected modulated light for use by the second telecommunication unit.

An optical fiber transmission network for transmitting at least one of encoded data, voice, and video signals at a modulation rate in excess of 1 mHz between first and second telecommunication units, comprising:

• first and second telecommunications units;
• a first optical fiber having first and second ends for transmitting at least one of encoded data, voice, and video signals at a modulation rate in excess of 1 mHz between the units;
• means for modulating light from a light source so as to encode information indicative of the data, voice, or video signals at a modulation rate in excess of 1 mHz to be transmitted from the first telecommunication unit to the second telecommunication unit;
• means for injecting the modulated light into the first optical fiber end;
• means for withdrawing and detecting the modulated light from the second fiber end;
• means for recreating the data, voice, or video signals from the detected modulated light for use by the second telecommunications unit;
• means for injecting a second light signal into the optical fiber at a bend located in close proximity to the second fiber end so as to propagate towards the first fiber end;
• means for withdrawing the second light signal from the optical fiber at a second bend located in close proximity to the first fiber end, the second signal transmitting at least one of encoded data, voice and video signals at a modulation rate in excess of 100 Hz.

An apparatus for coupling light representative of at least one of encoded data, voice, and video signals between first and second optical fibers and first and second electro-optic transducers, respectively, comprising:

• first and second optical fibers;
• first and second electro-optic transducers;
• first and second means for bending the first and second optical fibers, respectively, so that light can be coupled between the first transducer and first fiber and between the second transducer and the second fiber at the first and second bends, respectively, the first and second bends being located in close proximity to a first end of the first and second fibers, respectively;
• the first transducer sending at least one of encoded data, voice, and video signals to a first telecommunications unit connected to the first and second fibers in a vicinity of their second opposite ends, the second transducer receiving at least one of data, voice, and video light signals from the first telecommunications unit.