Light bending optical block for fiber optic modules
AssigneeE20 Communications, Inc.
InventorsWenbin Jiang, Edwin D. Dair, Cheng Ping Wei
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method, apparatus, and system to couple photons between optoelectronic devices and small form factor fiber connectors. An optical block includes refraction surfaces to narrow the distance between two or more light transmission paths through the optical block thereby enabling a module to be coupled to closely spaced fiber optic connectors. In one embodiment, light from a first light path through the optical block is refracted in the direction of a second light path through the optical block. Prior to intersecting the second light path, the light from the first light path is refracted again to provide the first light path closer to, but independent of, the second light path.
Claims72
A fiber optic module comprising:
- a first optoelectronic device;
- a second optoelectronic device;
- and
- an optical block coupled to the first and second optoelectronic devices at one side, the optical block to
- couple photons along a first photon path between the first optoelectronic device at the one side and and a first optical fiber at another side,
- couple photons along a second photon path between the second optoelectronic device at the one side and a second optical fiber at the another side, and
- narrow the distance between the first photon path and the second photon path from the one side of the optical block substantially near where the the first and second optoelectronic devices are coupled to the another side of the optical block substantially near where photons are to be coupled between the first and second optical fibers and the optical block.
A fiber optic module comprising:
- a first optoelectronic device;
- a second optoelectronic device;
- and
- an optical block for coupling photons between optical fibers and the first optoelectronic device and the second optoelectronic device, the optical block having
- a first cavity on a first side for receiving the first optoelectronic device,
- a second cavity on a second side for coupling to a first optical fiber connector, and to couple photons between a first optical fiber and the first optoelectronic device,
- a third cavity on the first side for receiving the second optoelectronic device,
- a fourth cavity on the second side for coupling to a second optical fiber connector, and to couple photons between the second optoelectronic device and a second optical fiber, and
- the distance between a centerline of the first cavity and a centerline of the third cavity being different than a distance between a centerline of the second cavity and a centerline of the fourth cavity.
A fiber optic module comprising:
- a first means for transducing, the first means for transducing to transduce first electrical signals into first photons;
- a second means for transducing, the second means for transducing to transduce second photons into second electrical signals;
- and
- means for coupling and narrowing, the means for coupling and narrowing to couple photons between the first means for transducing and a first optical fiber plugged into a duplex fiber optic connector along a first light path and to couple photons between the second means for transducing and a second optical fiber plugged into the duplex fiber optic connector along a second light path, the means for coupling and narrowing further to narrow a distance between the first light path and the second light path from the first and second means for transducing to the duplex fiber optic connector into which the first and second optical fibers can plug.
An optical block for coupling photons between a first side and a second side, the optical block comprising:
- a first pair of refraction surfaces at the first side of the block to refract photons between the first and second sides of the optical block over a first photon path and a second photon path, the second photon path separate from the first photon path;
- a second pair of refraction surfaces at the second side of the optical block to refract photons into or out of the optical block over the first photon path and the second photon path;
- and
- wherein centerlines of the second side of the optical block are separated by a second distance less than a first distance of separation between centerlines of the first pair of refraction surfaces at the first side of the optical block.
An optical block for coupling photons between a first side and a second side, the optical block comprising:
- a first refraction surface at the first side of the block to refract photons towards the second side of the block on a first photon path;
- a second refraction surface at the second side of the block to receive photons on the first photon path and refract them;
- a third refraction surface at the second side of the block to refract photons towards the first side of the block on a second photon path;
- and
- a fourth refraction surface at the first side on the block to receive the photons on the second photon path and refract them.
An optical block for coupling photons between a first side and a second side, the optical block comprising:
- a first refraction surface at the first side of the block to refract photons towards the second side of the block on a first photon path;
- a second refraction surface at the second side of the block to receive the photons on the first photon path and refract them;
- a third refraction surface at the first side on the block to refract photons towards the second side of the block on a second photon path;
- and
- a fourth refraction surface at the second side on the block to receive the photons on the second photon path and refract them;
- and
- wherein the distance between the first photon path and the second photon path changes between the first side and the second side of the block.
A method for coupling photons between spaced-apart optoelectronic devices and respective spaced-apart optical fibers, comprising:
- coupling light between a first optoelectronic device and a first optical fiber defining a first light path;
- refracting light between a second optoelectronic device and a second optical fiber towards the first light path without intersecting the first light path;
- and
- coupling light between the second optoelectronic device and the second optical cable as a second light path.
A method for manufacturing an optical block, the method comprising:
- providing a block of material;
- forming a first cavity in a first face of the block, the first cavity including a first refraction surface;
- and
- forming a second cavity in a second face of the block, the second cavity including a second refraction surface, the second cavity and the first cavity providing a first photon path through the first refraction surface and the second refraction surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.