Electrical-optical/optical-electrical board to board connector
AssigneeNokia Corporation
InventorsMarko Tuohimaa, Jan H. Fahllund, Tero O. Suomalainen, Kai Silvennoinen
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Abstract
A connector pair formed of a receptacle having an inner cavity about which is arranged a plurality of contact springs each of which is coupled to a corresponding one of a plurality of external contacts, and a plug having a plurality of contact pads upon an outer surface of the plug, and a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) coupled to the plurality of contact pads and at least one optical fiber wherein a portion of the plug occupies a portion of the inner cavity such that at least one of the plurality of contact pads is coupled to at least one of the contact springs.
Claims21
A connector pair comprising:
- a receptacle comprising an inner cavity about which is arranged a plurality of contact springs each of which is coupled to a corresponding one of a plurality of external contacts;
- and
- a plug comprising:
- a plurality of contact pads upon an outer surface of said plug;
- and
- a signal converter coupled to said plurality of contact pads and at least one optical fiber;
- wherein a portion of said plug occupies a portion of said inner cavity such that at least one of said plurality of contact pads is coupled to at least one of said contact springs.
A method comprising:
- transmitting a first electrical signal to a first receptacle coupled to a first plug comprising an EO converter, said first plug coupled to an optical fiber;
- converting said electrical signal to an optical signal via the operation of said EO converter;
- transmitting said optical signal over said optical fiber to a second plug comprising an OE converter and coupled to a second receptacle comprising a plurality of external contacts;
- converting said optical signal to a second electrical signal via the operation of said OE converter;
- and
- transmitting a feedback signal from said OE converter to said EO converter.
A method comprising:
- transmitting a first electrical signal to a first receptacle coupled to a first plug comprising an EO converter said first plug coupled to an optical fiber;
- converting said electrical signal to an optical signal via the operation of said EO converter;
- transmitting said optical signal over said optical fiber to a second plug comprising an OE converter and coupled to a second receptacle comprising a plurality of external contacts;
- converting said optical signal to a second electrical signal via the operation of said OE converter;
- and
- transmitting said second electrical signal to said plurality of external contacts;
- wherein transmitting said second electrical signal comprises transmitting said second electrical signal through a plurality of contact pads affixed to said second plug, to a plurality of contact springs coupled to said second receptacle, and to said plurality of external contacts.
A method comprising:
- transmitting an optical signal to a plug comprising an OE converter via an optical fiber said plug coupled to a receptacle;
- converting said optical signal to an electrical signal via the operation of said EO converter;
- transmitting a feedback signal from said OE converter to said EO converter;
- and
- transmitting said electrical signal to said receptacle.
A method comprising:
- transmitting an electrical signal to a receptacle via a plurality of external contacts coupled to said receptacle said receptacle coupled to a plug comprising an EO converter;
- utilizing a feedback signal to convert said electrical signal to an optical signal via the operation of said EO converter;
- and
- transmitting an optical signal through at least one optical fiber.
An apparatus comprising:
- a first connector pair comprising a first plug comprising an EO converter coupled to a first receptacle;
- a second connector pair comprising a second plug comprising an OE converter coupled to a second receptacle;
- an optical fiber coupled to said first and second plug for transmitting an output of said EO converter as an input to said OE converter;
- and
- a feedback loop coupled to said first plug and said second plug.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.