Optical waveguides – Integrated optical circuit
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-18
2001-05-15
Sanghavi, Hemang (Department: 2874)
Optical waveguides
Integrated optical circuit
C385S015000, C385S050000, C385S089000, C385S135000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06233376
ABSTRACT:
STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST
The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Contemporary printed circuit boards have embedded circuits or patterned traces made from layers of copper. The traces typically connect electrical components, cables, and other printed circuit boards through electrical connectors, and create functional circuits transmitting data as electrical signals. These traces and the circuits and connections they create do not, of course, pass optical data signals. A main limitation of this transmission method is that electrical signals experience a phenomenon known as “propagation delay,” which is the length of time it takes for a signal to travel from its starting location to its final location.
Consequently, current technology is limited to such an extent that modem Central Processing Units (CPUs) are placing more components directly on the CPU itself, because the propagation delay is limiting the CPU speed to unacceptably slow rates. As a result, internal CPU backplanes are required to allow for increases in CPU power and efficiency. Circuit card backplanes having various printed circuit boards that plug into a central circuit board for inter-circuit board communication are also reaching their maximum speeds, and require special cables and alternate signal routes to bypass the backplanes.
In addition, data transmissions via conventional electrical signals also reach bandwidth limitations, which are maximum amounts of data that can be carried over a particular signal path, cable, or electrical bus. Furthermore, many conventional electrical transmissions are fed through electrical connectors that may experience “contact corrosion resistance,” which is the increased electrical resistance due to corrosion that can form at connection points. Although gold-plated contacts reduce this, they are not totally impervious to its occurrence.
Thus, in accordance with this inventive concept, a need has been recognized in the state of the art for a circuit board that utilizes copper or other metallic strips for conventional data and power signals and embedded fiber optic conductors for optical transmission of data at high speed, digital signal rates to reduce signal latency and increase signal bandwidth/throughput.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a printed circuit board that has embedded optical fibers to transmit optical data signals between optoelectronic components in interfacing integrated circuits and further has interfacing electrical conductors to transmit electrical data signals and power.
An object of the invention is to utilize optical fibers directly within printed circuit boards and integrated circuits that interface with printed circuit boards.
Another object of the invention is to provide embedded optical fibers in printed circuit boards, integrated circuits, and connectors/sockets for printed circuit boards and integrated circuits.
Another object of the invention is to provide optic fibers directly within printed circuit boards to transmit digital optic (light) signals between electrical components that are capable of emitting and receiving these signals.
Another object of the invention is to provide printed circuit boards utilizing optical connections to other circuit boards, cables, and individual components that do not require optical-to-electrical conversion and coupling to standard electrical conductors.
Another object of the invention is to utilize fiber optics directly within printed circuit boards and integrated circuits that have onboard converters from electrical to optic signals, and vice versa.
Another object of the invention is to provide embedded optical fibers in printed circuit boards and integrated circuits to improve speed of transmission of digital data signals.
Another object of the invention is to provide embedded optical fibers in printed circuit boards and integrated circuits to decrease propagation delay of digital data signals.
Another object of the invention is to provide embedded optical fibers in printed circuit boards and integrated circuits to increase bandwidths of signal transmission.
Another object of the invention is to provide embedded optical fibers in printed circuit boards and integrated circuits to eliminate the problems associated with poor electrical connections between electrical connector contacts due to corrosion of the contacts.
These and other objects of the invention will become more readily apparent from the ensuing specification when taken in conjunction with the appended claims.
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Gilbert Harvey A.
Rojas Omar
Sanghavi Hemang
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of
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