Optical communications – Duplex
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-26
2004-04-13
Tweel, John (Department: 2632)
Optical communications
Duplex
C398S135000, C385S014000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06721503
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to the field of communications, and more particularly, to a system and method for optical bidirectional communication.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Current communications systems and networks are becoming faster and more complex, using any one of number of mediums. Communication using these systems and networks is typically bidirectional in that signals are exchanged between two sources as they communicate for various purposes. More recently, fiber optic networks have been employed as the medium for communications. Typically, the optical fibers themselves may be very small and, consequently, coupling various devices to the optical fibers to create a communications link can be difficult and expensive.
An additional problem with current optical fiber communications systems is that optical fibers are often used for unidirectional communications. This is due in part to the difficulty of physically transmitting and receiving an optical signal on a single optical fiber that may be, for example, a single micron thick. Unfortunately, this results in the need for two optical fiber links to establish bi-directional communications.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a bi-directional optical link and method to facilitate bi-directional optical communications with a single optical fiber. Briefly described, the bi-directional optical link comprises a thin film detector having an upper surface facing a predetermined direction to receive incident light. Also, the link includes a thin film emitter stacked over the upper surface and oriented to direct a beam of light toward the predetermined direction. The thin film detector is relatively wide and flat, where the thin film emitter can be placed on the thin film detector while occluding only a portion of the thin film detector. Thus, the thin film detector can receive incident light from a single optical fiber facing the emitter/detector from the predetermined direction while at the same time emitting a beam of light into the same single optical fiber.
The present invention can also be viewed as providing a method for establishing a bi-directional communications link. In this regard, the method can be broadly summarized by the steps of positioning a thin film detector having an upper surface so as to face a predetermined direction to receive incident light, stacking a thin film emitter over the upper surface, and, orienting the thin film emitter to direct a beam of light toward the predetermined position.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional features and advantages be included herein within the scope of the present invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4403825 (1983-09-01), Tangonan et al.
patent: 4493113 (1985-01-01), Forrest et al.
patent: 4705346 (1987-11-01), Miyawaki
patent: 4773722 (1988-09-01), Perino
patent: 5357363 (1994-10-01), Li et al.
patent: 5914976 (1999-06-01), Jayaraman et al.
patent: 6281999 (2001-08-01), Watson et al.
patent: 6301035 (2001-10-01), Schairer
patent: 6320686 (2001-11-01), Schairer
patent: 6437891 (2002-08-01), Chandrasekhar et al.
Hamilton et al, Basic Integrated Circuit Engineering, 1975, pp. 96-99.*
Vendier, et al., “High Efficiency Thin-Film GaAs-based MSM Photodetectors,” Electronics Letters, Feb. 15, 1996, vol. 32, No. 4, pp. 394-395.
Vendier, et al., “Stacked Silicon CMOS Circuits with a 40-Mb/x Through-Silicon Optical Interconnect,” IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, Apr. 1998, vol. 10, No. 4, pp. 606-608.
Vendier, et al., “Thin-Film Inverted MSM Photodetectors,” IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, Feb. 1996, vol. 8, No. 2, pp. 266-268.
Jokerst, et al., “Thin-Film Multimaterial Optoelectronic Integrated Circuits,” IEEE Transactions on Components, Packaging, and Manufacturing Technology-Part B, Feb. 1996, vol. 19, No. 1, pp. 97-106.
Brooke Martin Anthony
Jokerst Nan Marie
Georgia Tech Research Corporation
Thomas Kayden Horstemeyer & Risley LLP
Tweel John
LandOfFree
System and method for bi-directional optical communication... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with System and method for bi-directional optical communication..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and System and method for bi-directional optical communication... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3227951