Optical fiber repeater
US4333178A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 2, 1980 |
| Grant date | Jun 1, 1982 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 2, 2000 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L12/437
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
In a repeater for use in an optical fiber data transmission system of the closed-loop type, the input and output transducers each have a component which, depending on its biasing conditions, can act as a photo-detector or as a light-emitter. One such device is a light-emitting diode, which if reverse-biased acts as a photo-detector. With suitable switching this enables the realization of a reversible repeater. During normal operation, the direction of transmission is reversed at the end of each message received by a remote terminal, a reply message being sent during this period of reversal, after which the remote terminal reverts to normal operation. In the event of an interruption in message reception as detected at a remote terminal, the reversal of transmission direction also occurs, so that a line break in effect converts the system to two "one-way" systems.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.