Optical wavelength division multiplexer for coupling to data sources and sinks, wherein at least two data sources and sinks operate with different communication protocols
US5825949A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 3, 1997 |
| Grant date | Oct 20, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 3, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04J14/0307
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A wavelength division multiplexer (WDM) unit (12) includes a plurality of Input/Output cards (IOCs 14). Each IOC is bidirectionally coupled to I/O specific media (fiber or copper) and to two coaxial cables. Also bidirectionally coupled to the coaxial cables are a plurality of Laser/Receiver Cards (LRC 20). The interface between the IOCs and the LRCs is an Emitter Coupled Logic (ECL) electrical interface that is conveyed over the coaxial cables. Each LRC is bidirectionally coupled by two single mode fibers to an optical multiplexer and demultiplexer, embodied within a grating (24). An input/output port of the grating is coupled to a fiber link (28) that enables bidirectional, full duplex data communications with a second WDM. Each WDM also includes a Diagnostic Processor Card (DPC 28) that receives status signals from the IOCs and LRCs, that forwards the status signals on to an external processor, and which generates control information for the IOCs and LRCs. Each IOC is associated with one of a plurality of communications channels and includes an I/O specific media connector (30) that is coupled to an appropriate transmitter (Tx) and receiver (Rx). The I/O specific media connector,…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.