Patent · US Expired

Optical coupling device and method for bidirectional data communication over a common signal line

US7359640B2 · kind B2 · utility

100Cited by
3References
25Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 30, 2003
Grant dateApr 15, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 10, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04B10/2589
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Optical coupling device operates over a bidirectional data link between at least first and second communicators, each communicating data along a common wire of the data link. The device includes at least first and second optical couplers, each including a photon flux source and a photon flux detector. The photon flux source of the first and second optical couplers, respectively, is commanded by the first and second communicator, respectively. The photon flux detector of the first and second optical coupler, respectively, produces a signal on the data link at the first and second communicator, respectively, in response to the photon flux source of the second and first optical coupler, respectively, from the second and first communicator, respectively. An inhibitor inhibits the photon flux source of the second and first optical coupler, respectively, in response to an activation of the photon flux source of the first and second optical coupler, respectively.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.