Fiber optics communications modules

Claim 2

A fiber optics coupler comprising: means defining an imaging reflective surface; a first optical transceiver terminal adapted to register an optical transceiver-at a first location; a second optical transceiver terminal adapted to register an optical transceiver at a second location conjugate with respect to said first location whereupon a point source of light at one of said first and second locations is imaged by said reflective surface at the other of said first and second locations, wherein said reflective surface permits a detectable fraction of light incident thereon to pass therethrough whereupon a portion of light diverging from said first location passes through said reflective surface along a first optical path and a portion of light diverging from said second location passes through said reflective surface along a second optical path, characterised in that focusing means (12) are provided on the side of said reflective surface (15) remote from said first (25a) and second (25b) locations for imaging light travelling along said first optical path (30) at a third location (25c); and a third optical transceiver terminal (40c) is provided to register an optical transceiver at said third location (25c) to provide optical coupling between optical transceivers located at said first (25a) and third ' (25c) locations.

Claim 3

A fiber optics coupler according to claim 1- characterised in that the reflective surface (15) is spherical and has a self conjugate plane (23) having the property that a point source of light in the plane is imaged in the plane, the first and second optical transceiver terminals (40a and 40b) being located within the plane (23) displaced equal amounts on opposite sides of a radial axis (20) such that the centre of curvature (17) of the shperical surface (15) is on the straight line between the first and second locations (25a and 25b).

Claim 4

A fiber optics coupler according to claim 1 or claim 2 characterised in that focusing means (12) operates to image light travelling along said second optical path (25) at a fourth location (25d), a fourth optical transceiver terminal (40d) being provided to register an optical transceiver at said fourth location (25d) to provide optical coupling between optical transceivers located at said second (25b) and fourth (25d) locations.

Claim 5

A fiber optics coupler according to any preceding claim characterised in that said third location (25c) is on the side of said reflective surface (15) remote from said first (25a) and second (25b) locations, and the means defining the reflective surface is a body (10) of optically transparent material.

Claim 6

A fiber optics coupler according to any preceding claim characterised in that the imaging reflective surface (15) is a spherical dichroic surface which is substantially reflective for light of a first wavelength and at least partially transmissive for light of a second wavelength to provide optical coupling at said second wavelength between optical transceivers (82,87) located at the first (25a) and the third (25c) locations.

Claim 7

A fiber optics coupler according to claim 5 characterised in that the focusing means comprises a mirror (112) having a portion defining a spherical surface (113) that is at least partly reflective for light of said second wavelength, said mirror (112) being placed to reflect light back through the dichroic surface (15) and image said light at a third location (25c) proximate said first (25a) and second (25b) locations.

Claim 8

A fiber optics coupler according to any of claims 1 to 5 characterised in that the focusing means comprises a body (12) of optically transparent material having a single curved refracting surface (43).

Claim 9

A fiber optics coupler according to any of claims 1 to 5 characterised in that the focusing means is a graded index lens (45).

Claim 10

A coupler for permitting optical signals at first and second wavelengths to be transmitted simultaniously on a single optical fiber characterised in that a first optical transceiver terminal is adapted to register an optical transceiver (115a) at a first location (25a); a dichroic beam splitter (15) is provided for directing light of said first wavelength diverging from said first location (25a) along a first optical trajectory and light of said second wavelength diverging from said first location along a second.optical trajectory, at least a portion of which is separated from said first optical trajectory; means defining a first spherical reflective surface (15) in said first optical trajectory wherein light of _said first wavelength diverging from said first location (25a) is imaged at a second location (25b); and means defining a second spherical reflective surface (113) in said second optical trajectory wherein light of said second wavelength diverging from said first location (25a) is imaged at a third location (25c) separate from said second location (25b); and second and third optical transceiver terminals adapted to register respective optical transceivers (115b and 115c) at said second (25b) and third (25c) locations, said dichroic beam splitter (15) and said first reflective surface (15) being one and the same.

Claim 11

A coupler for permitting optical signals at first and second wavelengths to be transmitted simultaniously on a single optical fiber characterised in that a first optical transceiver terminal is adapted to register an optical transceiver (115a) at a first location (25a); a dichroic beam splitter (15) is provided for directing light of said first wavelength diverging from said first location (25a) along a first optical trajectory and light of said second wavelength diverging from said first location along a second.optical trajectory, at least a portion of which is separated from said first optical trajectory; means defining a first spherical reflective surface (15) in said first optical trajectory wherein light of _said first wavelength diverging from said first location (25a) is imaged at a second location (25b); and means defining a second spherical reflective surface (113) in said second optical trajectory wherein light of said second wavelength diverging from said first location (25a) is imaged at a third location (25c) separate from said second location (25b); and second and third optical transceiver terminals adapted to register respective optical transceivers (115b and 115c) at said second (25b) and third (25c) locations, said dichroic beam splitter (15) and said first reflective surface (15) being one and the same.

Claim 12

A fiber optics coupler comprising: a body of optically transparent material having a portion defining a spherical dichroic surface that is substantially reflective for light of a first wavelength and substantially transmissive for light of a second wavelength, said surface being characterised by a self-conjugate plane having the property that a point source of light of said first wavelength in said self-conjugate plane is imaged in said self-conjugate plane; a first optical transceiver terminal adapted to register an optical transceiver at a first location within said self-conjugate plane; a second optical transceiver terminal adapted to register an optical transceiver at a second location within said self-conjugate plane separated from said first location, said first and second locations being on opposite sides of a radial axis, being displaced equal amounts from said radial axis such that the center of curvature of said spherical dichroic surface lies on the straight line between said first and second locations, whereupon said first and second locations are conjugate so that a point source of light of said first wavelength at one of said first and second locations is imaged at the other of said first and second locations; whereupon light of said first wavelength diverging from said first location is imaged at said second location while light of said second wavelength diverging from said first location passes through said dichroic surface along a first optical path, and whereupon light of said first wavelength diverging from said second location is imaged by said dichroic surface at said first location while light of said second wavelength diverging from said second location passes through said dichroic surface along a second optical path; and a detector responsive to light of said second wavelength interposed in said first optical path.

Claim 13

A fiber optics coupler comprising: a body of optically transparent material having a portion defining a spherical dichroic surface that is substantially reflective for light of a first wavelength and substantially transmissive for light of a second wavelength, said surface being characterised by a self-conjugate plane having the property that a point source of light of said first wavelength in said self-conjugate plane is imaged in said self-conjugate plane; a first optical transceiver terminal adapted to register an optical transceiver at a first location within said self-conjugate plane; a second optical transceiver terminal adapted to register an optical transceiver at a second location within said self-conjugate plane separated from said first location, said first and second locations being on opposite sides of a radial axis, being displaced equal amounts from said radial axis such that the center of curvature of said spherical dichroic surface lies on the straight line between said first and second locations, whereupon said first and second locations are conjugate so that a point source of light of said first wavelength at one of said first and second locations is imaged at the other of said first and second locations; whereupon light of said first wavelength diverging from said first location is imaged at said second location while light of said second wavelength diverging from said first location passes through said dichroic surface along a first optical path, and whereupon light of said first wavelength diverging from said second location is imaged by said dichroic surface at said first location while light of said second wavelength diverging from said second location passes through said dichroic surface along a second optical path; and a detector responsive to light of said second wavelength interposed in said first optical path.

Claim 14

A fiber optics coupler comprising: a body of optically transparent material having a portion defining a spherical reflective surface characterised by a focal distance having the property that a point source of light at said focal distance from said reflective surface is collimated by said reflective surface; a main optical transceiver terminal adapted to register an optical transceiver at a main location located at said focal distance from said reflective surface; first and second branch optical transceiver terminals adapted to register respective first and second branch optical transceivers at respective first and second branch locations located at said focal distance from said reflective surface; and means defining a plane reflection grating in the path of collimated light arising from reflection of light diverging from said main location; said grating being oriented to reflect collimated light of a first wavelength toward said reflective surface for imaging at said first branch location and to reflect collimated light of a second wavelength toward said reflective surface to be imaged at said second branch location.

Claim 15

A fiber optics coupler comprising: a body of optically transparent material having a portion defining a spherical reflective surface characterised by a focal distance having the property that a point source of light at said focal distance from said reflective surface is collimated by said reflective surface; a main optical transceiver terminal adapted to register an optical transceiver at a main location located at said focal distance from said reflective surface; first and second branch optical transceiver terminals adapted to register respective first and second branch optical transceivers at respective first and second branch locations located at said focal distance from said reflective surface; and means defining a plane reflection grating in the path of collimated light arising from reflection of light diverging from said main location; said grating being oriented to reflect collimated light of a first wavelength toward said reflective surface for imaging at said first branch location and to reflect collimated light of a second wavelength toward said reflective surface to be imaged at said second branch location.