US4366565A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Local area network optical fiber data communication
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1980-07-29
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Granted: 1982-12-28
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Expires: 2000-07-29
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus are disclosed for high speed multiaccess data communication using guided wave components and angular division multiplexing for parallel optical signal transmission over a multimode optical fiber. A receiver at each station in the network comprises an optical coupler/demultiplexer, a pulse regenerator, an optical processor and detectors. The transmitter at each station comprises an array of lasers, a switching matrix for controlling emissions into the optical fiber and a multiplexer/coupler for coupling the laser emissions to the multimode optical fiber. The optical processor is directly coupled to the switching matrix. Preferably, the multiplexer/coupler comprises a graded-index planar lens, one major surface of which abuts the optical fiber and the other major surface of which is contacted by a plurality of single mode waveguides from the different lasers of the transmitter. As a result, the single mode signals introduced into the lens at different radial distances are coupled to different modal groups propagating in the optical fiber. The coupler/demultiplexer preferably comprises a graded-index lens and an array of concentric half-ring lasers. Annular cones of radiation propagating in the optical fiber are focused to an array of concentric rings near the half-ring lasers where they are converted into linear beams propagating in single mode guided wave structures.
Inventors
- 👤 Gerald J. Herskowitz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 18:30
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04B; H04B10/00; H04B10/27; H04B10/275; G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/42; G02B6/4201; G02B6/4204; G02B6/4206; H04B10/29
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
172 words
An optical data communication system comprising a plurality of stations linked together by a multimode optical waveguide to form an optical signal, each of said stations comprising: an array of lasers, a switching matrix for controlling the propagation of radiation from said lasers into said optical waveguide, a multiplexer/coupler for coupling radiation from said lasers to said waveguide, radiation from different lasers being coupled to different angular modes of propagation in said waveguide, a coupler/demultiplexer for demultiplexing radiation received at said station from said waveguide, an optical pulse regenerator coupled to said coupler/demultiplexer, said pulse regenerator having a threshold level above which the optical signal is optically amplified and reshaped and below which the signal is suppressed, and an optical processor to which is applied the optical signal from the pulse regenerator, said optical processor including optical logic circuits for detecting the address of data packets contained in signals transmitted along said optical waveguide and for routing said signals either to a host computer at said station or to said switching matrix.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
172 words
An optical data communication system comprising a plurality of stations linked together by a multimode optical waveguide to form an optical signal, each of said stations comprising: an array of lasers, a switching matrix for controlling the propagation of radiation from said lasers into said optical waveguide, a multiplexer/coupler for coupling radiation from said lasers to said waveguide, radiation from different lasers being coupled to different angular modes of propagation in said waveguide, a coupler/demultiplexer for demultiplexing radiation received at said station from said waveguide, an optical pulse regenerator coupled to said coupler/demultiplexer, said pulse regenerator having a threshold level above which the optical signal is optically amplified and reshaped and below which the signal is suppressed, and an optical processor to which is applied the optical signal from the pulse regenerator, said optical processor including optical logic circuits for detecting the address of data packets contained in signals transmitted along said optical waveguide and for routing said signals either to a host computer at said station or to said switching matrix.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The optical communication system of claim 1 wherein said waveguide is an optical fiber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
96 words
The optical data communication system of claim 1 wherein the waveguide is a multimode optical fiber and said multiplexer/coupler comprises: a planar lens having a first major surface which abuts the end of said multimode optical fiber, said planar lens having an index of refraction which decreases with the square of the radial distance from the optical axis of said fiber, and a plurality of optical waveguides contacting a second major surface of said planar lens at different radial distances from said optical axis, said optical waveguides transmitting radiation from said lasers to said planar lens.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
81 words
An optical multiplexer/coupler for coupling single mode optical signals to a multimode optical waveguide said multiplexer/coupler comprising: a planar lens having a first major surface which abuts the end of said multimode optical waveguide, said planar lens having an index of refraction which decreases with the square of the radial distance from the optical axis of said waveguide, and a plurality of optical waveguides contacting a second major surface of said planar lens at different radial distances from said optical axis.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
81 words
An optical multiplexer/coupler for coupling single mode optical signals to a multimode optical waveguide said multiplexer/coupler comprising: a planar lens having a first major surface which abuts the end of said multimode optical waveguide, said planar lens having an index of refraction which decreases with the square of the radial distance from the optical axis of said waveguide, and a plurality of optical waveguides contacting a second major surface of said planar lens at different radial distances from said optical axis.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The optical multiplexer/coupler of claim 4 wherein said input waveguides are single mode rectangular waveguides.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The optical multiplexer/coupler of claim 4 wherein the index of refraction of the planar lens varies in accordance with the relation n(x)=n(1-1/2b x 2 ).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
The optical multiplexer/coupler of claim 4 wherein the optical waveguide is an optical fiber.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
115 words
An optical coupler/demultiplexer for demultiplexing multimode optical signals, said coupler demultiplexer comprising: a lens having a first major surface which abuts the end of a multimode optical waveguide, said lens having an index of refraction which decreases with the square of the radial distance from the optical axis of said fiber, said lens focusing discrete annular cones of radiation propagating within said fiber to annular rings near a second major surface of said lens, a plurality of half-ring lasers facing said second major surface of said lens and being aligned with a portion of the annular rings formed by said lens, and a plurality of optical waveguides disposed to transmit radiation from individual half-ring lasers.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
115 words
An optical coupler/demultiplexer for demultiplexing multimode optical signals, said coupler demultiplexer comprising: a lens having a first major surface which abuts the end of a multimode optical waveguide, said lens having an index of refraction which decreases with the square of the radial distance from the optical axis of said fiber, said lens focusing discrete annular cones of radiation propagating within said fiber to annular rings near a second major surface of said lens, a plurality of half-ring lasers facing said second major surface of said lens and being aligned with a portion of the annular rings formed by said lens, and a plurality of optical waveguides disposed to transmit radiation from individual half-ring lasers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The optical coupler/demultiplexer of claim 8 wherein the optical waveguides transmit radiation from said half-ring lasers to single mode waveguides.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The optical coupler/demultiplexer of claim 8 wherein the index of refraction of the planar lens varies in accordance with the relation n(x)=n(1-1/2b x 2 ).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
The optical coupler/demultiplexer of claim 8 wherein the optical waveguide is an optical fiber.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
89 words
An optical data communication system comprising a plurality of stations linked together by a step-index multimode optical waveguide, each of said stations comprising: an array of sources of optical electromagnetic radiation, means for controlling the propagation of radiation from said sources into said optical waveguide, means for coupling radiation from said sources to said waveguide, radiation from different sources being coupled to different angular modes of propagation in said step-index waveguide, means for demultiplexing radiation received at said station from said waveguide, and means for detecting said demultiplexed radiation.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
89 words
An optical data communication system comprising a plurality of stations linked together by a step-index multimode optical waveguide, each of said stations comprising: an array of sources of optical electromagnetic radiation, means for controlling the propagation of radiation from said sources into said optical waveguide, means for coupling radiation from said sources to said waveguide, radiation from different sources being coupled to different angular modes of propagation in said step-index waveguide, means for demultiplexing radiation received at said station from said waveguide, and means for detecting said demultiplexed radiation.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
85 words
In an optical data communication system comprising a plurality of stations linked together by a step-index multimode optical waveguide, a method of operating a station of said system comprising the steps of: modulating a plurality of beams of optical electromagnetic radiation with information to be transmitted, coupling said modulated beams of radiation to said waveguide, radiation from different beams being coupled to different angular modes of propagation in said step-index waveguide, demultiplexing radiation received at said station from said waveguide, and detecting said demultiplexed radiation.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
85 words
In an optical data communication system comprising a plurality of stations linked together by a step-index multimode optical waveguide, a method of operating a station of said system comprising the steps of: modulating a plurality of beams of optical electromagnetic radiation with information to be transmitted, coupling said modulated beams of radiation to said waveguide, radiation from different beams being coupled to different angular modes of propagation in said step-index waveguide, demultiplexing radiation received at said station from said waveguide, and detecting said demultiplexed radiation.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
181 words
An optical data communication system comprising a plurality of stations linked together by a multimode optical waveguide, each of said stations comprising: an array of sources of electromagnetic radiation, means for controlling the propagation of radiation from said sources into said optical waveguide to form an optical signal, a multiplexer/coupler for coupling radiation from said sources to said waveguide, radiation from different sources being coupled to different angular modes of propagation in said waveguide, a coupler/demultiplexer for demultiplexing radiation received at said station from said waveguide, an optical pulse regenerator coupled to said coupler/demultiplexer, said pulse regenerator having a threshold level above which the optical signal is optically amplified and reshaped and below which the signal is suppressed, and an optical processor to which is applied the optical signal from the pulse regenerator, said optical processor including optical logic circuits for detecting the address of data packets contained in signals transmitted along said optical waveguide and for routing said signals either to data processing equipment at said station or to said means for controlling the propagation of radiation from said sources.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
181 words
An optical data communication system comprising a plurality of stations linked together by a multimode optical waveguide, each of said stations comprising: an array of sources of electromagnetic radiation, means for controlling the propagation of radiation from said sources into said optical waveguide to form an optical signal, a multiplexer/coupler for coupling radiation from said sources to said waveguide, radiation from different sources being coupled to different angular modes of propagation in said waveguide, a coupler/demultiplexer for demultiplexing radiation received at said station from said waveguide, an optical pulse regenerator coupled to said coupler/demultiplexer, said pulse regenerator having a threshold level above which the optical signal is optically amplified and reshaped and below which the signal is suppressed, and an optical processor to which is applied the optical signal from the pulse regenerator, said optical processor including optical logic circuits for detecting the address of data packets contained in signals transmitted along said optical waveguide and for routing said signals either to data processing equipment at said station or to said means for controlling the propagation of radiation from said sources.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
The optical communication system of claim 14 wherein said waveguide is an optical fiber.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
94 words
The optical data communication system of claim 14 wherein the waveguide is a multimode optical fiber and said multiplexer/coupler comprises: a lens having a first major surface which abuts the end of said multimode optical fiber, said lens having an index of refraction which decreases with the square of the radial distance from the optical axis of said fiber, and a plurality of optical waveguides contacting a second major surface of said lens at different radial distances from said optical axis, said optical waveguides transmitting radiation from said sources of radiation to said lens.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
78 words
An optical multiplexer/coupler for coupling single mode optical signals to a multimode optical waveguide said multiplexer/coupler comprising: a lens having a first major surface which abuts the end of said multimode optical waveguide, said lens having an index of refraction which decreases with the square of the radial distance from the optical axis of said waveguide, and a plurality of optical waveguides contacting a second major surface of said lens at different radial distances from said optical axis.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
78 words
An optical multiplexer/coupler for coupling single mode optical signals to a multimode optical waveguide said multiplexer/coupler comprising: a lens having a first major surface which abuts the end of said multimode optical waveguide, said lens having an index of refraction which decreases with the square of the radial distance from the optical axis of said waveguide, and a plurality of optical waveguides contacting a second major surface of said lens at different radial distances from said optical axis.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
15 words
The optical multiplexer/coupler of claim 17 wherein said input waveguides are single mode rectangular waveguides.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1985-12-27 | 1986-06-28 | 1986-12-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1989-12-27 | 1990-06-28 | 1990-12-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1993-12-27 | 1994-06-28 | 1994-12-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |