US5347601A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Integrated optical receiver/transmitter
Assignee: RTX Corp
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Filing: 1993-03-29
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Granted: 1994-09-13
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Expires: 2013-03-29
Abstract
Abstract An integrated optical receiver/transmitter (transceiver) 8 has continuous wave (cw) light 16 that enters a Mach-Zehnder optical modulator 10 controlled by a modulator control circuit 12 that provides modulated light 30 along a waveguide 32 to an optical coupler 34 which couples a predetermined portion of the light 30 to a waveguide 44 as light 42 which then exits the transceiver from a port 46. Receive light 90 is accepted at the port 46 and travels along the waveguide 44 to the coupler 34 which couples a predetermined amount of the light 90 to a waveguide 70 as light 92 which is detected by a waveguide-integrated photodetector 72. The photodetector 72 provides a current signal on a line 74 to a receiver circuit 76 which provides a voltage signal indicative of the light 92. Alternatively, the coupler may be passive, thereby not requiring the coupler control circuit, or no coupler at all may be employed and two fibers used for communications with the transceiver 8.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert W. Ade
- 👤 Donald E. Bossi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 12:28
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04B; H04B10/00; H04B10/40; G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/10; G02B6/12; G02B6/12004; G02B2006/12035; G02B2006/12078
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
97 words
An integrated optical receiver/transmitter (transceiver), comprising: a substrate; modulator means, fabricated above said substrate, responsive to a modulation signal, for receiving input light, and for providing a modulated transmit light; a first waveguide fabricated above said substrate and connected to said modulator means for propagating said modulated transmit light; a second waveguide fabricated above said substrate and different from said first waveguide; photodetector means, fabricated above said substrate, connected to said second waveguide for detecting receive light propagating along said second integrated waveguide, and for providing a receive signal indicative of the intensity of said receive light.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
97 words
An integrated optical receiver/transmitter (transceiver), comprising: a substrate; modulator means, fabricated above said substrate, responsive to a modulation signal, for receiving input light, and for providing a modulated transmit light; a first waveguide fabricated above said substrate and connected to said modulator means for propagating said modulated transmit light; a second waveguide fabricated above said substrate and different from said first waveguide; photodetector means, fabricated above said substrate, connected to said second waveguide for detecting receive light propagating along said second integrated waveguide, and for providing a receive signal indicative of the intensity of said receive light.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
73 words
The transceiver of claim 1 further comprising: a third waveguide fabricated above said substrate and different from said first and second waveguides; coupler means fabricated above said substrate connected to said first, said second and said third waveguides, for coupling a predetermined portion of said transmit light from said first waveguide to a third waveguide and for coupling a predetermined portion of said receive light from said third waveguide to said second waveguide.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
63 words
The transceiver of claim 2: further comprising a fourth waveguide different from said first, second, and third waveguides, being connected to said coupler means; and wherein said coupler means couples a remaining portion of said transmit light from said first waveguide to said fourth waveguide as a built-in-test light, said built-in-test light then being coupled from said fourth waveguide to said second waveguide.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
The transceiver of claim 2 wherein said coupler means comprises a passive coupler for constantly coupling said predetermined portion of said transmit light from said first waveguide to said third waveguide and for constantly coupling said predetermined portion of said receive light from said third waveguide to said second waveguide.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
The transceiver of claim 4 wherein said coupler means comprises a Y-junction.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
60 words
The transceiver of claim 2 wherein said coupler means comprises an active coupler responsive to a coupler control signal, for selectively coupling said predetermined portion of said transmit light from said first waveguide to said third waveguide and said predetermined portion of said receive light from said third waveguide to said second waveguide in response to a coupler control signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The transceiver of claim 6 wherein said active coupler comprises a coplanar electrode configuration.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
The transceiver of claim 6 wherein said active coupler comprises a vertical electrode configuration.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The transceiver of claim 6 further comprising coupler control means fabricated above said substrate for providing said coupler signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The transceiver of claim 1 wherein said waveguide-modulator means comprises a Mach-Zehnder modulator.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The transceiver of claim 1 wherein said waveguide-modulator means comprises a coplanar electrode configuration.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The transceiver of claim 1 wherein said waveguide-modulator means comprises a vertical electrode configuration.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
The transceiver of claim 1 further comprising modulator control circuit fabricated above said substrate for providing said modulation signal.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The transceiver of claim 1 wherein said waveguide-integrated photodetector means comprises a retrograde angled surface for reflecting said receive light.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
The transceiver of claim 1 wherein said waveguide-integrated photodetector means comprises an MSM detector.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
The transceiver of claim 1 further comprising a receiver circuit fabricated above said substrate responsive to said receive signal for providing a voltage signal related to said receive signal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
38 words
The transceiver of claim 1 further comprising a receiver circuit fabricated above said substrate, responsive to said receive signal, for demodulating said receive signal and for providing a signal related to the demodulated intensity of said receive light.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The transceiver of claim 1 wherein transistors are fabricated on a layer above said substrate to make up at least one control circuit.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
10 words
The transceiver of claim 1 wherein said substrate comprises GaAs.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
11 words
The transceiver of claim 1 wherein said substrate comprises n-doped GaAs.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
36 words
The transceiver of claim 1 wherein said waveguide comprises a lower cladding layer, a core layer, and an upper cladding layer having an etched mesa below which an optical mode propagates, all fabricated above said substrate.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
The transceiver of claim 21 wherein said lower cladding layer, said core layer, and said upper cladding layer comprises a predetermined thickness and concentration of AlGaAs.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
130 words
An integrated optical receiver/transmitter (transceiver), comprising: modulator means, fabricated above said substrate, responsive to a modulation signal, for receiving input light, and for providing a modulated transmit light; a first waveguide fabricated above said substrate and connected to said modulator means for propagating said modulated transmit light; a second waveguide fabricated above said substrate and different from said first waveguide; photodetector means, fabricated above said substrate and connected to said second waveguide, for detecting receive light propagating along said second waveguide, and for providing an electrical receive signal indicative thereof; and coupler means, for coupling said transmit light from said first waveguide to a third waveguide and for coupling said receive light from said third waveguide to said second waveguide, thereby allowing bidirectional light to travel along said third waveguide.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
130 words
An integrated optical receiver/transmitter (transceiver), comprising: modulator means, fabricated above said substrate, responsive to a modulation signal, for receiving input light, and for providing a modulated transmit light; a first waveguide fabricated above said substrate and connected to said modulator means for propagating said modulated transmit light; a second waveguide fabricated above said substrate and different from said first waveguide; photodetector means, fabricated above said substrate and connected to said second waveguide, for detecting receive light propagating along said second waveguide, and for providing an electrical receive signal indicative thereof; and coupler means, for coupling said transmit light from said first waveguide to a third waveguide and for coupling said receive light from said third waveguide to said second waveguide, thereby allowing bidirectional light to travel along said third waveguide.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
36 words
The transceiver of claim 23 further comprising modulator control means for receiving electronic parallel digital input data signal and for providing said modulation signal indicative of a serial representation of said parallel digital input data signal.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
35 words
The transceiver of claim 23 further comprising receiver means for converting said receive signal to a parallel digital output data signal indicative of the state of said receive signal over a predetermined period of time.
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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) | 1997-09-12 | 1998-03-14 | 1998-09-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-09-12 | 2002-03-14 | 2002-09-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-09-12 | 2006-03-14 | 2006-09-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |