Free space fiber-optic connector

摘要

This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus of establishing a free-space communication link through a medium. The medium can be an occluded environment with increased absorption and/or scattering effects. The free-space communication link includes a transmitter configured to transmit an optical signal at a wavelength suitable for transmission through the medium without suffering excessive optical losses due to absorption and/or scattering effects. The free-space communication link includes a receiver configured to receive the transmitted optical signal. The transmitter-receiver pair is configured to efficiently transmit optical signals at the suitable wavelength over a distance between about 1 mm and about 50 m. The transmitter and the receiver can be configured as portions of a fiber-optic connector assembly that can be used to connect two fiber-optic cables in an occluded environment.

主权项

1. A fiber-optic connector assembly comprising:
a first connecting portion, the first connecting portion including:
a fiber-optic receiver configured to receive an optical signal from an input optical fiber at a fiber communication wavelength between about 1300 nm and about 1650 nm; anda free-space optical transmitter configured to transmit a free-space optical signal at a free-space communication wavelength between about 360 nm and about 3 microns through a free space medium, the optical signal modulated with data recovered from the received optical signal; and a second connecting portion, the second connecting portion including:
a free-space optical receiver configured to receive at least a portion of the free-space optical signal transmitted from the free-space optical transmitter; anda fiber-optic transmitter configured to transmit a fiber-optic signal at a fiber communication wavelength between about 1300 nm and about 1650 nm through an output optical fiber, the fiber-optic signal modulated with data recovered from the portion of the space optical signal received at the free-space optical receiver, wherein the first and second connecting portions are configured to be physically connected to each other such that when connected, the free-space optical transmitter is spaced apart from the free-space optical receiver by a distance in the free space medium.