Simplified serial data over optical fiber for remote receiver/sensor applications

摘要

Embodiments of the concepts, systems, and techniques disclosed herein are directed to an optically powered, direct-sampling, analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that provides fully formatted, serialized data for transmission over optical fiber from a remote location. Such a system and method of use thereof requires less electrical power, fewer components, and less complexity than previous systems and methods and achieves an all-optical-fiber implementation that provides complete electrical and electromagnetic interference (EMI) isolation for the remote ADC. These concepts, systems, and techniques simplify the overall remote sensing architecture by locating the ADC near the sensor and transferring pure digitized signals back to the processor.

主权项

1. An apparatus for remote sensor communications, comprising:
an optical connection having a length greater than about one meter; a remote receiver operably connected to a first end of said optical connection, said remote receiver comprising: a photovoltaic assembly (PVA) for providing electrical power for use by the remote receiver in response to optical energy provided thereto; a remote sensor; and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) located in proximity to said remote sensor and comprising a JESD204-compliant serial transmitter element, said ADC operably connected to said remote sensor and receiving analog data therefrom, said ADC configured to digitize and serialize said analog data; and to transmit said serialized digitized data over said optical connection through a JESD204-complaint serial interface, wherein the analog data is serialized through the JESD204-compliant serial transmitter element of the ADC; a processor module operably connected to a second end of said optical connection, said processor module comprising: interface circuitry comprising a JESD204-compliant receiver element, said interface circuitry configured to receive said serialized digitized data from said optical connection and recover digitized data from said serialized digitized data; and a processor operably connected to said interface circuitry and configured to receive and process said digitized data; and a power-by-light (PBL) module operably coupled to said PVA, said PBL module comprising: a laser spaced apart from said remote receiver and said processor module, wherein said laser provides optical energy to said PVA; wherein at least a portion of said optical connection employs wavelength division multiplexing to transmit at least a sync signal and clock signal to said ADC from said processor.