US20070160331A1 - Internal pluggable optical module - Google Patents
Internal pluggable optical module Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20070160331A1 US20070160331A1 US11/535,595 US53559506A US2007160331A1 US 20070160331 A1 US20070160331 A1 US 20070160331A1 US 53559506 A US53559506 A US 53559506A US 2007160331 A1 US2007160331 A1 US 2007160331A1
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- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- optical
- cage
- electro
- circuit board
- connector
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Classifications
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- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
- G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
- G02B6/42—Coupling light guides with opto-electronic elements
- G02B6/4201—Packages, e.g. shape, construction, internal or external details
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
- G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
- G02B6/42—Coupling light guides with opto-electronic elements
- G02B6/4201—Packages, e.g. shape, construction, internal or external details
- G02B6/4256—Details of housings
- G02B6/426—Details of housings mounting, engaging or coupling of the package to a board, a frame or a panel
- G02B6/4261—Packages with mounting structures to be pluggable or detachable, e.g. having latches or rails
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
- G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
- G02B6/42—Coupling light guides with opto-electronic elements
- G02B6/4201—Packages, e.g. shape, construction, internal or external details
- G02B6/4274—Electrical aspects
- G02B6/4277—Protection against electromagnetic interference [EMI], e.g. shielding means
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
- G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
- G02B6/42—Coupling light guides with opto-electronic elements
- G02B6/4201—Packages, e.g. shape, construction, internal or external details
- G02B6/4274—Electrical aspects
- G02B6/4284—Electrical aspects of optical modules with disconnectable electrical connectors
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- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Optics & Photonics (AREA)
- Electromagnetism (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
- Light Guides In General And Applications Therefor (AREA)
Abstract
Description
- The present invention claims priority from U.S. Patent Application No. 60/757,235 filed Jan. 9, 2006, which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
- The present invention relates to a pluggable electro-optical module, and in particular to a pluggable electro-optical module mounted completely within the housing of a host device, such as mobile testing equipment.
- A conventional pluggable electro-optical module 1, e.g. a transceiver, is guided into a cage or a
guide rails 2, which is mounted on the edge of a printedcircuit board 3, through an opening 4 in afaceplate 5 enclosing a host device. Anelectrical connector 6 on the electro-optical module 1, extending fromhousing 7, is guided into position by thecage 2 with a matingelectrical connector 8 positioned in the cage 4 and electrically connected to circuits on the printedcircuit board 3. Accordingly, the front end of the optical module 1, which includes anoptical connector 9, protrudes from thefaceplate 5 beyond the wall of the host device making it susceptible to electro-static discharge, impact damage or misalignment from outside sources. Furthermore, externally mounted electro-optical modules limit the type of optical connector that must be used by the customer or they increase the amount of inventory required by the manufacturer to satisfy the different customers' requirements. - Pluggable electro-optical modules used in mobile testing equipment are subjected to much harsher environments, e.g. vans, various customer premises, etc, than typical telecom or datacom modules. Moreover, test equipment is used in different ways to perform different tests in a variety of locations. Accordingly, the optical test signal produced by the test equipment needs to be variable in wavelength, signal strength and data content, and test equipment needs to be adaptable to a variety of connector types. To solve this problem prior art test equipment has included relatively expensive electro-optical modules with added and/or non-standard capabilities. Alternatively, conventional test equipment uses a large number of externally mounted conventional pluggable devices necessitating large inventories of devices to provide the necessary functionality and customer connector requirements with high turn-over rates, due to excessive insertion and removal cycles.
- Conventional internally-mounted electro-optical modules are typically soldered or otherwise fixed to the printed circuit board of the host device to provide an electrical connection thereto, while an optical connection is provided by a long pig-tail connection, thereby increasing cost and complexity of fiber routing and decreasing reliability.
- An object of the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a pluggable optical module mounted completely within the housing of a host device.
- Accordingly, the present invention an electro-optical system comprising:
- a host printed circuit board with a faceplate for mounting in a housing of a host device;
- a first cage mounted on the host printed circuit board inside the housing without being directly accessible from outside of the housing when the host printed circuit board is mounted in the host device, the first cage including a first pluggable electrical connector;
- a first electro-optical module inserted into the first cage, the module including a first optical receptor, and a second pluggable electrical connector for releasably mating with the first pluggable electrical connector;
- a first adaptor cable having a first end with a first optical connector for plugging into the first optical receptor, and a second end with a second optical connector; and
- an optical connector adaptor mounted on the faceplate, including a second optical receptor optically coupled with the second optical connector, and a third optical receptor;
- whereby an external optical cable connector on an end of an external optical cable optically coupled to an external optical network is pluggable into the third optical receptor of the optical connector adaptor for optically coupling the first electro-optical module to the external optical network.
- Another aspect of the present invention relates to the electro-optic module is safely positioned inside a host device without any portion thereof extending outwardly to ensure the module is not damaged by outside forces and the external optical interface of the electro-optical system is more easily cleanable.
- Another feature of the present invention allows the addition of an optic coupling between an optic module or plurality of optic modules and a face plate connection or plurality of face plate connections creating a solution where more than one wavelength can be sent to a single face plate connector or light from more than one face plate connector can be sent to one or several modules. This allows the finished product to use less face plate space than would have been possible had all connectors been directly connected at the panel in situations where not all the optic module connections are simultaneously active.
- The invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings which represent preferred embodiments thereof, wherein:
-
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a conventional electro-optical module; -
FIG. 2 is an isometric view of an electro-optic module being mounted within a host device; and -
FIG. 3 is a side view of the adaptor cable ofFIG. 2 coupled to an optical connector mounted on a faceplate of the host device. - With reference to
FIGS. 2 and 3 , the electro-optical system according to the present invention includes a plurality of pluggable electro-optical modules 11 a to 11 d receivable withinmounting cages 12 a to 12 d, respectively, which are fixed onto a host printed circuit board (PCB) 13 for mounting in a host mobile testing device via a permanent electrical connection or via a pluggable electrical connector. The PCB 13 can include various monitoring and control circuitry for the electro-optical modules 11 a to 11 d as well as the testing equipment for testing optical networks. Each of the electro-optical modules 11 a to 11 d includes a pluggableelectrical connector 14 extending from one end of ahousing 16, and an optical connector, in the form of a firstoptical cable receptor 17, extending from an opposite end thereof. Typically, the pluggableelectrical connector 14 is a card edge connector or other commercial connector formed in an end of a printed circuit board disposed within thehousing 16. Each of thecages 12 a to 12 d includes an electrical connector (not shown) for mating with the pluggableelectrical connector 14 extending from thehousing 16, and can be any suitable cage sized to receive the electro-optical modules 11 a to 11 d. To facilitate insertion of the electro-optical modules cages cut edge 30 of thePCB 13. Alternatively, electro-optical modules edge 31 of an elevated printedcircuit board 113, which is not directly adjacent to theproducts faceplate 26 or enclosure. Alternatively, or in combination therewith thecages 12 a to 12 d can be mounted at an acute angle, e.g. 1° to 3°, to thePCB 13 or thecages 12 a to 12 d can be raised up above thePCB PCB 13 from being damaged during insertion of the module 11. The elevated printedcircuit board 113 can also be mounted at an acute angle, e.g. 1° to 3°, to thePCB 13 to facilitate insertion of themodules PCB 13 from being damaged during insertion of themodules - Typically, a
latching device 18 is mounted on the front end of thehousing 16, proximate the firstoptical cable receptor 17, enabling the electro-optical modules 11 a to 11 d to be locked in thecages 12 a to 12 d, respectively, when inserted, and released therefrom when thelatching device 18 is manually released. Various latching devices are known in the art including those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,901,263; 6,666,484; 6,746,264; 6,883,971; 6,890,206; 6,916,123; 6,935,882; 6,943,854; 6,974,265; 7,004,647, which are incorporated herein by reference. - With particular reference to
FIG. 2 , the firstoptical cable receptor 17 receives a first releasableoptical end connector 22 mounted on an end of anadaptor cable 21 a. The first releasableoptical end connector 22 is selected from one of the standard releasable optical end connector types, e.g. SC or LC, or any other non-standard optical end connector, as required to mate with theoptical connector 17. The other end of theadaptor cable 21 a includes a second releasableoptical end connector 23, which can be the same type as thefirst end connector 22 or a different type depending on the customer's requirements. Afaceplate 26 is mounted on or near an end of thePCB 13 for enclosing the host device when thePCB 13 is mounted therein.Optical connector adaptors faceplate 26, and include a secondoptical cable receptor 28 on one side of thefaceplate 26 for receiving the secondoptical end connector 23, and a thirdoptical cable receptor 29 on the opposite side of thefaceplate 26 for receiving a third optical end connector mounted on the end of an optical fiber used in the customer's optical network. - Preferably, the
adaptor cables 21 a to 21 d have a specific length, e.g. 9 to 12 inches, which enable only a single loop to be formed therein between the electro-optical modules 11 a to 11 d and theoptical connector adaptors switch 35. The loop must have a large enough bend radius, which is dependent upon the specific adaptor cable used, to avoid leakage of the optical signals from the core of theadaptor cables 21 a to 21 d. If theadapter cable 21 a to 21 d is shorter than the preferred length, then a strain can be placed on the adaptor cables when the cable is too short or alternatively, too small a loop will be formed causing leakage when the cable is just slightly too long. If the adaptor cables 21 a to 21 d are longer than necessary, the excess fiber is susceptible to damage during assembly and during motion, and may violate their minimum bend radius requirements. Typically, to solve the cable length problem when the cable is much longer than necessary a plurality of loops are provided within optical cables; however, this solution requires fiber management structures to keep the cables in place and added assembly process steps to mount the fiber management structures and the fibers therein. - Accordingly, the manufacturer of the electro-optical system, e.g. the testing device, can utilize any form of electro-optical module with any type of first
optical cable receptor 17, and adapt the electro-optic module into the optical network to be tested by using thenecessary adaptor cable 21 a to 21 d andoptical connector adaptor optical cable receptor 29, which matches the third optical end connector of the optical fiber of the optical network to be tested. Moreover, changes on either side of thefaceplate 26, e.g. changing the electro-optic module, can be compensated by simply changing the adaptor cable 21 and/or theoptical connector adaptors -
FIG. 2 illustrates a heavily populated system in which a plurality of similar and different forms of electro-optical modules 11 a to 11 d are mounted in a variety ofcorresponding cages 12 a to 12 d. A plurality ofadaptor cables 21 a to 21 d optically couple the electro-optical modules 11 a to 11 d to a plurality of respectiveoptical connector adaptors faceplate 26. Accordingly, a plurality of different electro-optical modules 11 a to 11 d for sending and receiving optical test signals with various different characteristics, e.g. wavelength, signal strength, and data content, can be positioned adjacent one another, and alternatively plugged into the sameoptical connector adaptor intermediate coupler 35 withadaptor cables coupler 35 is connected to theoptical connector adaptor 27 b by asingle adaptor cable 21 d or directly with an optical cable connector or other suitable means. The activation of the electro-optical modules faceplate 26 can have much fewer access holes, e.g.optical connector adaptors optical modules 11 a to 11 d, thereby minimizing the passage of EMI therethrough, as well as dust and dirt. Moreover, thefaceplate 26 can be universal for all testing devices with a limited number ofoptical connector adaptors internal adaptor cables 21 a to 21 d, electro-optical modules 11 a to 11 d, and preferablycoupler 35 need to be reconfigured depending on the tests required.
Claims (17)
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US11/535,595 US7234880B1 (en) | 2006-01-09 | 2006-09-27 | Internal pluggable optical module |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US75723506P | 2006-01-09 | 2006-01-09 | |
US11/535,595 US7234880B1 (en) | 2006-01-09 | 2006-09-27 | Internal pluggable optical module |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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US7234880B1 US7234880B1 (en) | 2007-06-26 |
US20070160331A1 true US20070160331A1 (en) | 2007-07-12 |
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US11/535,595 Active US7234880B1 (en) | 2006-01-09 | 2006-09-27 | Internal pluggable optical module |
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Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20110221601A1 (en) * | 2010-03-12 | 2011-09-15 | Jerry Aguren | Detecting Engagement Conditions Of A Fiber Optic Connector |
US20220244472A1 (en) * | 2021-02-03 | 2022-08-04 | Cisco Technology, Inc. | Optical module cages mounted for optimal density and cooling |
Families Citing this family (11)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP1965517A1 (en) * | 2007-02-28 | 2008-09-03 | British Telecommunications Public Limited Company | Testing an optical network |
US7780465B2 (en) * | 2008-05-01 | 2010-08-24 | Finisar Corporation | Powered latching mechanism for a module |
US9016959B2 (en) * | 2010-11-05 | 2015-04-28 | Fci | Opto-electronic module with patchcords |
US9304274B2 (en) | 2012-07-09 | 2016-04-05 | Avago Technologies General Ip (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. | Metal strain relief device for use in an optical communications system, an optical fiber cable that employs the strain relief device, and a method |
US8911158B2 (en) | 2012-07-09 | 2014-12-16 | Avago Technologies General Ip (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. | Z-pluggable optical communications module, an optical communications system, and a method |
US9739944B1 (en) * | 2012-07-13 | 2017-08-22 | Google Inc. | Reconfigurable pluggable transceiver |
US8950954B2 (en) | 2012-07-31 | 2015-02-10 | Avago Technologies General Ip ( Singapore) Pte. Ltd. | Side-edge mountable parallel optical communications module, an optical communications system that incorporates the module, and a method |
CN105593729A (en) | 2013-10-02 | 2016-05-18 | 慧与发展有限责任合伙企业 | Attaching connectors |
US10884205B2 (en) * | 2018-09-06 | 2021-01-05 | Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development Lp | Modular faceplate optical connection |
US10678008B1 (en) | 2018-11-16 | 2020-06-09 | Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development Lp | Optical signal aggregation for optical communication in high bandwidth, high density architectures |
US11323176B2 (en) | 2020-10-01 | 2022-05-03 | Viavi Solutions Inc | Modular cell site installation, testing, measurement, and maintenance tool |
Citations (9)
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US5901263A (en) * | 1997-09-12 | 1999-05-04 | International Business Machines Corporation | Hot pluggable module integrated lock/extraction tool |
US6666484B1 (en) * | 2000-06-09 | 2003-12-23 | Jds Uniphase Corporation | Pivoting type latch for removable electronic devices |
US6746264B1 (en) * | 2000-09-25 | 2004-06-08 | Jds Uniphase Corporation | Pull type latch mechanism for removable small form factor electronic modules |
US6883971B2 (en) * | 2001-04-14 | 2005-04-26 | Jds Uniphase Corporation | Pull-action de-latching mechanisms for fiber optic modules |
US6890206B2 (en) * | 2002-03-05 | 2005-05-10 | Jds Uniphase Corporation | Optical transceiver latch |
US6916123B2 (en) * | 2002-09-10 | 2005-07-12 | Jds Uniphase Corporation | Unlatching mechanism for an optical transceiver |
US6935882B2 (en) * | 2002-06-21 | 2005-08-30 | Jds Uniphase Corporation | Pluggable optical transceiver latch |
US6943854B2 (en) * | 2001-04-14 | 2005-09-13 | Jds Uniphase Corporation | De-latching mechanisms for fiber optic modules |
US7004647B2 (en) * | 2003-06-02 | 2006-02-28 | Jds Uniphase Corporation | Optical transceiver bail latch |
-
2006
- 2006-09-27 US US11/535,595 patent/US7234880B1/en active Active
Patent Citations (10)
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US5901263A (en) * | 1997-09-12 | 1999-05-04 | International Business Machines Corporation | Hot pluggable module integrated lock/extraction tool |
US6666484B1 (en) * | 2000-06-09 | 2003-12-23 | Jds Uniphase Corporation | Pivoting type latch for removable electronic devices |
US6746264B1 (en) * | 2000-09-25 | 2004-06-08 | Jds Uniphase Corporation | Pull type latch mechanism for removable small form factor electronic modules |
US6883971B2 (en) * | 2001-04-14 | 2005-04-26 | Jds Uniphase Corporation | Pull-action de-latching mechanisms for fiber optic modules |
US6943854B2 (en) * | 2001-04-14 | 2005-09-13 | Jds Uniphase Corporation | De-latching mechanisms for fiber optic modules |
US6974265B2 (en) * | 2001-04-14 | 2005-12-13 | Jds Uniphase Corporation | Fiber optic modules with de-latching mechanisms having a pull-action |
US6890206B2 (en) * | 2002-03-05 | 2005-05-10 | Jds Uniphase Corporation | Optical transceiver latch |
US6935882B2 (en) * | 2002-06-21 | 2005-08-30 | Jds Uniphase Corporation | Pluggable optical transceiver latch |
US6916123B2 (en) * | 2002-09-10 | 2005-07-12 | Jds Uniphase Corporation | Unlatching mechanism for an optical transceiver |
US7004647B2 (en) * | 2003-06-02 | 2006-02-28 | Jds Uniphase Corporation | Optical transceiver bail latch |
Cited By (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20110221601A1 (en) * | 2010-03-12 | 2011-09-15 | Jerry Aguren | Detecting Engagement Conditions Of A Fiber Optic Connector |
US20220244472A1 (en) * | 2021-02-03 | 2022-08-04 | Cisco Technology, Inc. | Optical module cages mounted for optimal density and cooling |
US11650385B2 (en) * | 2021-02-03 | 2023-05-16 | Cisco Technology, Inc. | Optical module cages mounted for optimal density and cooling |
Also Published As
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US7234880B1 (en) | 2007-06-26 |
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