Apparatus and methods for rack level pre-installed interconnect for enabling cableless server, storage, and networking deployment. Plastic cable waveguides are configured to couple millimeter-wave radio frequency (RF) signals between two or more Extremely High Frequency (EHF) transceiver chips, thus supporting millimeter-wave wireless communication links enabling components in the separate chassis to communicate without requiring wire or optical cables between the chassis. Various configurations are disclosed, including multiple configurations for server chassis, storage chassis and arrays, and network/switch chassis. A plurality of plastic cable waveguide may be coupled to applicable support/mounting members, which in turn are mounted to a rack and/or top-of-rack switches. This enables the plastic cable waveguides to be pre-installed at the rack level, and further enables racks to be installed and replaced without requiring further cabling for the supported communication links. The communication links support link bandwidths of up to 6 gigabits per second, and may be aggregated to facilitate multi-lane links.

An apparatus comprises a laser emitter configured to transmit laser energy across an air gap to a separate device, and a driver circuit electrically coupled to the laser emitter and to an electrical interface. The driver circuit is configured to detect voltage levels at the electrical interface including a first voltage level, a second voltage level, and a third voltage level, and drive the laser emitter at a first power level when detecting the first voltage level, drive the laser emitter at a second power level when detecting the second voltage level, and drive the laser emitter at a third power level intermediate the first and second power levels when detecting the third voltage level.

An apparatus comprises a laser emitter configured to transmit laser energy across an air gap to a separate device; a mobile industry processor interface (MIPI); driver circuitry electrically coupled to the laser emitter, wherein the driver circuitry is configured to receive an electrical signal according to an MIPI protocol and drive the laser emitter according to the electrical signal; a tone circuit configured to generate a tone signal of a specified tone frequency; and an MIPI mode detection circuit electrically coupled to the driver circuitry and the MIPI, wherein the MIPI mode detection circuit is configured to detect a change between a MIPI low power (LP) mode and a MIPI high speed (HS) mode at the MIPI interface, and add the tone signal to an electrical signal provided to the driver circuitry from the MIPI according to the detected change.

An optoelectronic module, intended to provide a conversion of an electrical signal from an electronic board into an optical signal propagated in free space or vice versa, includes the following stack: an electronic board, intended to act as an interface with an electronic application board; an electronic control component suitable for controlling an optoelectronic component, the electronic component being attached directly onto the electronic board and electrically connected to the electronic circuit; an optoelectronic component suitable for transmitting or receiving a light signal via its upper surface, the optoelectronic component being attached directly on the top of the electronic control component and electrically connected to the electronic component; an optical device suitable for transmitting an optical signal; an optical device support, the support being attached, preferably by gluing or brazing, directly onto the electronic board so as to ensure the mechanical alignment between the optical device and the optoelectronic component.

An optical system for wireless data communication between the sensor electronics on a rotary shaft and the fixed data processor is disclosed. A first ring carrying IR LEDs is mounted to rotate with the shaft. A second ring carrying a photodetector is mounted adjacent to the first ring but does not rotate with the shaft. In the disclosed embodiment, both rings have LEDs and a photodetector so data and/or information can be transferred both to and from the shaft.

An apparatus comprises a laser emitter configured to transmit laser energy across an air gap to a separate device; a photodiode configured to detect laser energy received across the air gap from the separate device; and logic circuitry configured to initiate recurrent transmission of a laser pulse by the laser emitter; and end the recurrent transmission in response to detecting laser energy received by the photodiode from the separate device.

A system includes a communication interface including separate electrical connectors configured to communicate power and ground using electrical conductors, the communication interface includes a free-air optical interconnect including at least one of: a laser emitter configured to transmit laser energy across an air gap to a separate device; or a photodiode configured to detect laser energy received across the air gap from the separate device.

A system includes a first free-air optical interconnect of a first electrical component, the first free-air optical interconnect configured to mechanically couple to a second free-air optical interconnect of a second electrical component to communicate optical signals between the first and second electrical components. When coupled, an attach mechanism of the first free-air optical interconnect can retain the second free-air optical interconnect a fixed distance from the communication interface of the first free-air communication interface, including separate electrical connectors configured to communicate power and ground using electrical conductors, the communication interface includes a free-air optical interconnect including at least one of a laser emitter configured to transmit laser energy across an air gap to a separate device, or a photodiode configured to detect laser energy received across the air gap from the separate device.

An apparatus comprises a substrate; a laser emitter arranged on the substrate; a photodiode arranged on the substrate; resin encapsulating the laser emitter and the photodiode, wherein the resin includes a top surface above the laser emitter and photodiode; and a lens arranged on the top surface of the resin.

An apparatus comprises a substrate; a laser emitter arranged on the substrate, wherein laser energy emitted by the laser emitter includes a center frequency; a photodiode arranged on the substrate; and a laser bandpass filter arranged above the photodiode, wherein the bandpass filter has a passband that excludes the center frequency of the laser energy.