SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPTICAL COMMUNICATIONS USING CWDM FERRULE MATED TO A NON-CWDM FERRULE

Abstract

An assembly of two fiber optic ferrules allows for the mating of a CWDM fiber optic ferrule with a non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule. The CWDM fiber optic ferrule has optical fibers that carry optical beams with at least two different wavelengths, which the non-CWDM ferrule has optical fibers that carry only one wavelength. The CWDM fiber optic ferrule and the non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule have optical fibers that are inserted along parallel axes. The non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule has a lens pitch that matches the CWDM ferrule.

Claims

1. An optical assembly comprising: a first CWDM fiber optic ferrule having at least one optical fiber with at least two optical beams at different wavelengths , the at least one optical fiber held inside the first CWDM fiber optic ferrule by at least one optical fiber supporting structure, wherein the at least two optical beams are wavelength division multiplexed inside the same at least one optical fiber; and a second non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule configured to mate with the first CWDM fiber optic ferrule , wherein the second non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule has a first optical fiber to carry a first optical beam demultiplexed at a first wavelength and a second optical fiber to carry the second optical beam demultiplexed at a second wavelength different from the first wavelength, wherein the second non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule has a first optical fiber supporting structure for the first optical fiber and a second optical fiber supporting structure for the second optical fiber.

2. The optical assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a filter block attached thereto.

3. The optical assembly according to claim 1, wherein the second non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule has a front face to engage at least a portion of the first CWDM fiber optic ferrule.

4. The optical assembly according to claim 3, further comprising a plurality of external lenses disposed behind the front face.

5. The optical assembly according to claim 1, further comprising an interface plate disposed between and engaged to each of the first CWDM fiber optic ferrule and the second non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule.

6. The optical assembly according to claim 5, wherein the interface plate includes a filter block attached to the interface plate on a side of the interface plate facing the second non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule.

7. The optical assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first CWDM fiber optic ferrule and the second non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule each has alignment structures for mating.

8. The optical assembly according to claim 7, wherein the alignment structures are a projection and a recess on a front face of each of the first CWDM fiber optic ferrule and the second non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule.

9. The optical assembly according to claim 8, wherein the projection and the recess on the first CWDM fiber optic ferrule are positioned laterally opposite to the projection and the recess on the second non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule, thereby making the first CWDM fiber optic ferrule and the second non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule hermaphroditic.

10. The optical assembly according to claim 1, wherein the second non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule has an angled end face.

11. An optical communication method, comprising: mating a first CWDM fiber optic ferrule having at least one optical fiber with at least two optical beams each at a different wavelength from the other to a second non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule, wherein the at least two optical beams are wavelength division multiplexed inside the same at least one optical fiber; and transporting the at least two optical beams from the first CWDM fiber optic ferrule to a first optical fiber of the second non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule to carry a first optical beam of the at least two optical beams demultiplexed at a first wavelength, and to a second optical fiber of the second non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule to carry a second optical beam of the at least two optical beams demultiplexed at a second wavelength different from the first wavelength, wherein the first optical beam in the first optical fiber and the second optical beam in the second optical fiber each are in the same direction as the at least two optical beams in the at least one optical fiber of the first CWDM fiber optic ferrule, each of the first CWDM fiber optic ferrule and the second non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule having respective optical fiber supporting structures.

12. The optical communication method of claim 11, further comprising: passing the at least two optical beams from the first CWDM fiber optic ferrule to a filter block positioned between the first CWDM fiber optic ferrule and the second non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule.

13. The optical communication method of claim 12, wherein the first optical beam and the second optical beam emerge from the filter block prior to entering the second non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule.

14. The optical communication method of claim 11, further comprising reflecting at least one of the two optical beams at a reflector of the first CWDM fiber optic ferrule.

15. The optical communication method of claim 14, wherein the at least one of the two optical beams that is reflected enters the second non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule after passing through a filter block.

16. The optical communication method of claim 15, wherein the filter block is positioned between the first CWDM fiber optic ferrule and the second non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule.

17. The optical communication method of claim 11, wherein the transporting comprises transmitting or receiving the at least two optical beams at an external lens of the first CWDM fiber optic ferrule.

18. The optical communication method of claim 17, wherein the external lens is part of a row of lenses.

19. An optical communication method comprising: mating a first CWDM fiber optic ferrule having at least one optical fiber to a second non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule having a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber; and transporting a first optical beam at a first wavelength in the first optical fiber and a second optical beam at a second wavelength in the second optical fiber of the second non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule to the at least one optical fiber in the first CWDM fiber optic ferrule as a multiplexed optical beam in the first CWDM fiber optic ferrule, wherein the first wavelength is different from the second wavelength, wherein the first optical beam in the first optical fiber and the second optical beam in the second optical fiber each are in the same direction as the multiplexed optical beam in the at least one optical fiber of the first CWDM fiber optic ferrule, each of the first CWDM fiber optic ferrule and the second non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule having respective optical fiber supporting structures.

20. The optical communication method of claim 19, further comprising passing the first and the second optical beams from the second non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule to a filter block positioned between the first CWDM fiber optic ferrule and the second non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a cross section of one embodiment of an assembly of two fiber optic ferrules according to the present invention;

[0014] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of the cross section of the assembly of two fiber optic ferrules in FIG. 1;

[0015] FIG. 3 is a perspective view from a front left side of a first fiber optic ferrule of the assembly in FIG. 1;

[0016] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of a second fiber optic ferrule from the front right side with the filter block removed;

[0017] FIG. 5 is a perspective view from the right side of a transparent second fiber optic ferrule of FIG. 1;

[0018] FIG. 6 is a perspective view from the right side of a cross section of the second fiber optic ferrule in FIG. 1;

[0019] FIG. 7 is a cross section of a second embodiment of an assembly of two fiber optic ferrules mated with an interface plate according to the present invention

[0020] FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the assembly of fiber optic ferrules and interface plate of FIG. 7;

[0021] FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross section view of a portion of the assembly of two fiber optic ferrules in FIG. 8;

[0022] FIG. 10 is an enlarged, perspective view of one side of the interface plate in FIG. 7;

[0023] FIG. 11 is an enlarged, perspective view of the other side of the interface plate in FIG. 7;

[0024] FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of a cross section of the assembly of two fiber optic ferrules in FIG. 7;

[0025] FIG. 13 is an enlarged, perspective view of the front face of the second fiber optic ferrule in FIG. 7; and

[0026] FIG. 14 is an enlarged perspective view of the alignment features of the two fiber optic ferrules and the interface plate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment(s) of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Whenever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

[0028] Applicant notes that the term front or forward means that direction where the fiber optic connector would meet with another fiber optic connector or device, while the term rear or rearward is used to mean the direction from which the optical fibers enter into the fiber-optic ferrule or fiber optic connector. Each of the fiber optic ferrules will therefore have a front and rear, and the two fronts or forward portions of the fiber optic ferrules would engage one another. Thus, in FIG. 1, the front of the fiber optic ferrule on the left side of the figures is that part of the fiber optic connector on the right side of FIG. 1 and forward is to the right. Rearward or back is that part of the fiber optic connector that is on the left side of the page and rearward and backward is toward the left. The front of the fiber optic ferrule on the right side of the FIG. 1 is facing the front of the fiber optic ferrule on the left and the rearward or back is to the rightas illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0029] Illustrated in FIGS. 1-6 is an assembly 100 of two fiber optic ferrules, a first fiber optic ferrule 102 and a second fiber optic ferrule 104. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the fiber optic ferrules are in a mated condition. First fiber optic ferrule 102 is a CWDM fiber optic ferrule and includes at least one optical fiber (not shown) that has an optical beam with at least two different wavelengths propagating therein. Such optical beams with different wavelengths may be generated by a light source (e.g., a laser) prior to entry into the first fiber optic ferrule 102 via the optical fibers. There may be more or fewer optical fibers in the fiber optic ferrules. Preferably there is only one row of optical fibers in the first fiber optic ferrule 102. In one example, the CWDM ferrule includes sixteen (16) fibers in a single row, each handling four different wavelengths (?.sub.1-?.sub.4) in a given band in the optical spectrum. For example, the possibilities include ?.sub.1=990 nm, ?.sub.2=1015nm, ?.sub.3=1040 nm, and ?.sub.4=1065 nm, i.e., a difference (??) between any two wavelengths is typically 25 nm. Typically, such CWDM ferrules are utilized for on-board optics in which the output beams at ?.sub.1-?.sub.4 are received by a photodetector of an on-board transceiver. In the other direction (for transmission), these four optical beams are typically transmitted by an on-board light source (e.g., a VCSEL) and may enter individual optical fiber fibers of an optical fiber ribbon on the CWDM ferrule as a multiplexed optical beam or a composite beam. The output beams at ?.sub.1-?.sub.4 wavelengths for the CWDM ferrule are at a pitch of 0.250 mm That is, each wavelength at the output of the CWDM ferrule is spatially separated from the other by 0.250 mm See FIGS. 1-3.

[0030] The first fiber optic ferrule 102 (CWDM) extends between a front end 106 and a rear end 108, and at the front end it has a recessed portion 110. The front end 106 also has a front face 112, which surrounds the recessed portion 110, but the front face 112 need not completely surround the recessed portion 110. Within that recessed portion 110 is an angled end face 114. The angled end face 114 has a plurality of rows 116, the first row 116a being a row of a plurality of transmissive lenses and the other rows being rows of reflectors 116b-116d, as explained below. See also FIG. 3. As noted above, there is preferably one row of optical fibers, with 16 fibers in the row, although there may be more or fewer rows (corresponding to optical fiber ribbons) and/or columns (corresponding to the number of optical fibers in each optical fiber ribbon) within the first fiber optic ferrule 102 (CWDM). The optical beams that are transmitted through the optical fibers pass through the first row 116a of transmissive lenses. The optical beams are further processed as discussed below with reference to the second fiber optic ferrule 104.

[0031] The second fiber optic ferrule 104 is a non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule in that the optical fibers carry optical beams that are of only one wavelength, rather than the multiple wavelengths carried in the optical fibers in the first fiber optic ferrule 102 (CWDM). The second fiber optic ferrule 104, a non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule, may be based on the PRIZM? MT ferrule provided by the Applicant. The second fiber optic ferrule 104 also extends between a front end 120 and a rear end 122, and at the front end it has a recessed portion 124. The front end 120 also has a front face 126, which surrounds the recessed portion 124, but the front face 126 need not completely surround the recessed portion 124. Preferably the front face 126 makes contact with the front face 112 of the first fiber optic ferrule 102 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. Within that recessed portion 124 are two angled surfaces 128 that provide a support and a stop for a filter block 130. See FIG. 4. The filter block 130 preferably fits within the recessed portion 124, but a portion may extend beyond the front face 126 and into the recessed portion 110 of the first fiber optic ferrule 104 (CWDM) during mating. The second fiber optic ferrule 104 also includes a number of rows of integrated lenses 132 on a forward facing surface 134 to help with the transmission of the optical beam to and from the optical fibers within the second fiber optic ferrule 104. In the example in FIG. 3, there are four rows of integrated lenses 132, which corresponds to the number of wavelengths in the optical beam carried by the optical fibers in the first fiber optic ferrule 102 (CWDM).

[0032] The filter block 130 is a wavelength specific filter that includes four filters 140(a-d)one for each wavelength. The wavelengths rejected by one of the filters are reflected back into the first fiber optic ferrule 102 (CWDM) and encounter the next internal reflectors in one of the rows 116b-116d, in succession until the optical beam with the last wavelength passes through the filter block 130. By the principle of reversibility, the wavelengths follow the same path during transmission and reception. The recessed portions 110,124 could be deeper or shallower than that illustrated in the figures. However, the filter block 130 should not engage the first fiber optic ferrule 102 when they are mated to one another.

[0033] The first fiber optic ferrule 102 (CWDM) has an opening 150 in the rear end 108 to receive optical fibers therein along a longitudinal axis A. The second fiber optic ferrule 104 also receives optical fibers through an opening 152 in the rear end 122 along longitudinal axis B, which is parallel to the longitudinal axis A.

[0034] The second fiber optic ferrule 104 has optical fiber supporting structures 134 to receive the optical fibers that are inserted into the opening 152 in the rear end 122. The optical fiber supporting structures 134 may include micro holes, v-grooves, u-grooves, or have a different configuration. The second fiber optic ferrule 104 may also have epoxy windows 154 that open through a top side 156. Each of the plurality of external lenses 132 are optically aligned with a respective one of the optical fiber supporting structures 134.

[0035] Additionally, the pitch between the rows of optical fibers in the second fiber optic ferrule 104 is 0.250 mm, which matches the pitch of the separate output beams at ?.sub.1-?.sub.4 wavelengths from the first fiber optic ferrule 102. The pitch of the columns of optical fibers in the second fiber optic ferrule 104 is 0.250 mm, which is the standard pitch for non-CWDM fiber optic ferrules. Further, each of the fiber optic ferrules 102, 104 are hermaphroditic as each has one projection and one opening to receive a projection.

[0036] A second embodiment of an assembly of two fiber optic ferrules according to the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 7-14. In this embodiment of assembly 200, there is a first fiber optic ferrule 202 (CWDM) and a second fiber optic ferrule 204 (non-CWDM) and an interface plate 218 between the two fiber optic ferrules. The first fiber optic ferrule 202 (CWDM) extends between a front end 206 and a rear end 208, and at the front end it has a recessed portion 210. The front end 206 also has a front face 212, which surrounds the recessed portion 210, but the front face 212 need not completely surround the recessed portion 210. Within that recessed portion 210 is a forward facing surface 214. The forward facing surface 214 has a row 216 of transmissive lenses through which a composite optical beam passes. See also FIG. 9. As noted above, there is preferably one row of optical fibers, with 16 fibers in the row, although there may be more or fewer rows (corresponding to optical fiber ribbons) and/or columns (corresponding to the number of optical fibers in each optical fiber ribbon) within the first fiber optic ferrule 202 (CWDM). The optical beams that are transmitted through the optical fibers pass through the transmissive lenses in row 216. See FIG. 8. The optical beams are further processed as discussed below with reference to the second fiber optic ferrule 204 and the interface plate 218. It should be noted that the pitch between the optical fibers in both the first fiber optic ferrule 202 (CWDM) and the second fiber optic ferrule 204 are at the standard 0.250 mm.

[0037] The second fiber optic ferrule 204 is a non-CWDM fiber optic ferrule in that the optical fibers carry optical beams that are of only one wavelength, rather than the multiple wavelengths carried in the optical fibers in the first fiber optic ferrule 202 (CWDM). The second fiber optic ferrule 204 also extends between a front end 220 and a rear end 222, and at the front end it has a recessed portion 224. The front end 220 also has a front face 226, which surrounds the recessed portion 224, but the front face 226 need not completely surround the recessed portion 224. The front faces 212,226 make contact with the interface plate 218 as illustrated in FIGS. 7, 9, and 12 and as discussed below. Within that recessed portion 224 are a number of rows of integrated lenses 232 on a forward facing surface 234 to help with the transmission to and from the optical fibers within the second fiber optic ferrule 204. The forward facing surface 234 is perpendicular to the optical beam passing in and out of the second fiber optic ferrule 204. In the example illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, there are four rows of integrated lenses 232, which correspond to the number of wavelengths in in the optical beam carried by the optical fibers in the first fiber optic ferrule 202 (CWDM).

[0038] Each of the fiber optic ferrules 202, 204 have alignment features that allow for the ferrules to be in alignment when they are mated to one another either through the interface plate 218 or directly with one another. Each of the fiber optic ferrules 202, 204 are hermaphroditic as each has one projection and one opening to receive a projection. With reference to FIG. 8, the first fiber optic ferrule 202 has a projection 236 on one side and an opening 238 on the other. The same is true with the second fiber optic ferrule 204 in that it also has a projection 236 on one side and an opening 238 on the other side.

[0039] In this embodiment, the separation of the individual wavelengths of the optical beam are performed by the interface plate 218. The interface plate 218 has the filter block 240 and the reflectors that were integral with the first and second fiber optic ferrules in the first embodiment.

[0040] The interface plate 218 has a first side 240 and a second side 242, the second side 242 facing in the opposite direction from the first side 240. The first side 240 is to face and engage the first fiber optic ferrule 202, while the second side 242 is to face and engage the second fiber optic ferrule 204. The first side 240 has a flat front surface 244 that engages at least a portion of the front face 212 of the first fiber optic ferrule 202. The first side 240 also has a recessed portion 246 that has an angled inside surface 248. The angled inside surface has an angle of a relative to the flat front surface 244. See FIG. 10. The inside surface 248 is preferably made from an optically transparent material and also has a plurality of rows and columns of integrated reflectors 240. Thus, the angled inside surface 248 allows the optical beams to pass through it when they do not encounter the reflectors. The first side 240 also has alignment structures 252,254 that allow for the first fiber optic ferrule 202 to be aligned with the integrated reflectors 240 and the angled inside surface 248. In particular, structure 242 is a projection that is to be aligned with an opening in the first fiber optic ferrule 202 and structure 244 is an opening to receive a projection from the first fiber optic ferrule 202.

[0041] The interface plate 218 has a second side 242 that holds the filter block 130 and faces the second fiber optic ferrule 204. The second side 242 has a recessed portion 260 and fitting bumps 262 to engage the filter block 230. The second side 242 also has a flat front surface 264 to engage the front face 226 of the second fiber optic ferrule 204 and alignment structures 266,268, which are a projection and an opening. The recessed portion makes an angle 13 with the flat front face 264. See FIGS. 12 and 13. The angles a and 13 are chosen such that the individual optical beams outputted from the filter block 230 to the integrated lenses 232 of the second fiber optic ferrule 204 enter the integrated lenses 232 substantially perpendicularly to the front face 226 of the second fiber optic ferrule 204. In one aspect, a equals 13, but they could be different.

[0042] FIG. 14 illustrates how the three components of the assembly 200 are aligned with one another. On one side of the assembly, the projection 236 of the first fiber optic ferrule 202 engages the opening 254 of the interface plate 218 and the projection 266 of the interface plate 218 engages the opening 238 of the second fiber optic ferrule 204.

[0043] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.