Optical Module Reflective Surface for Single-Fiber Bidirectional Transmission
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current optical communication modules face challenges in achieving faster transmission speeds while maintaining low costs, as they often rely on multi-channel parallel methods that are costly and do not meet the demand for increased speed.
Innovation Solution
The optical module design includes a substrate with light transmitting and receiving elements, an optical device with a lens array, reflective surface, and optical filter, which enables efficient optical coupling and reduces the need for multiple optical fibers, thereby lowering costs and increasing transmission speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If multi-channel parallel method is used to increase transmission speed, then transmission speed increases, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines transmit and receive optical paths into a single optical fiber using a reflective surface. The reflective surface redirects light from the transmit lens array back through the same fiber to the receive photodetector array, eliminating the need for separate transmit and receive fibers. This merging approach reduces component count and cost while maintaining high transmission speeds through parallel channel processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The single optical fiber serves dual functions as both transmit and receive medium. The reflective surface enables the same physical fiber to carry both outgoing transmit signals and incoming receive signals, making the fiber multi-functional. This universality reduces the number of fibers needed from two per channel to one per channel, lowering overall system cost.
2Speed
If multiple optical fibers are used for transmission and reception, then transmission speed is maintained, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the transmit and receive optical paths into a single physical fiber by using a reflective surface. The reflective surface is positioned to redirect light from the transmit lens array back through the same fiber to the receive photodetector array. This consolidation reduces the number of optical fibers from two to one per channel, simplifying the device structure while preserving transmission speed through parallel processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The reflective surface introduces a spatial dimension change in the optical path. Instead of using separate fibers for transmit and receive, the system uses a single fiber with the optical path folded back on itself via reflection. This dimensional manipulation allows two directional paths to coexist in one physical medium, reducing complexity.
3Device complexity
If a reflective surface is introduced to reduce fiber count, then cost and complexity are reduced, but optical coupling precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The reflective surface acts as an intermediary optical element that redirects light between the transmit lens array and the receive photodetector array through the same fiber. By positioning the reflective surface at a specific angle (typically 45 degrees), the system creates a predictable optical path that can be precisely aligned during assembly. This intermediary approach allows for standardized mounting interfaces that maintain coupling precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The reflective surface is pre-positioned and pre-aligned during device assembly before final optical coupling. The mounting structure includes predetermined positioning features that ensure the reflective surface is correctly oriented relative to the lens arrays and fiber paths. This preliminary positioning action simplifies the final coupling process and ensures precise optical alignment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enhances transmission speed and reduces costs by using a single optical fiber for both transmission and reception, improving coupling efficiency and tolerance range, and allowing for smaller module sizes.
Implementation Method 1
a reflective surface arranged at a preset angle relative to the first surface, the reflective surface reflecting light from each of the plurality of light transmitting lenses to the optical transceiver interface or reflecting light from the optical transceiver interface to the plurality of light receiving lenses
Implementation Method 2
an optical filter arranged parallel to the reflective surface, the optical filter reflecting light from the optical transceiver interface to the plurality of light receiving lenses and letting pass light reflected by the reflective surface from each of the plurality of light transmitting lenses
Implementation Method 3
The lens array is configured to optically couple the plurality of light transmitting elements with the optical transceiver interface, and to optically couple the optical transceiver interface with the plurality of light receiving elements
Data Source
AI summary
An optical module includes a substrate, an optical device, and a plurality of light transmitting elements and a plurality of light receiving elements disposed between the optical device and the substrate. The optical device includes a device body, and an optical transceiver interface and a lens array that are disposed on the device body. The lens array is configured to optically couple the plurality of light transmitting elements with the optical transceiver interface, and optically couples the optical transceiver interface with the plurality of light receiving elements. An auxiliary lens is disposed on an optical coupling path between the plurality of light transmitting elements and the optical transceiver interface or between the optical transceiver interface and the plurality of light receiving elements.