Optical Transceiver Temperature Control via Sensor Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
The optical transceiver for 10G-EPON station-side apparatuses faces challenges in maintaining control accuracy when switching between light emission states of different transmission rates, as the temperature distribution changes within the housing, leading to divergence between detected temperatures and actual device temperatures, which can result in inaccurate control values for the optical devices.
Innovation Solution
The optical transceiver employs a single temperature sensor to detect the temperature inside the housing, with the optical sub-assembly and temperature sensor positioned to be at similar heat levels, allowing for accurate control values to be determined without the need for individual temperature sensors for each light emitting and receiving element, and includes a TEC to maintain the second light emitting element's temperature, enabling power reduction and improved control accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single temperature sensor is used to detect temperature inside the housing, then the number of components and production costs are reduced, but the control accuracy decreases due to divergence between detected temperature and actual device temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a thermal conduction member as an intermediary between the light emitting element and the temperature sensor. This mediator transfers heat from the light emitting element to the temperature sensor, allowing the sensor to accurately detect the temperature of the light emitting element without being in direct contact with it, thus resolving the contradiction between using a single sensor and maintaining measurement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the temperature detection function from direct contact with the light emitting element and separates it into a dedicated temperature sensor positioned elsewhere in the housing. The thermal conduction member serves as a heat transfer pathway, allowing the sensor to measure temperature indirectly, thereby reducing component complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
2Measurement precision
If individual temperature sensors are provided for each light emitting and receiving element, then temperature control accuracy is improved, but the number of components and production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the single temperature sensor universal by using the thermal conduction member to gather heat from multiple light emitting elements. The temperature sensor thus serves multiple functions - detecting temperatures of different light emitting elements without requiring individual sensors for each, reducing component count while maintaining control accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the temperature detection function for multiple light emitting elements into a single temperature sensor. The thermal conduction member combines heat from multiple sources and directs it to one sensor, allowing one sensor to monitor multiple elements, thereby reducing the total number of sensors needed.
3Temperature
If the optical sub-assembly is disposed close to the main heat generation member, then heat dissipation is improved, but the temperature sensor cannot accurately detect the temperature due to heat interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the thermal management system into distinct functional zones: the main heat generation member for heat dissipation, the thermal conduction member for heat transfer, and the temperature sensor for detection. This segmentation allows each component to perform its function optimally without interfering with others, resolving the contradiction between heat dissipation and temperature detection accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal conduction member acts as an intermediary that bridges the gap between the heat generation member and the temperature sensor. It selectively transfers heat from the light emitting element to the sensor while being positioned to avoid direct heat interference from the main heat generation member, allowing accurate temperature detection despite proximity to heat sources.
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 solution prevents a decrease in control accuracy during switching between light emission states of different transmission rates, reduces power consumption, and maintains accurate control without increasing the number of components or production costs, ensuring reliable operation across varying transmission rates.
Implementation Method 1
a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature inside the housing
Implementation Method 2
includes a TEC to maintain the second light emitting element's temperature
Implementation Method 3
a first light emitting element configured to perform electric-optic conversion at a first transmission rate; a second light emitting element configured to perform electric-optic conversion at a second transmission rate
Implementation Method 4
a light receiving element configured to perform optic-electric conversion at a predetermined transmission rate
Implementation Method 5
the housing having a longest dimension in a longitudinal direction thereof and having thermal conductivity
Data Source
AI summary
An optical transceiver of the present disclosure includes: a first light emitting element configured to perform electric-optic conversion at a first transmission rate; a second light emitting element configured to perform electric-optic conversion at a second transmission rate higher than the first transmission rate; a light receiving element configured to perform optic-electric conversion at a predetermined transmission rate; an optical sub-assembly accommodating the light emitting elements and the light receiving element; a circuit board having a plurality of integrated circuits which are configured to drive the light emitting elements and the light receiving element; a housing accommodating the optical sub-assembly and the circuit board, the housing having a longest dimension in a longitudinal direction thereof and having thermal conductivity; a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature inside the housing; a temperature control unit configured to determine a control value to be designated to the integrated circuit that corresponds at least one target element among the light emitting elements and the light receiving element, in accordance with a detection temperature detected by the temperature sensor; and a light emission control unit configured to set a light emission state of an apparatus to which the light emission control unit belongs, to any of states 1 to 3 below. The optical sub-assembly is disposed at one end side in the longitudinal direction with respect to a main heat generation member among the plurality of integrated circuits, and the temperature sensor is disposed at another end side in the longitudinal direction with respect to the heat generation member. State 1: a state in which the first light emitting element is ON and the second light emitting element is OFF; state 2: a state in which the first light emitting element is ON and the second light emitting element is ON; and state 3: a state in which the first light emitting element is OFF and the second light emitting element is ON.