Abstract: A data and power communication cable that provides galvanic isolation between data-signal related circuitry and power-signal related circuitry present at both ends of the cable. The cable includes a first connector configured to mate with a first device to receive data and power signals therefrom; a first galvanic-isolating device configured to generate a galvanic-isolated data signal based on the data signal; a second galvanic-isolating device configured to generate a galvanic-isolated power signal based on the power signal; a second connector configured to mate with a second device to provide the galvanic-isolated data signal and the galvanic-isolated power signal thereto; a first set of communication mediums to route the data signal or the galvanic-isolated data signal from the first connector to the second connector; and a second set of communication mediums to route the power signal or the galvanic-isolated power signal from the first connector to the second connector.

Abstract: Provided is an external cavity laser (ECL) including a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL)-Distributed Bragg Reflector (DBR) type light emitting unit configured to receive a current and emit light, and including a DBR function layer and an active layer for a quantum well formed on one side of this DBR function layer, and an optical circuit unit including a light guide in which one end surface is installed to face an active layer at one side of the active layer, light generated from the active layer is received and guided, and an optical axis is formed vertically to an active layer plane, a reflection pattern that is formed at one side of the light guide so as to receive light output from the other end of the light guide to reflect the light again to the light guide, and an external layer for surrounding the light guide and the reflection pattern, wherein the VCSEL-DBR type light emitting unit and the optical circuit unit are mutually coupled to each other.

Abstract: A data communication cable assembly including a cable with wire and/or optical fiber communication mediums for transmitting data signals and/or power signals, and connectors for connecting to a pair of devices, respectively. Each of the connector includes a connector plug or receptacle configured to mate with a corresponding receptacle or plug of a device, wherein the connector plug or receptacle includes a set of electrical contacts configured to send and/or receive the data signals and/or power signals to and/or from the device; a metallic shell defining an enclosure and including first and second openings, wherein the connector plug or receptacle mate is configured to mate with the corresponding receptacle or plug of the device via the first opening, and wherein the cable extends from inside to outside of the enclosure via the second opening; and electrically-conductive filler material configured to reduce electromagnetic leakage via the first and second openings.

Abstract: A data communication cable that is capable of informing a user via light signals regarding any operational status of the cable and/or devices to which the cable is connected. The data communication cable includes a first connector configured to connect to a first device; a second connector configured to connect to a second device; one or more communication mediums configured to route a data signal and/or a power signal between the first and second devices; and one or more illumination fibers configured to emit light. The cable may further include a light driver circuit configured to generate a drive signal for the one or more illumination fibers based on detecting one or more events. Such events may include the cable receiving power, data signal activity or loss of signal activity in the one or more communications mediums, authentication or other operations performed between the first and second devices.

Abstract: An optical communication mount configured for surface mounting of optical transmitters, receivers or transceivers. The mount includes a housing having holes extending from the back side to the front side of the housing. The mount includes a first set of electrically-conductive traces disposed on a bottom side of the housing for surface mounting the mount on a printed circuit board (PCB), and a second set of electrically-conductive traces disposed on the front side of the housing. The mount also includes optical fibers extending into the thru-holes from the back side of the housing. The mount includes photo devices substantially registered with the thru-holes at the front side of the housing in a manner to receive and/or transmit more optical signals by way of the optical fibers, wherein the photo devices are configured to receive bias voltages from the PCB by way of the first and second sets of electrically-conductive traces.

Abstract: A communications cable is disclosed. The cable includes a first circuit configured to receive electrical data signals from a data source via an input connector, and convert the electrical data signals into optical signals for transmission by way of one or more optical fibers. The cable includes a second circuit configured to convert the optical signals received via the one or more optical fibers back to electrical data signals for providing to a data sink via an output connector. The cable includes a third circuit for applying pre- and post-signal conditioning to bi-directional control data for transmission to and received from the data sink via wires. The cable includes a fourth circuit for applying pre- and post-signal conditioning to bi-directional control data for transmission to and received from the data source via wires. The pre- and post-signal conditioning compensate for capacitance and/or resistance effects on the signals introduced by the wires.

Abstract: A bidirectional data communications cable is disclosed. The cable includes first connector, second connector, and cable housing coupled to the first and second connectors. The first connector includes a controller configured to determine whether the first connector is connected to a data source or data sink. If connected to a data source, the controller configures a switch circuit to route a data signal from the data source to an optical modulator for modulating an optical signal for transmission from the first to the second connector via an optical fiber. If connected to a data sink, the controller configures the switch circuit to route a data signal from an optical demodulator to the data sink, the optical demodulator receiving an optical signal modulated with the data signal from the second connector via an optical fiber. The second connector is configured similar to the first connector. The cable housing encloses the optical fibers.

Abstract: A data communication system is disclosed including a cable medium and modulator adapted to carry data and power between a high speed data source and a high speed data sink. Relatively high speed data (e.g. the TMDS data of an HDMI interface) may be carried on optical waveguides in the cable medium. Relatively low-speed data (e.g., DDC data and clock, and CEC of an HDMI interface) may be carried on a separate set of optical waveguides or wire mediums. The optical waveguides allow for substantially less signal distortion of the high-speed data, thereby allowing the cable medium to achieve much higher lengths without significantly affecting the high-speed signaling.

Abstract: Operational and functional testing of the optical Physical Media Dependent Integrated Circuits (“PMD ICs”) is achieved by constructing a switchable on-chip load with similar or equivalent electrical characteristics of a targeted photonic device.

Abstract: A balanced differential transimpedance amplifier with a single-ended input operational over a wide variation in the dynamic range of input signals. A threshold circuit is employed to either or a combination of (1) generate a varying decision threshold to ensure a proper slicing over a wide range of input current signal levels; and (2) generate a bias current and voltage applied to an input of a transimpedance stage to cancel out a dependence of the transimpedance stage voltage input on input current signal levels.

Abstract: A bidirectional data communications cable is disclosed. The cable includes first connector, second connector, and cable housing coupled to the first and second connectors. The first connector includes a controller configured to determine whether the first connector is connected to a data source or data sink. If connected to a data source, the controller configures a switch circuit to route a data signal from the data source to an optical modulator for modulating an optical signal for transmission from the first to the second connector via an optical fiber. If connected to a data sink, the controller configures the switch circuit to route a data signal from an optical demodulator to the data sink, the optical demodulator receiving an optical signal modulated with the data signal from the second connector via an optical fiber. The second connector is configured similar to the first connector. The cable housing encloses the optical fibers.

Abstract: A communications cable is disclosed. The cable includes a first circuit configured to receive electrical data signals from a data source via an input connector, and convert the electrical data signals into optical signals for transmission by way of one or more optical fibers. The cable includes a second circuit configured to convert the optical signals received via the one or more optical fibers back to electrical data signals for providing to a data sink via an output connector. The cable includes a third circuit for applying pre- and post-signal conditioning to bi-directional control data for transmission to and received from the data sink via wires. The cable includes a fourth circuit for applying pre- and post-signal conditioning to bi-directional control data for transmission to and received from the data source via wires. The pre- and post-signal conditioning compensate for capacitance and/or resistance effects on the signals introduced by the wires.

Abstract: A power efficient device for driving a load comprising a low current path and a high current path, wherein the high current path is driven by a first voltage source. In order to accommodate larger turn on voltages of possible load devices while maintaining low power operation, an additional voltage source exceeding the voltage source in the high current path is introduced in the low current path.

Abstract: A data communication system is disclosed including a cable medium and modulator adapted to carry data and power between a high speed data source and a high speed data sink. Relatively high speed data (e.g. the TMDS data of an HDMI interface) may be carried on optical waveguides in the cable medium. Relatively low-speed data (e.g., DDC data and clock, and CEC of an HDMI interface) may be carried on a separate set of optical waveguides or wire mediums. The optical waveguides allow for substantially less signal distortion of the high-speed data, thereby allowing the cable medium to achieve much higher lengths without significantly affecting the high-speed signaling.

Abstract: A communications cable is disclosed. The cable includes a first circuit configured to receive electrical data signals from a data source via an input connector, and convert the electrical data signals into optical signals for transmission by way of one or more optical fibers. The cable includes a second circuit configured to convert the optical signals received via the one or more optical fibers back to electrical data signals for providing to a data sink via an output connector. The cable includes a third circuit for applying pre- and post-signal conditioning to bi-directional control data for transmission to and received from the data sink via wires. The cable includes a fourth circuit for applying pre-and post-signal conditioning to bi-directional control data for transmission to and received from the data source via wires. The pre- and post-signal conditioning compensate for capacitance and/or resistance effects on the signals introduced by the wires.

Abstract: A bidirectional data communications cable is disclosed. The cable includes first connector, second connector, and cable housing coupled to the first and second connectors. The first connector includes a controller configured to determine whether the first connector is connected to a data source or data sink. If connected to a data source, the controller configures a switch circuit to route a data signal from the data source to an optical modulator for modulating an optical signal for transmission from the first to the second connector via an optical fiber. If connected to a data sink, the controller configures the switch circuit to route a data signal from an optical demodulator to the data sink, the optical demodulator receiving an optical signal modulated with the data signal from the second connector via an optical fiber. The second connector is configured similar to the first connector. The cable housing encloses the optical fibers.

Abstract: A data communication system is disclosed including a cable medium and modulator adapted to carry data and power between a high speed data source and a high speed data sink. Relatively high speed data (e.g. the TMDS data of an HDMI interface) may be carried on optical waveguides in the cable medium. Relatively low-speed data (e.g., DDC data and clock, and CEC of an HDMI interface) may be carried on a separate set of optical waveguides or wire mediums. The optical waveguides allow for substantially less signal distortion of the high-speed data, thereby allowing the cable medium to achieve much higher lengths without significantly affecting the high-speed signaling.

Abstract: A data communication system is disclosed including a cable medium and modulator adapted to carry data and power between a high speed data source and a high speed data sink. Relatively high speed data (e.g. the TMDS data of an HDMI interface) may be carried on optical waveguides in the cable medium. Relatively low-speed data (e.g., DDC data and clock, and CEC of an HDMI interface) may be carried on a separate set of optical waveguides or wire mediums. The optical waveguides allow for substantially less signal distortion of the high-speed data, thereby allowing the cable medium to achieve much higher lengths without significantly affecting the high-speed signaling.

Abstract: A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) is disclosed that has a relatively low vertical resistance between the Ohmic contact to the upper distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) and the active layer, and a structure to substantially confine the current flow to the laser cavity so that the VCSEL can produce a more efficient and substantially single-mode output. In particular, the VCSEL includes a substrate, a lower DBR disposed over the substrate, an active layer disposed over the lower DBR, and an upper DBR. The upper DBR includes a groove and an Ohmic contact situated within the groove to lower the vertical resistance between the contact and the active layer. An ion implanted layer is also formed along the side wall of the active layer to substantially confine the current flow to the laser cavity.