Abstract: A fiber channel-interchangeable fiber optic connector includes an adapter, two connectors respectively rotatably mounted in respective axle holes at the front side of the adapter, a sub-assembly detachably attached to the adapter to stop the connectors from rotation and hold down the connectors in position, and a cable inserted through the sub-assembly and mounted in the adapter with two optical-fiber cores therein respectively inserted into ferrules of the connectors. Detaching the sub-assembly from the adapter allows rotation of the connectors and the sub-assembly through 180-degrees angle relative to the adapter to interchange the fiber channels.

Abstract: New designs of optical devices, particularly for adding or dropping a selected wavelength or a group of wavelengths as well as multiplexing a plurality of signals into a multiplexed signal or demultiplexing a multiplexed signal into several signals are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, an isolator core is built into the optical devices to stop a reflected signal from an optical file in the optical devices. As a result, the optical devices are amenable to small footprint, broad operating wavelength range, enhanced impact performance, lower cost, and easier manufacturing process.

Abstract: Techniques for designing optical devices that can be manufactured in volume are disclosed. In an exemplary an optical assembly, to ensure that all collimators are on one side to facilitate efficient packaging, all collimators are positioned on both sides of a substrate. Thus one or more beam folding components are used to fold a light beam up and down through the collimators on top of the substrate and bottom of the substrate.

Abstract: A mounting plate having at least two L-shaped mounting flanges alternatively offset from a centerline defined to bisect the mounting flanges. A mounting system including a plurality of mounting plates with interlocking mounting flanges positioned horizontally on a mounting frame of one standard rack unit (1.75 inches) height. A mounting system including a plurality of mounting footprints with overlapping fastener flanges positioned horizontally on a mounting frame of one standard rack unit width. A method of mounting plates configured and dimensioned to receive a fiber optic coupler or adapter including a mounting a plurality of plates having at least two L-shaped mounting flanges into a mounting frame such that the mounting flanges of adjacent plates are configured to interlock or overlap.

Abstract: Techniques for designing optical devices with high reflection isolation are disclosed. According to one aspect of the devices, an optical filter and a reflecting element are used. Depending on implementation, the reflecting element may be another optical filter, a prism and a mirror. The reflecting element is provided to direct a reflected light beam from the optical filter back to the optical filter for additional filtering, wherein the reflected light is a filtered signal that is presumably carrying residuals of unwanted signals (e.g., a transmitted signal of the optical filter). With a proper placement of the reflecting element with respect to the optical filter, the reflected light beam can be redirected back to the optical filter for a predefined number of times so that the errors or residuals in the reflected light beam are much reduced, if not completely removed.

Abstract: Techniques for designing optical devices that can be manufactured in volume are disclosed. In an exemplary an optical assembly, to ensure that all collimators are on one side to facilitate efficient packaging, all collimators are positioned on both sides of a substrate. Thus one or more beam folding components are used to fold a light beam up and down through the collimators on top of the substrate and bottom of the substrate.

Abstract: Techniques for designing compact free-space optical device with all input/output ports on one side are disclosed. Instead of folding a fiber, a beam folding means is provided to turn a light beam to significantly reduce the size of the device. In one embodiment, there are a first collimator, a second collimator, and a beam folding means to turn a light beam from the first collimator back to the second collimator by two turns so that a first light path from the first collimator to the beam folding means and a second light path from the second collimator to the beam folding means are parallel. A substrate is provided to which the first and second collimators and filters are boned thereto.

Abstract: Attenuators used to regulate optical signals are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, an assembly including an IR source and an IR sensor is provided to sense blockage of optical signals transmitted between two collimators via a fixed common light blocker that is driven by a stepper motor. The movement of the light blocker is sensed by a sensing assembly including an IR source and IR sensor. By detecting the photocurrent from the IR sensor and a feedback circuit, the attenuation of the optical signals can be well controlled.

Abstract: A detachable fiber optic connector includes a bottom cover shell having a rear extension, a rear cover covering the rear extension of the bottom cover shell to hold down a fiber optic, and a top cover shell detachably covered on the bottom cover shell to hold down connection modules that are respectively connected to fiber cores of the fiber optic. By means of pressing a retaining block of the rear cover downwardly away from a rear end edge of the top cover shell, the top cover shell can be pushed backwards and then pulled upwards to move coupling flanges thereof along bottom grooves of the bottom cover shell and then out of side grooves of the bottom cover shell, thereby exposing the connection modules and the fiber cores of the fiber optic to the outside for position interchange.

Abstract: New designs of optical devices, particularly for multiplexing or demultiplexing as well as adding or dropping are disclosed. According to one aspect of the designs, one or more beam redirecting parts (e.g., prisms or mirrors) are used in an optical device to redirect a beam for at least two purposes: to increase a distance between two optical parts that are not positioned along an optical path, by using one or two of such beam redirecting parts, and to minimize an angle of incidence (AOI) to an optical filter or to adjust the AOI to an optimum value. As a result, devices employing the techniques provide small AOL and flexibility in adjustment and are amenable to small footprint, broad operating wavelength range, enhanced impact performance, lower cost, and easier manufacturing process.

Abstract: Attenuators used to regulate optical signals are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, an assembly including an IR source and an IR sensor is provided to sense blockage of optical signals transmitted between two collimators via a fixed common light blocker that is driven by a stepper motor. The movement of the light blocker is sensed by a sensing assembly including an IR source and IR sensor. By detecting the photocurrent from the IR sensor and a feedback circuit, the attenuation of the optical signals can be well controlled.

Abstract: Control of attenuators used to regulate optical signals is disclosed. An assembly including an IR source and an IR sensor is provided to sense blockage of optical signals transmitted between two collimators via a fixed common light blocker that is driven by a motor. The motor is controlled to make sure that that the reset of the light blocker is properly done in an event in which a power supply is intentionally or incidentally cut off. An auxiliary power supply is provided to energize other parts in an attenuator should power supply is intentionally or incidentally cut off.

Abstract: Attenuators used to regulate optical signals are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, an assembly including an IR source and an IR sensor is provided to sense blockage of optical signals transmitted between two collimators via a fixed common light blocker. The movement of the light blocker is sensed by a sensing assembly including an IR source and IR sensor. By detecting the photocurrent from the IR sensor and a feedback circuit, the attenuation of the optical signals can be well controlled.

Abstract: Attenuators used to regulate optical signals are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, an assembly including an IR source and an IR sensor is provided to sense blockage of optical signals transmitted between two collimators via a fixed common light blocker. The movement of the light blocker is sensed by a sensing assembly including an IR source and IR sensor. By detecting the photocurrent from the IR sensor and a feedback circuit, the attenuation of the optical signals can be well controlled.

Abstract: Techniques for designing optical devices with high isolation are disclosed. The high isolation is achieved by causing a reflected light signal to go through another filter. According to one embodiment, an optical apparatus comprises a first optical filter configured to transmit a first selected wavelength and reflect all other wavelengths, a second optical filter the second optical filter configured to transmit a second selected wavelength and reflect all other wavelengths. The first optical filter, being not perfect and producing a reflected signal with a residual of a signal at the first selected wavelength, the residual of the signal is minimized by the second optical filter when the reflected signal is impinged upon the second optical filter.

Abstract: Designs of optical devices for attenuating a light signal are disclosed. According to embodiment, an attenuator includes a screw and a light blocker, wherein the light blocker has only translational movements when the screw is screwed in or out. To facilitate the light signal in and out, a first collimator to receive a light beam, and a second collimator to output the light beam, wherein the light beam is attenuated by the light blocker when the light is transmitted from the first collimator to the second collimator.

Abstract: Techniques for designing optical devices with passive components for erbium and other doped fiber amplifiers are disclosed. In one aspect, all passive components needed to construct optical amplifiers of both single and multiple-stage forward or backward pumps are integrated without extensively using optical fiber splicing joints. One of the features is to use free-space optics for inter-function cascades among various necessary functions, such as one or more tap couplings, WDM filtering to multiplex (Mux) or de-multiplex (Demux) pump and signal lights, gain-flattening, pump isolation and even performing Mux and Demux of different polarizations.

Abstract: Techniques for designing optical devices with high reflection isolation are disclosed. According to one aspect of the devices, a pair of conjugate optical filters is used. To preserve the performance of the filters and minimize insertion loss, a lens has a first side and a second side, the first side being preferably perpendicular to an optical axis of the lens, and the second side being nearly perpendicular to the optical axis of the lens. Thus one of the conjugate optical filters is deposed towards the first side of the lens and the other one of the conjugate optical filters is deposed towards the second side of the lens. When a reflected light from one filter, presumably carrying residuals of a transmitted signal, hits another filter, the residuals are blocked, resulting in great isolation for the R-channel from the T-channel.

Abstract: New designs of optical devices, particularly for adding or dropping a selected wavelength or a group of wavelengths as well as multiplexing a plurality of signals into a multiplexed signal or demultiplexing a multiplexed signal into several signals are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a reflected light beam from an optical filter is caused to go through the same optical filter at least one more time to minimize a residual signal embedded in the reflected light beam, wherein the residential signal is caused by the imperfect spectral characteristics of the optical filter. According to another aspect of the present invention, a reflective element is so positioned that the reflected light beam is bounced back to the optical filter. When the reflective element is another optical filter being substantially similar to that optical filter, the reflected light beam is equivalent to having transmitted.

Abstract: Improved designs of optical devices for processing optical signals with one or more specified wavelengths are disclosed. According to embodiment, a filter mirror assembly appears an “L” shape and provides a filtering function as well as a reflecting function. The filter mirror assembly is so mounted that a rotation thereof will not alter the optical path the beam positions of signals resulted from a rotation of the filter mirror assembly. To cancel or minimize a lateral shift introduced to a light beam going through an optical filter, an optical compensator is introduced and rotates oppositely whenever the optical filter rotates.