Abstract: In a connector system, a first connector is mechanically and optically mateable with a second connector to form one or more optical signal communication links. A wiping cleaner is included on at least one of the first and second connectors for cleaning an optical port of the other of the first and second connectors when the connectors are plugged together. The first and second connectors can further be electrically mateable to provide both optical and electrical signal communication links.

Abstract: A three-terminal VCSEL is provided that has a reduced fall time that allows the VCSEL to be operated at higher speeds. Methods of operating the three-terminal VCSEL are also provided. The VCSEL can be operated at higher speeds without decreasing the optical output of the VCSEL when it is in the logical HIGH state.

Abstract: A three-terminal VCSEL is provided that has a reduced fall time that allows the VCSEL to be operated at higher speeds. Methods of operating the three-terminal VCSEL are also provided. The VCSEL can be operated at higher speeds without decreasing the optical output of the VCSEL when it is in the logical HIGH state.

Abstract: A hybrid RJ-45 plug is provided that has both an electrical coupling configuration and an optical coupling configuration. The electrical coupling configuration is an 8P8C electrical wiring configuration that complies with the RJ-45 electrical wiring standard. The optical coupling configuration includes an optics system that provides the plug with optical communications capabilities. The hybrid RJ-45 plug is backwards compatible with an existing RJ-45 jack that implements an RJ-45 electrical wiring standard. However, the hybrid RJ-45 plug is also configured to mate with an optical jack that has only optical communications capabilities and to mate with a hybrid RJ-45 jack that has both optical and electrical communications capabilities.

Abstract: An opto-electronic module connector system is mountable on a system substrate, such as a printed circuit board, in a variety of configurations or orientations and includes an electromagnetic interference (EMI)-shielding enclosure, a connector assembly, and a socket. The connector assembly includes a connector body, a connector printed circuit board, a substantially planar contact holder, electrical contact fingers mounted on the contact holder, and an opto-electronic module. When the EMI-shielding enclosure and socket are mounted on the system substrate, a user can readily insert the connector assembly into the EMI-shielding enclosure and plug it into the socket. A user can likewise readily remove the connector assembly from the EMI-shielding enclosure and socket for maintenance, cleaning, repair or other purposes.

Abstract: A USB connector is provided that has an OE module and high-speed electrical connections integrated therein. The OE module includes an optical module, at least one laser diode, at least one photodiode, an optical transceiver IC, and a PCB. The optical module, the laser diode, the photodiode, and the IC are mounted on a surface of the PCB. The OE module is secured within the USB connector. The PCB includes conductive traces and electrical contact pads. The conductive traces electrically connect the IC with the contact pads. The contact pads are electrically connected via through holes formed in the PCB to the high-speed electrical connections, which, in turn, are electrically connected to conductive traces of a motherboard or a computer.

Abstract: A thin hybrid plug, a thin hybrid receptacle that mates with the thin hybrid plug, and a thin hybrid connector assembly comprising the thin hybrid receptacle mated with the thin hybrid plug are provided. A method for configuring a thin hybrid plug so that an optical surface of the plug is disposed for easy cleaning is also provided. An optics system of the hybrid plug has an optical surface that is substantially flush with an end face of a molded plug body of the hybrid plug to allow the optical surface to be easily wiped clean. In addition, the electrical contacts system and the optics system of the hybrid plug are arranged to enable the optical surface of the optics system to be easily wiped with a cleaning device, such as a cotton-tipped swab, for example. An optics system of the hybrid receptacle has an optical surface that is also disposed to be easily wiped with a cleaning device, such as a cotton-tipped swab, for example.

Abstract: An electrical-to-optical and optical-to-electrical converter plug device includes a plug-shaped housing assembly, electrical contact fingers, a substantially planar circuit substrate, an optics block, and one or more opto-electronic conversion devices mounted on the circuit substrate. The opto-electronic signal conversion device has a device optical axis oriented normal to the circuit substrate and electrically coupled to the contact fingers. The optics block has a device optical port aligned with the device optical axis. The optics block has a fiber optical port oriented perpendicularly to the device optical axis. The optics block includes an optical reflector interposed in an optical path between the device optical port and the fiber optical port for redirecting an optical signal at an angle of substantially 90 degrees between a device optical port and a corresponding fiber optical port. An optical fiber can be coupled to the fiber optical port.

Abstract: A connector assembly is provided that has optical communications capabilities and high data rate electrical communications capabilities and that is backwards compatible with one or more USB standards. A socket of the connector assembly has high data rate electrical connections and USB electrical connections such that it is capable of supporting high data rate signaling protocols for high data rate devices as well as USB signaling protocols. A plug of the connector assembly has high data rate electrical connections, USB electrical connections, and an optical-to-electrical (OE)/electrical-to-optical (EO) conversion module. The socket can be mated with the plug of the invention and with USB plugs that are compliant with existing USB plugs. Thus, both the socket and the plug have backwards compatibility with one or more existing USB standards.

Abstract: A consumer input/output (CIO) optical transceiver module, an active optical cable that incorporates a CIO optical transceiver module, and a method for using a CIO optical transceiver module in an active optical cable are provided. In contrast to optical transceiver modules currently used in active optical cables, which utilize parallel arrays of laser diodes and parallel arrays of photodiodes, the CIO optical transceiver module includes two singlet laser diodes and two singlet photodiodes for providing two high-speed transmit channels and two high-speed receive channels, respectively. Because the singlet laser diodes and photodiodes of the CIO optical transceiver module are less costly than the parallel arrays of laser diodes and parallel arrays of photodiodes that are used in known active optical cables, the CIO optical transceiver module can be manufactured at relatively low costs with high quality, and therefore is well suited for consumer applications.

Abstract: A known flip-chip assembly manufacturing process is augmented by process steps of the invention to create a VCSEL flip-chip assembly comprising a plurality of semiconductor devices having respective arrays of a small number of VCSELs thereon, which are mounted on a substrate to form a large array of VCSELs that are precisely optically aligned with their respective optical coupling elements.

Abstract: A hybrid RJ-45 plug is provided that has both an electrical coupling configuration and an optical coupling configuration. The electrical coupling configuration is an 8P8C electrical wiring configuration that complies with the RJ-45 electrical wiring standard. The optical coupling configuration includes an optics system that provides the plug with optical communications capabilities. The hybrid RJ-45 plug is backwards compatible with an existing RJ-45 jack that implements an RJ-45 electrical wiring standard. However, the hybrid RJ-45 plug is also configured to mate with an optical jack that has only optical communications capabilities and to mate with a hybrid RJ-45 jack that has both optical and electrical communications capabilities.

Abstract: An opto-electronic module connector system is mountable on a system substrate, such as a printed circuit board, in a variety of configurations or orientations and includes an electromagnetic interference (EMI)-shielding enclosure, a connector assembly, and a socket. The connector assembly includes a connector body, a connector printed circuit board, a substantially planar contact holder, electrical contact fingers mounted on the contact holder, and an opto-electronic module. When the EMI-shielding enclosure and socket are mounted on the system substrate, a user can readily insert the connector assembly into the EMI-shielding enclosure and plug it into the socket. A user can likewise readily remove the connector assembly from the EMI-shielding enclosure and socket for maintenance, cleaning, repair or other purposes.

Abstract: In a connector system, a first connector is mechanically and optically mateable with a second connector to form one or more optical signal communication links A wiping cleaner is included on at least one of the first and second connectors for cleaning an optical port of the other of the first and second connectors when the connectors are plugged together.

Abstract: A consumer input/output (CIO) optical transceiver module, an active optical cable that incorporates a CIO optical transceiver module, and a method for using a CIO optical transceiver module in an active optical cable are provided. In contrast to optical transceiver modules currently used in active optical cables, which utilize parallel arrays of laser diodes and parallel arrays of photodiodes, the CIO optical transceiver module includes two singlet laser diodes and two singlet photodiodes for providing two high-speed transmit channels and two high-speed receive channels, respectively. Because the singlet laser diodes and photodiodes of the CIO optical transceiver module are less costly than the parallel arrays of laser diodes and parallel arrays of photodiodes that are used in known active optical cables, the CIO optical transceiver module can be manufactured at relatively low costs with high quality, and therefore is well suited for consumer applications.

Abstract: An opto-electronic communication module includes a module body and a circuit board having an edge with conductive castellations extending between opposing surfaces of the circuit board. At least one opto-electronic communication device, such as an opto-electronic light source or an opto-electronic light receiver, is mounted on a surface of the circuit board in an orientation in which its optical signal communication axis is normal to the surface of the circuit board and aligned with an optical signal communication port of the module body.

Abstract: An adapter is provided that has both an electrical coupling configuration that complies with the RJ-45 wiring standard for electrical communications and an optical coupling configuration for optical communications. The adapter is configured as an interface for at least two modular connector assemblies to enable the modular connector assemblies to communicate with each other either optically or electrically, depending on whether the plugs of the assemblies are configured to have optical or electrical communications capabilities.

Abstract: An opto-electronic module system includes an opto-electronic module having an optics engine module mounted on an opto-electronic module substrate. The optics engine module includes an opto-electronic light source and an opto-electronic light receiver mounted on an optics engine module substrate. The opto-electronic module substrate has an aperture that is aligned with the opto-electronic light source and the opto-electronic light receiver.

Abstract: A modular connector assembly is provided that has both an electrical coupling configuration that complies with the RJ-45 wiring standard and an optical coupling configuration that provides the assembly with optical communications capabilities. In addition, the modular connector assembly is configured to have backwards compatibility with existing 8P8C jacks and plugs that implement the RJ-45 wiring standard. Consequently, the modular connector assembly may be used to communicate optical data signals at higher data rates (e.g., 10 Gb/s and higher) or to communicate electrical data signals at lower data rates (e.g., 1 Gb/s).

Abstract: An ultrasonic system including an ultrasonic transmitter and an ultrasonic receiver is provided. The ultrasonic transmitter emits a transmission signal, which includes a synchronous burst and multiple data bursts. The ultrasonic receiver receives a synchronous echo, and determines whether the amplitude of the synchronous echo is larger than a first threshold. If the amplitude of the synchronous echo is larger than the first threshold, then the ultrasonic receiver interprets the multiple data echoes corresponding to the data bursts to obtain a digital signal.