Multi-channel optical transceiver

Abstract

An optical transceiver such as used, for example, in a wireless optical network (WON), includes multiple laser sources including a first laser source configured to transmit a first output channel beam having a first optical characteristic and at least a second laser source configured to transmit a second output channel beam having a second optical characteristic; multiple detectors including a first detector configured to detect a first input channel beam having the first optical characteristic and at least a second detector configured to detect a second input channel beam having the second optical characteristic; and multiple apertures including a first aperture through which the first output channel beam and the second input channel beam pass and a second aperture through which the second output channel beam and the first input channel beam pass.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An optical transceiver comprising: 
 a plurality of laser sources including a first laser source configured to transmit a first output channel beam having a first polarization and at least a second laser source configured to transmit a second output channel beam having a second polarization different from the first polarization;    a plurality of detectors including a first detector configured to detect a first input channel beam having the first polarization and at least a second detector configured to detect a second input channel beam of the second polarization; and    a plurality of apertures including a first aperture through which the first output channel beam and the second input channel beam pass and a second aperture through which the second output channel beam and the first input channel beam pass.    
     
     
         2 . The transceiver of  claim 1  wherein the first polarization comprises transverse electric polarization and the second polarization comprises transverse magnetic polarization.  
     
     
         3 . The transceiver of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the laser sources comprises a laser diode that emits an output field that is one of substantially transverse electric and substantially transverse magnetic.  
     
     
         4 . The transceiver of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the detectors comprises an avalanche photodiode and a polarizer.  
     
     
         5 . The transceiver of  claim 4  wherein the polarizer comprises one of a transverse electric polarizer and a transverse magnetic polarizer.  
     
     
         6 . The transceiver of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of beamsplitters including a first beamsplitter associated with the first aperture and a second beamsplitter associated with the second beamsplitter.  
     
     
         7 . The transceiver of  claim 6  wherein at least one of the beamsplitters comprises a polarizing beamsplitter.  
     
     
         8 . An optical transceiver comprising: 
 a laser source configured to transmit an output channel beam having a first polarization;    a photodetector configured to detect an input channel beam having a second polarization different from the first polarization;    an aperture through which the output channel beam and the input channel beam pass; and    a beamsplitter, arranged in an optical path of the aperture and the laser source, and configured to pass the output channel beam from the laser source to the aperture and to reflect the input channel beam from the aperture to the photodetector.    
     
     
         9 . A wireless optical communication method comprising: 
 using a first aperture to transmit a first output channel beam having a first polarization and to receive a first input channel beam of a second polarization different from the first polarization; and    using a second aperture to transmit a second output channel beam having the second polarization and to receive a second input channel beam of the first polarization.    
     
     
         10 . An optical transceiver comprising: 
 a plurality of laser sources including a first laser source configured to transmit a first output channel beam having a first polarization and at least a second laser source configured to transmit a second output channel beam having a second polarization;    a plurality of detectors including a first detector configured to detect a first input channel beam having the first polarization and at least a second detector configured to detect a second input channel beam of the second polarization; and    a plurality of apertures including a first aperture through which the first and second output channel beams pass and a second aperture through which the first and second input channel beams pass.