Active optical cable

Abstract

Integrated cables are disclosed that can include a first optical fiber for optical communication over the length of the integrated cables from a first connector at a first end to a second connector at a second end. The integrated cable can further include a second electrical connector configured to connect with a second electrical port external to the integrated cable. The integrated cable can further include an electrical conductor extending from the first electrical connector to the second electrical connector and configured to supply operating power to an electronic device connected to the second electrical connector but external to the integrated cable.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An integrated cable comprising:
 a first optical fiber within the integrated cable, the first optical fiber having a first end and a second end;   a first electrical connector integrated with the integrated cable, the first electrical connector configured to connect with a first electrical port external to the integrated cable such that when connected to the first electrical port the first electrical connector is configured to receive a first electrical signal and provide the first electrical signal to a first electro-optical transducer;   the first electro-optical transducer disposed within the integrated cable and coupled to the first end of the first optical fiber such that when the first electro-optical transducer receives the first electrical signal and converts the first electrical signal into a first optical signal the first optical signal is coupled to the first end of the first optical fiber;   a second electrical connector integrated with the integrated cable, the second electrical connector configured to connect with a second electrical port external to the integrated cable;   a first opto-electrical transducer disposed within the integrated cable and coupled to a second end of the first optical fiber such that when the first opto-electrical transducer receives the first optical signal from the second end of the first optical fiber the first opto-electrical transducer converts the first optical signal to a second electrical signal and provides the second electrical signal to the second electrical connector such that when connected to the second electrical port the second electrical connector is configured to provide the second electrical signal to the second electrical port; and   an electrical conductor extending from the first electrical connector to the second electrical connector and configured to supply operating power to an electronic device connected to the second electrical connector but external to the integrated cable.   
     
     
         2 . An integrated cable according to  claim 1 , wherein the electronic device includes a retiming circuit external to the integrated cable. 
     
     
         3 . A system including the integrated cable of  claim 1  and the electronic device connected to the integrated cable, wherein the electronic device receives operational power form the integrated cable via the electrical conductor extending from the first electrical connector to the second electrical connector. 
     
     
         4 . An integrated cable according to  claim 1 , wherein the electrical conductor is simultaneously used for transmitting electrical power to the electronic device and for transmission of low speed serial data. 
     
     
         5 . An integrated cable according to  claim 4 , wherein the low speed serial data includes serial identifier codes or customer security codes. 
     
     
         6 . An integrated cable according to  claim 4 , wherein the low speed serial data includes customer security codes to allow only host qualified implementations of the cable. 
     
     
         7 . An integrated cable according to  claim 4 , wherein the low speed serial data includes customer security codes to detect counterfeit parts. 
     
     
         8 . An integrated cable according to  claim 4 , wherein the low speed serial data is also used for factory setup of the electronic device. 
     
     
         9 . An integrated cable according to  claim 8 , wherein the serial data is used to load non-volatile data to an internal EEPROM or FLASH memory. 
     
     
         10 . An integrated cable according to  claim 1 , wherein the integrated cable is configured to operate at a 10 G data rate. 
     
     
         11 . An integrated cable according to  claim 1 , wherein the external electronic device requires a voltage of about 3 volts over the electrical conductor. 
     
     
         12 . An integrated cable according to  claim 11 , wherein the external electronic device requires a voltage of between 3.145 to 3.465 volts. 
     
     
         13 . An integrated cable according to  claim 1 , further comprising a clock and data recovery circuit in the first or second connector. 
     
     
         14 . An integrated cable according to  claim 13 , wherein the clock and data recovery circuit eliminates jitter beyond a given frequency effectively resetting a jitter budget. 
     
     
         15 . An integrated cable according to  claim 1 , further comprising a mechanism for providing host selectable pre-emphasis of an output high speed electrical signal to reduce total link jitter. 
     
     
         16 . An integrated cable according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second optical fiber within the integrated cable, the second optical fiber having a first end and a second end;   a second electro-optical transducer within the second connector and coupled to the second end of the second optical fiber such that when the second electro-optical transducer receives a third electrical signal and converts the third electrical signal into a second optical signal the second optical signal is coupled to the second end of the second optical fiber;   a second opto-electrical transducer disposed within the integrated cable and coupled to the first end of the second optical fiber such that when the second opto-electrical transducer receives the second optical signal from the first end of the second optical fiber the second opto-electrical transducer converts the second optical signal to a fourth electrical signal and provides the fourth electrical signal to the first electrical connector such that when connected to the first electrical port the first electrical connector is configured to provide the fourth electrical signal to the first electrical port; and   a mechanism for confirming whether or not a full duplex connection is present.   
     
     
         17 . An integrated cable according to  claim 16 , a full duplex connection is confirmed by transmitting and receiving a relatively lower optical power level within Class 1 eye safety limits over either or both of the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber. 
     
     
         18 . An integrated cable according to  claim 17 , further comprising a mechanism to reduce or shut-off optical power if a full duplex connection is not confirmed. 
     
     
         19 . An integrated cable according to  claim 1 , wherein the electronic device includes another integrated cable to which operational electricity is provided via the electrical conductor.