Free space fiber-optic connector

Abstract

This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus of establishing a free-space communication link through a medium. The medium can be an occluded environment with increased absorption and/or scattering effects. The free-space communication link includes a transmitter configured to transmit an optical signal at a wavelength suitable for transmission through the medium without suffering excessive optical losses due to absorption and/or scattering effects. The free-space communication link includes a receiver configured to receive the transmitted optical signal. The transmitter-receiver pair is configured to efficiently transmit optical signals at the suitable wavelength over a distance between about 1 mm and about 50 m. The transmitter and the receiver can be configured as portions of a fiber-optic connector assembly that can be used to connect two fiber-optic cables in an occluded environment.

1 - 42 . (canceled) 
     
     
         43 . An optical system comprising:
 a first transceiver unit comprising:
 a first plurality of optical transmitting systems configured to transmit optical signals at a first plurality of transmitting wavelengths, at least some of the first plurality of transmitting wavelengths being different from each other, wherein each of the first plurality of optical transmitting systems is configured to transmit an optical signal at a wavelength from the first plurality of transmitting wavelengths; and 
 a first plurality of optical receiving systems configured to receive optical signals at a first plurality of receiving wavelengths, at least some of the first plurality of receiving wavelengths being different from each other, wherein each of the first plurality of optical receiving systems is configured to receive an optical signal at a wavelength from the first plurality of receiving wavelengths; and 
   a second transceiver unit comprising:
 a second plurality of optical transmitting systems configured to transmit optical signals, each of the second plurality of optical transmitting systems configured to transmit an optical signal at one of the first plurality of receiving wavelengths; and 
 a second plurality of optical receiving systems configured to receive optical signals, each of the second plurality of optical receiving systems configured to receive an optical signal at one of the first plurality of transmitting wavelengths, 
   wherein the first and the second transceiver units are spaced apart from each other by a distance in a partially transmissive medium.   
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the medium includes water, smoke, fog, ice, gas, oil, smoke or dust. 
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the medium has a turbidity between about 5 NTU and about 5000 NTU. 
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the distance between the first transceiver unit and the second transceiver unit is between about 1 mm and 1 m. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the each of the second plurality of receiving systems of the second transceiver unit is configured to receive an optical signal transmitted by one of the first plurality of transmitting systems of the first transceiver unit. 
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the each of the first plurality of receiving systems of the first transceiver unit is configured to receive an optical signal transmitted by one of the second plurality of transmitting systems of the second transceiver unit. 
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the first or the second plurality of transmitting and receiving systems are disposed around a longitudinal axis of the corresponding transceiver unit. 
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein some of the first or the second plurality of transmitting systems comprise a signal conditioner configured to regenerate the optical signal. 
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein some of the first or the second plurality of receiving systems comprise a signal conditioner configured to regenerate the optical signal. 
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein some of the first or the plurality of transmitting systems comprise a polarizer. 
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein some of the first or the second plurality of receiving systems comprise a filter. 
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the first transceiver unit is configured as a first connecting portion of a fiber-optic connector assembly and the second transceiver unit is configured as a second connecting portion of the fiber-optic connector assembly. 
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 54 , wherein the fiber-optic connector assembly is configured to be disposed underwater. 
     
     
         56 . The system of  claim 54 , wherein the first and second connecting portions each comprise a metal or a plastic casing. 
     
     
         57 . The system of  claim 56 , wherein the casing includes a magnet. 
     
     
         58 . The system of  claim 56 , wherein the casing is configured to substantially shield the optical receiving systems from light emanating from sources other than the optical transmitting systems. 
     
     
         59 . The system of  claim 54 , wherein the first and the second connecting portions are configured such that when physically connected the medium included between the first and the second transceiver units can be exchanged with the surrounding environment. 
     
     
         60 . The system of  claim 54 , wherein the first connecting portion comprises a first fiber optic transceiver configured to transmit and receive optical signals propagating through a first optical fiber. 
     
     
         61 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein the first optical fiber is selected from a group consisting of a single mode fiber, a multimode fiber, a polarization maintaining fiber and a dispersion shifted fiber. 
     
     
         62 . The system of  claim 54 , wherein the second connecting portion comprises a second fiber optic transceiver configured to transmit and receive optical signals propagating through a second optical fiber. 
     
     
         63 . The system of  claim 62 , wherein the first optical fiber is one of a single mode fiber, a multimode fiber, a polarization maintaining fiber and a dispersion shifted fiber. 
     
     
         64 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein each of the first and the second transceiver units include an optical window that is transmissive to the plurality of transmitting and receiving wavelengths. 
     
     
         65 . The system of  claim 64 , wherein the window is coated by an anti-biologic material. 
     
     
         66 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein each of the first plurality of wavelengths is between about 360 nm and about 3 microns. 
     
     
         67 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein each of the second plurality of wavelengths is between about 360 nm and about 3 microns.