Low-power fiber optic transceiver

Abstract

The present disclosure pertains to systems and methods for low-power optical transceivers. In one embodiment, a low-power optical transceiver may include a microcontroller, an optical receiver, and an optical transmitter in communication with and controlled by the microcontroller. The optical receiver may include a photodetector configured to receive a first optical representation of a first signal to be received and to generate an electrical representation of the first signal. An amplifier may amplify the electrical representation of the first signal, and an output in electrical communication with the amplifier may generate an electrical output. The optical transmitter may include a laser diode configured to generate a second optical representation of a second signal to be transmitted. The microcontroller may be configured to control an output power of the laser diode.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A low-power optical transceiver, comprising:
 a microcontroller;   an optical receiver in communication with and controlled by the microcontroller and further comprising:
 a photodetector configured to receive a first optical representation of a first signal to be received and to generate an electrical representation of the first signal; 
 an amplifier configured to amplify the electrical representation of the first signal; 
 an output in electrical communication with the amplifier and configured to generate an electrical output; and 
   an optical transmitter in communication with and controlled by the microcontroller and further comprising:
 a laser modulation transistor comprising a gate driven by a second signal to be transmitted; and 
 a laser diode in electrical communication with the laser modulation transistor, such that the current through the laser diode is controlled by the laser modulation transistor, and configured to generate a second optical representation of the second signal; 
   wherein the transceiver is configured to achieve between 200 megabits per second per watt (Mbps/W) and 100 Mbps/W for a 10Base-FL optical protocol.   
     
     
         2 . The low-power optical transceiver of  claim 1 , wherein the optical transceiver further comprises a voltage regulator configured to enable operation at a range between 1.2 V and 3.3 V. 
     
     
         3 . The low-power optical transceiver of  claim 2 , wherein the transceiver draws a current between 50 mA and 60 mA. 
     
     
         4 . The low-power optical transceiver of  claim 1 , wherein the microcontroller is further configured to monitor a temperature of the laser modulation transistor and to adjust the current through the laser modulation transistor based on the temperature. 
     
     
         5 . The low-power optical transceiver of  claim 1 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to receive characterization data of the laser diode and configured to adjust at least one operating parameter of the laser diode based on the characterization data. 
     
     
         6 . The low-power optical transceiver of  claim 1 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to monitor a current associated with the photodetector of the optical receiver and to selectively generate a squelch function operable to selectively disable the optical receiver when the current is below a threshold. 
     
     
         7 . The low-power optical transceiver of  claim 6 , wherein the receiver further comprises a current monitor associated with the photodetector, and
 wherein the microcontroller is further configured to generate a plurality of samples of the current monitor and to selectively generate the squelch function when the plurality of samples indicate the current is below the threshold.   
     
     
         8 . A low-power optical transceiver, comprising:
 a microcontroller;   an optical receiver in communication with and controlled by the microcontroller and further comprising:
 a photodetector configured to receive a first optical representation of a first signal to be received and to generate an electrical representation of the first signal; 
 an amplifier configured to amplify the electrical representation of the first signal; 
 an output in electrical communication with the amplifier and configured to generate an electrical output; and 
   an optical transmitter in communication with and controlled by the microcontroller and further comprising:
 a laser modulation transistor comprising a gate driven by a second signal to be transmitted; and 
 a laser diode in electrical communication with the laser modulation transistor, such that the current through the laser diode is controlled by the laser modulation transistor, and configured to generate a second optical representation of the second signal; 
   wherein the transceiver is configured to achieve between 2,000 megabits per second per watt (Mbps/W) and 606 Mbps/W for a 100Base-FL optical protocol.   
     
     
         9 . The low-power optical transceiver of  claim 8 , wherein the optical transceiver further comprises a voltage regulator configured to enable operation at a range between 1.2 V and 3.3 V. 
     
     
         10 . The low-power optical transceiver of  claim 9 , wherein the transceiver draws a current between 50 mA and 60 mA. 
     
     
         11 . The low-power optical transceiver of  claim 8 , wherein the microcontroller is further configured to monitor a temperature of the laser modulation transistor and to adjust the current through the laser modulation transistor based on the temperature. 
     
     
         12 . The low-power optical transceiver of  claim 8 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to receive characterization data of the laser diode and configured to adjust at least one operating parameter of the laser diode based on the characterization data. 
     
     
         13 . The low-power optical transceiver of  claim 8 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to monitor a current associated with the photodetector of the optical receiver and to selectively generate a squelch function operable to selectively disable the optical receiver when the current is below a threshold. 
     
     
         14 . The low-power optical transceiver of  claim 13 , wherein the receiver further comprises a current monitor associated with the photodetector, and
 wherein the microcontroller is further configured to generate a plurality of samples of the current monitor and to selectively generate the squelch function when the plurality of samples indicate the current is below the threshold.   
     
     
         15 . A low-power optical transceiver, comprising:
 a microcontroller;   an optical receiver in communication with and controlled by the microcontroller and further comprising:
 a photodetector configured to receive a first optical representation of a first signal to be received and to generate an electrical representation of the first signal; 
 an amplifier configured to amplify the electrical representation of the first signal; 
 an output in electrical communication with the amplifier and configured to generate an electrical output; and 
   an optical transmitter in communication with and controlled by the microcontroller and further comprising:
 a laser modulation transistor comprising a gate driven by a second signal to be transmitted; and 
 a laser diode in electrical communication with the laser modulation transistor, such that the current through the laser diode is controlled by the laser modulation transistor, and configured to generate a second optical representation of the second signal; 
   wherein the transceiver is configured to achieve between 20,000 megabits per second per watt (Mbps/W) and 5,050 Mbps/W for a 1000Base-FL optical protocol.   
     
     
         16 . The low-power optical transceiver of  claim 15 , wherein the optical transceiver further comprises a voltage regulator configured to enable operation at a range between 1.2 V and 3.3 V. 
     
     
         17 . The low-power optical transceiver of  claim 16 , wherein the transceiver draws a current between 50 mA and 60 mA. 
     
     
         18 . The low-power optical transceiver of  claim 15 , wherein the microcontroller is further configured to monitor a temperature of the laser modulation transistor and to adjust the current through the laser modulation transistor based on the temperature. 
     
     
         19 . The low-power optical transceiver of  claim 15 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to receive characterization data of the laser diode and configured to adjust at least one operating parameter of the laser diode based on the characterization data. 
     
     
         20 . The low-power optical transceiver of  claim 15 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to monitor a current associated with the photodetector of the optical receiver and to selectively generate a squelch function operable to selectively disable the optical receiver when the current is below a threshold. 
     
     
         21 . The low-power optical transceiver of  claim 20 , wherein the receiver further comprises a current monitor associated with the photodetector, and
 wherein the microcontroller is further configured to generate a plurality of samples of the current monitor and to selectively generate the squelch function when the plurality of samples indicate the current is below the threshold.