Data and power communication cable with galvanic isolation protection

Abstract

A data and power communication cable that provides galvanic isolation between data-signal related circuitry and power-signal related circuitry present at both ends of the cable. The cable includes a first connector configured to mate with a first device to receive data and power signals therefrom; a first galvanic-isolating device configured to generate a galvanic-isolated data signal based on the data signal; a second galvanic-isolating device configured to generate a galvanic-isolated power signal based on the power signal; a second connector configured to mate with a second device to provide the galvanic-isolated data signal and the galvanic-isolated power signal thereto; a first set of communication mediums to route the data signal or the galvanic-isolated data signal from the first connector to the second connector; and a second set of communication mediums to route the power signal or the galvanic-isolated power signal from the first connector to the second connector.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A data and power communication cable, comprising:
 a first connector configured to mate with a corresponding connector of a first device, wherein the first connector is configured to receive a data signal and a power signal from the first device;   a first galvanic-isolating device configured to generate a galvanic-isolated data signal based on the data signal;   a second galvanic-isolating device configured to generate a galvanic-isolated power signal based on the power signal;   a second connector configured to mate with a corresponding connector of a second device, wherein the second connector is configured to provide the galvanic-isolated data signal and the galvanic-isolated power signal to the second device;   a first set of one or more communication mediums configured to route the data signal or the galvanic-isolated data signal from the first connector to the second connector; and   a second set of one or more communication mediums configured to route the power signal or the galvanic-isolated power signal from the first connector to the second connector.   
     
     
         2 . The data and power communication cable of  claim 1 , wherein the first galvanic-isolating device is configured to receive the galvanic-isolated power signal. 
     
     
         3 . The data and power communication cable of  claim 1 , wherein the first galvanic-isolating device comprises:
 an electrical-to-optical converter configured to convert the data signal from electrical domain to optical domain; and   an optical-to-electrical converter configured to convert the data signal from the optical domain to the electrical domain.   
     
     
         4 . The data and power communication cable of  claim 3 , wherein the electrical-to-optical converter comprises:
 a laser diode driver (LDD) configured to generate a drive signal based on the data signal in the electrical domain; and   a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) configured to generate the data signal in the optical domain based on the drive signal.   
     
     
         5 . The data and power communication cable of  claim 3 , wherein the optical-to-electrical converter comprises:
 a photo detector (PD) configured to generate an electrical current data signal based on the data signal in the optical domain; and   a transimpedance amplifier (TIA) configured to generate the galvanic-isolated data signal based on the electrical current data signal.   
     
     
         6 . The data and power communication cable of  claim 3 , wherein the electrical-to-optical converter is situated within the first connector, wherein the optical-to-electrical converter is situated within the second connector, and wherein the first set of one or more communication mediums comprises one or more optical fibers. 
     
     
         7 . The data and power communication cable of  claim 3 , wherein the electrical-to-optical converter and/or the optical-to-electrical converter is situated within one or more housings situated between the first and second connectors. 
     
     
         8 . The data and power communication cable of  claim 1 , wherein the first galvanic-isolating device comprises an optocoupler, an opto-isolator, a DC blocking capacitor, a magnetic flux isolation transformer, or a Hall effect sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The data and power communication cable of  claim 1 , wherein the first galvanic-isolating device is situated within the first connector, wherein the first set of one or more communication mediums comprises one or more wires, and wherein the one or more wires are configured to route the galvanic-isolated data signal from the first connector to the second connector. 
     
     
         10 . The data and power communication cable of  claim 1 , wherein the first galvanic-isolating device is situated within the second connector, wherein the first set of one or more communication mediums comprises one or more wires, and wherein the first galvanic-isolating device is configured to receive the data signal from the first connector via the one or more wires. 
     
     
         11 . The data and power communication cable of  claim 1 , wherein the first galvanic-isolating device is situated within one or more housings situated between the first and second connectors. 
     
     
         12 . The data and power communication cable of  claim 1 , wherein the second galvanic-isolating device comprises a DC-to-DC converter. 
     
     
         13 . The data and power communication cable of  claim 12 , wherein the DC-to-DC converter comprises a transformer-type DC-to-DC converter. 
     
     
         14 . The data and power communication cable of  claim 12 , wherein the DC-to-DC converter comprises a capacitive-type DC-to-DC converter. 
     
     
         15 . The data and power communication cable of  claim 1 , wherein the second galvanic-isolating device is situated within the first connector, wherein the second set of one or more communication mediums comprises one or more wires, and wherein the one or more wires are configured to route the galvanic-isolated power signal from the first connector to the second connector. 
     
     
         16 . The data and power communication cable of  claim 1 , wherein the second galvanic-isolating device is situated within the second connector, wherein the second set of one or more communication mediums comprises one or more wires, and wherein the second galvanic-isolating device is configured to receive the power signal via the one or more wires. 
     
     
         17 . The data and power communication cable of  claim 1 , wherein the second galvanic-isolating device is situated within one or more housings situated between the first and second connectors. 
     
     
         18 . A data and power communication cable, comprising:
 a first connector configured to mate with a corresponding connector of a first device, wherein the first connector is configured to receive a data signal and a first power signal from the first device;   a galvanic-isolating device configured to generate a galvanic-isolated data signal based on the data signal;   a second connector configured to mate with a corresponding connector of a second device, wherein the second connector is configured to provide the galvanic-isolated data signal to the second device and receive a second power signal from the second device; and   a set of one or more communication mediums configured to route the data signal or the galvanic-isolated data signal from the first connector to the second connector.   
     
     
         19 . The data and power communication cable of  claim 18 , wherein the galvanic-isolating device comprises:
 an electrical-to-optical converter configured to convert the data signal from electrical domain to optical domain; and   an optical-to-electrical converter configured to convert the data signal from the optical domain to the electrical domain.   
     
     
         20 . The data and power communication cable of  claim 18 , wherein the galvanic-isolating device comprises an optocoupler, an opto-isolator, a DC blocking capacitor, a magnetic flux isolation transformer, or a Hall effect sensor. 
     
     
         21 . A data and power communication cable, comprising:
 a first connector configured to mate with a corresponding connector of a first device, wherein the first connector is configured to receive a data signal and a power signal from the first device;   a galvanic-isolating device configured to generate a galvanic-isolated power signal based on the power signal;   a second connector configured to mate with a corresponding connector of a second device, wherein the second connector is configured to provide the data signal and the galvanic-isolated power signal to the second device;   a first set of one or more communication mediums configured to route the data signal from the first connector to the second connector; and   a second set of one or more communication mediums configured to route the power signal or the galvanic-isolated power signal from the first connector to the second connector.