Method and apparatus for pluggable fiber optic modules

Abstract

Pluggable fiber optic modules having a receive printed circuit board and a transmit printed circuit board perpendicular with an interface printed circuit board with an edge connection. The edge connection of the interface printed circuit board to plug into and out from an edge connector of a host printed circuit board. A transmitter optoelectronic device is coupled to the transmit printed circuit board. A receiver optoelectronic device is coupled to the receive printed circuit board. The pluggable fiber optic modules may further include a support base, a nose receptacle, and an alignment plate.

1. A fiber optic module for coupling photons between optoelectronic devices and optical fibers, the fiber optic module comprising:
 a horizontal printed circuit board (PCB) arranged horizontally, the horizontal printed circuit board having an edge connection to plug into and out of an edge connector of a host system;  
 a first vertical printed circuit board (PCB) arranged at a perpendicular angle with the horizontal printed circuit board, the first optoelectronic device having terminals coupled to the first vertical printed circuit board, the first vertical printed circuit board electrically coupled to the horizontal printed circuit board along a right side thereof;  
 a second vertical printed circuit board (PCB) arranged at a perpendicular angle with the horizontal printed circuit board, the second optoelectronic device having terminals coupled to the second vertical printed circuit board, the second vertical printed circuit board electrically coupled to the horizontal printed circuit board along a left side thereof parallel to the first vertical printed circuit board; and  
 a support base to support the horizontal printed circuit board, the first vertical printed circuit board, and the second vertical printed circuit board;  
 wherein the support base includes right and left slots to support the sides of the first and second vertical printed circuit boards, respectively; and  
 wherein the horizontal printed circuit board includes first and second cutouts enabling edges of the first and second vertical printed circuit boards to be received in the right and left slots, respectively.  
 
     
     
       2. The fiber optic module of  claim 1  further comprising: a housing coupled around the horizontal printed circuit board, the first vertical printed circuit board, and the second vertical printed circuit board. 
     
     
       3. The fiber optic module of  claim 2  wherein, the housing is a shielded housing to shield the horizontal printed circuit board, the first vertical printed circuit board, and the second vertical printed circuit board to reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI). 
     
     
       4. The fiber optic module of  claim 1  wherein the edge connection of the horizontal printed circuit board has a plurality of pads to couple to the edge connector of the host system; and
 wherein the first vertical printed circuit board has one or more solder pads to couple to one or more first solder pads of the horizontal printed circuit board, and the second vertical printed circuit board has one or more solder pads to couple to one or more second solder pads of the horizontal printed circuit board.  
 
     
     
       5. The fiber optic module of  claim 1 , wherein the first vertical printed circuit board further includes one or more first electrical components coupled to the first optoelectronic device to control the first optoelectronic device, and
 wherein the second vertical printed circuit board further includes one or more second electrical components coupled to the second optoelectronic device to control the second optoelectronic device, and a backside ground plane between the first and second electrical components to minimize crosstalk therebetween.  
 
     
     
       6. The fiber optic module of  claim 1  wherein, the horizontal printed circuit board further includes a ground plane to reduce electromagnetic fields generated by electrical components. 
     
     
       7. The fiber optic module of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second vertical printed circuit boards each further include a ground plane facing each other to reduce electromagnetic fields generated by electrical components. 
     
     
       8. The fiber optic module of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first optical block coupled to the first optoelectronic device, the first optical block having a first opening to receive the first optoelectronic device, and a first lens to couple photons between the first optoelectronic device and an optical fiber; and  
 a second optical block coupled to the second optoelectronic device, the second optical block having a second opening to receive the second optoelectronic device, and a second lens to couple photons between the second optoelectronic device and an optical fiber.  
 
     
     
       9. The optic fiber module of  claim 8  further comprising: a nose receptacle to receive an optical fiber connector and to hold an optical fiber substantially fixed and aligned with an optical opening of the optical block. 
     
     
       10. The fiber optic module of  claim 9  wherein, the nose receptacle is formed of metal or metalized plastic to reduce electromagnetic interference. 
     
     
       11. The fiber optic module of  claim 1  further comprising: an optical block coupled to the first and second optoelectronic devices, the optical block having first and second openings to receive the first and second optoelectronic devices perpendicular to the first and second printed circuit boards, respectively, a first lens and a first reflector to couple photons between the first optoelectronic device and a first optical fiber, and a second lens and a second reflector to couple photons between the second optoelectronic device and a second optical fiber. 
     
     
       12. The fiber optic module of  claim 11 , wherein the first lens of the optical block to launch photons from the first optoelectronic device along a first optical axis;
 wherein the second lens of the optical block is a focusing lens to couple photons to the second optoelectronic device along a second optical axis;  
 wherein the first and second optical axes are offset from each other to minimize optical crosstalk therebetween.  
 
     
     
       13. The fiber optic module of  claim 11  further comprising: a nose receptacle to receive an optical fiber connector and to hold an optical fiber substantially fixed and aligned with an optical opening of the optical block. 
     
     
       14. The fiber optic module of  claim 13  wherein, the nose receptacle is formed of metal or metalized plastic to reduce electromagnetic interference. 
     
     
       15. The fiber optic module of  claim 13  further comprising: an alignment plate coupled between the optical block and the nose receptacle, the alignment plate to align one or more optical fibers with the optical opening of the optical block. 
     
     
       16. The fiber optic module of  claim 1 , wherein the support base includes one or more pillars to engage one or more respective openings in the horizontal printed circuit board to deter movement thereof when the fiber optic module is plugged into or unplugged from the edge connector of the host system. 
     
     
       17. The fiber optic module of  claim 1 , further comprising: a cover/housing coupled to the support base and the nose receptacle around the horizontal printed circuit board, the first vertical printed circuit board, and the second vertical printed circuit board. 
     
     
       18. The fiber optic module of  claim 17  wherein, the cover/housing is a shielded cover/housing to shield the horizontal printed circuit board, the first vertical printed circuit board, and the second vertical printed circuit board to reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI). 
     
     
       19. The fiber optic module of  claim 17  further comprising: an internal shield located under the cover/housing, over the horizontal printed circuit board, and between the first vertical printed circuit board and the second vertical printed circuit board, the internal shield to shield and reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI). 
     
     
       20. The fiber optic module of  claim 1 , wherein, the first optoelectronic device is a photodetector. 
     
     
       21. The fiber optic module of  claim 1 , wherein, the second optoelectronic device is an emitter. 
     
     
       22. The fiber optic module of  claim 1 , wherein the horizontal printed circuit board has a plurality of pins to couple to a host system; and wherein the first and second vertical printed circuit boards have solder pads to couple to the horizontal printed circuit board. 
     
     
       23. A fiber optic transceiver comprising:
 an interface printed circuit board (PCB) having an edge connection to couple to and to decouple from an edge connector of a host system;  
 a receive printed circuit board (PCB) perpendicularly coupled to the interface printed circuit board along a right side thereof, the receive printed circuit board having a receiving optoelectronic device coupled perpendicularly thereto;  
 a transmit printed circuit board (PCB) perpendicularly coupled to the interface printed circuit board along a left side thereof parallel to the receive printed circuit board, the transmit printed circuit board having a transmitting optoelectronic device coupled perpendicularly thereto; and  
 a support base to support the interface printed circuit board, the receive printed circuit board, and the transmit printed circuit board;  
 wherein the support base includes right and left slots to support the sides of the transmit and receive printed circuit boards, respectively; and  
 wherein the interface printed circuit board includes first and second cutouts enabling edges of the transmit and receive printed circuit boards to be received in the right and left slots, respectively.  
 
     
     
       24. The fiber optic transceiver of  claim 23  further comprising:
 an optical block coupled to the transmitting optoelectronic device and the receiving optoelectronic device, the optical block having  
 a first opening to receive the transmitting optoelectronic device perpendicular to the transmit printed circuit board,  
 a first lens to couple photons from the transmitting optoelectronic device into a first optical fiber,  
 a first reflector for reflecting photons at substantially a 90° angle into the first optical fiber;  
 a second opening to receive the receiving optoelectronic device perpendicular to the receive printed circuit board,  
 a second lens to couple photons from a second optical fiber into the receiving optoelectronic device, and  
 a second reflector for reflecting photons at substantially a 90° angle into the second optical fiber.  
 
     
     
       25. The fiber optic transceiver of  claim 24  further comprising: a nose receptacle to receive an optical fiber connector and to hold an optical fiber substantially fixed and aligned with an optical opening of the optical block. 
     
     
       26. The fiber optic transceiver of  claim 25  further comprising: an alignment plate coupled between the optical block and the nose receptacle, the alignment plate to align first and second optical fibers with the optical opening of the optical block. 
     
     
       27. The fiber optic transceiver of  claim 26  further comprising: a cover/housing coupled to the support base and the nose receptacle around the interface printed circuit board, the receive printed circuit board, and the transmit printed circuit board. 
     
     
       28. The fiber optic transceiver of  claim 27  wherein, the cover/housing is a shielded cover/housing to shield the interface printed circuit board, the receive printed circuit board, and the transmit printed circuit board to reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI). 
     
     
       29. The fiber optic transceiver of  claim 28  wherein, the alignment plate is formed of metal or metalized plastic to reduce electromagnetic interference and the cover/housing has a tab to electrically couple to the alignment plate. 
     
     
       30. The fiber optic transceiver of  claim 29  wherein the support base includes one or more pillars to engage one or more respective openings in the interface printed circuit board to deter movement thereof when the fiber optic transceiver is plugged into or unplugged from the edge connector of the host system. 
     
     
       31. The fiber optic transceiver of  claim 23 , wherein the transmit printed circuit board further includes one or more first electrical components coupled to the transmitting optoelectronic device to control the transmitting optoelectronic device,
 wherein the receive vertical printed circuit board further includes one or more second electrical components coupled to the receiving optoelectronic device to control the receiving optoelectronic device, and  
 wherein at least one of the receive and transmit printed circuit boards further includes a backside ground plane between the first and second electrical components to minimize crosstalk therebetween.  
 
     
     
       32. A fiber optic module comprising:
 a base having one or more pillars;  
 a first printed circuit board (PCB) having an edge connection, at least one left solder pad, at least one right solder pad, and one or more openings, the one or more openings to slide over the one or more pillars and align the first printed circuit board to the base;  
 a second printed circuit board (PCB) having at least one solder pad to couple perpendicularly to the at least one left solder pad along a left side of the first printed circuit board, the second printed circuit board having a first optoelectronic device coupled thereto;  
 a third printed circuit board (PCB) having at least one solder pad to couple perpendicularly to the at least one right solder pad along a right side of the first printed circuit board parallel to the second printed circuit board, the third printed circuit board having a second optoelectronic device coupled thereto;  
 an optical block having openings to receive the first optoelectronic device and the second optoelectronic device;  
 a nose receptacle having a plug opening to receive an optical fiber plug; and  
 a cover coupled to the base and the nose receptacle to cover and protect the optical block and the first, second, and third printed circuit boards;  
 wherein the base includes right and left slots to support the sides of the second and third printed circuit boards, respectively; and  
 wherein the first printed circuit board includes first and second cutouts enabling edges of the second and third printed circuit boards to be received in the right and left slots, respectively.  
 
     
     
       33. The fiber optic module of  claim 32  wherein the base couples to the nose receptacle and includes a support tab to support an end of the first printed circuit board and a support edge to support an opposite end of the first printed circuit board. 
     
     
       34. The fiber optic module of  claim 32  further comprising: an alignment plate coupled between the optical block and the nose receptacle, the alignment plate to align first and second optical fibers with an optical opening of the optical block. 
     
     
       35. The fiber optic module of  claim 34  wherein, the cover to shield the first, second, and third printed circuit boards to reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI). 
     
     
       36. The fiber optic module of  claim 35  wherein, the cover is formed of metalized plastic. 
     
     
       37. The fiber optic module of  claim 35  wherein, the cover further includes one or more fingers to couple to a cage of the host system. 
     
     
       38. The fiber optic module of  claim 35  wherein, the alignment plate to shield and reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI), and the cover has a tab to couple to the alignment plate. 
     
     
       39. The fiber optic module of  claim 38  wherein, the alignment plate is formed of metalized plastic. 
     
     
       40. The fiber optic module of  claim 32 , wherein the second printed circuit board further includes one or more first electrical components coupled to the first optoelectronic device to control the first optoelectronic device,
 wherein the third vertical printed circuit board further includes one or more second electrical components coupled to the second optoelectronic device to control the second optoelectronic device, and  
 wherein at least one of the second and third printed circuit boards further includes a backside ground plane between the first and second electrical components to minimize crosstalk therebetween.  
 
     
     
       41. The fiber optic module of  claim 32 , wherein the block includes:
 a first opening to receive the first optoelectronic device perpendicular to the second printed circuit board,  
 a first lens to couple photons from the first optoelectronic device into a first optical fiber,  
 a first reflector for reflecting photons at substantially a 90° angle into the first optical fiber;  
 a second opening to receive the second optoelectronic device perpendicular to the third printed circuit board,  
 a second lens to couple photons from a second optical fiber into the second optoelectronic device, and  
 a second reflector for reflecting photons at substantially a 90° angle into the second optical fiber.