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  Optical busUSPTO Application #: 20070122087Title: Optical bus Abstract: An optical bus. Optical sub-assemblies are used to connect lengths of optical fiber to form a single optical fiber that is a bus. A master transceiver may be connected to one end of the fiber and nodes can be connected to the optical sub-assemblies. Each optical sub-assembly includes a center fiber with a mirror that enables each connector to reflect optical signals out of the fiber and that enables a node to launch optical signals on the optical bus. The optical bus can also be connected with a second transceiver that may be used to deliver optical power to the attached nodes. Some nodes include two optical subassemblies to enable bidirectional communication on the optical bus. (end of abstract) Agent: Workman Nydegger (f/k/a Workman Nydegger & Seeley) - Salt Lake City, UT, US Inventor: Frank Levinson USPTO Applicaton #: 20070122087 - Class: 385089000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Optical Waveguides, With Disengagable Mechanical Connector, Optical Fiber To A Nonfiber Optical Device Connector, Plural Fiber/device Connections The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070122087. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/712,072 filed Aug. 30, 2005 and entitled OPTICAL BUS and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/741,175 filed Nov. 30, 2005, which applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. The Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to the field of optical communication and optical links. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to an optical bus and to an optical sub assembly used in an optical bus. [0004] 2. The Relevant Technology [0005] When people think of computers, conventional desktop systems and laptop computers often come to mind. Common uses of computers include school or work related issues. Upon further reflection, however, it becomes clear there are many different types of computers that are used directly or indirectly by people every day. Often, these computers are part of a system that monitors or controls peripheral components. [0006] For example, there are many systems operating today that are computer controlled. Often, these computer systems are connected with external components that are used for varying purposes such as data collection or data output. A computer, for example, may be connected with multiple sensors. The data provided by these sensors can be collected and evaluated by the computer. The evaluation of the collected data can lead to certain actions in the system. Cars, for example, typically include a computer to monitor various aspects of the car's operation. Monitoring the car's operations is achieved using sensors that provide data to the computer or that provide a signal back to the computer indicating that a certain condition is true or false. [0007] A car's braking system, air bag deployment system, traction control system, and the like are examples of the car's operation that are monitored and/or controlled by a computer. By monitoring these aspects of the car's operations, the car is able to provide certain benefits to the occupants. The computer can ensure, for example, that the brakes do not lock, that the air bags deploy in an accident, that the wheels do not slip, and the like or any combination thereof. [0008] The ability of a computer to interact with remote sensors or other peripherals of a system or to interact with other computers often requires a bus or other communication path. The bus includes the wires that are needed to ensure that the computer can communicate with the peripheral device. Generally stated, a bus is a group of electrical lines that are used to transmit control information as well as data. The use of wires in the bus, however, begins to present problems as the number of peripheral devices increases. [0009] For example, a control module may interface with multiple sensors or other peripheral devices. Typically, at least three wires are required for each device. Two of the wires provide power and ground. The third wire typically carries a control and/or data signal to and from the device. In some cases, two wires are used to convey the signal to and from the device. As the number of peripheral devices increases, the number of wires needed for the bus has a corresponding increase. It is likely, therefore, that a given bus between a control module or computer and its peripheral devices may require hundreds of wires. The large number of wires makes the system large and unwieldy, difficult to troubleshoot, and the like. Further the ability to expand or make improvements to such a system is difficult in view of the system's size and complexity. [0010] One of the alternatives to an electrical wire bus is to utilize optical links. In conventional systems, optical links have certain advantages that are not present in wire based links. Advantages of optical links include, for example, wide bandwidth, low loss, electromagnetic immunity, and the like. These advantages often make an optical system preferable to an electrical system. [0011] However, optical based systems also have certain limitations. Optical links are point to point links, which means that two transceivers are required for each link. This further suggests that two optical fibers are also required for each link if bidirectional communication is desired. Systems that are based on optical point to point links require 2N transceivers where N is the number of links in the system. In D WHW practical terms, implementing a conventional optical bus may require a control module or computer to have a separate transceiver for each of the peripheral devices. [0012] As a result, an optical system is soon faced with some of the same problems that are present in an electrical bus as discussed above. What is needed is an optical bus and/or an optical sub assembly that can reduce the number of transceivers required for an optical system as well as reduce the number of fibers that would be included in the system. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0013] These and other limitations are overcome by embodiments of the invention which relate to an optical bus and to optical sub-assemblies that connect nodes (e.g., peripheral devices, sensors) to the optical bus. The optical sub-assemblies enable lengths of optical fibers to be connected to effectively form a single optical fiber. A master transceiver connected to one end of this fiber can then communicate with each of the nodes that are connected to the optical bus by the optical sub-assemblies. [0014] In one embodiment, an optical bus is disclosed for connecting multiple nodes, the optical bus includes a master transceiver that is connected with the optical fiber that serves as the bus. As previously stated, the optical fiber serving as the bus may include a series of discrete optical fibers that are appropriately connected. For example, optical assemblies (also referred to herein as connectors or optical sub-assemblies) connect lengths of optical fiber and also connect nodes to the optical bus. The optical sub-assemblies enable the discrete lengths of optical fibers to be connected such that adequate optical coupling occurs at each fiber to fiber interface. [0015] Each node that connects to the optical bus via the optical assembly typically has a transceiver. Alternatively, the transceiver can be included as pat of the optical assembly. Each connector typically includes a center fiber that includes a mirror or a mirror portion. The mirror is used to reflect optical signals in the fiber to the node's transceiver and to reflect signals from the node's transmitter into the fiber. The fiber used in the bus has a large core in one embodiment. In one embodiment, the core may be square with rounded corners to facilitate rapid mode mixing. [0016] The connectors are structured to align the discrete optical fibers that form the optical bus. In this optical bus, the communication can be full duplex, half duplex, bidirectional, and single or multi wavelength. In addition, another power transceiver can also be connected to the bus such that optical power can be delivered to the nodes over the optical bus. [0017] Additional features of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the invention. The features and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. These and other features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0018] To further clarify the above and other advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which: [0019] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary optical bus that connects multiple nodes to a single optical fiber; [0020] FIG. 2A illustrates one embodiment of an optical fiber that includes a mirror used to extract and launch optical signals in an optical fiber; Continue reading... Full patent description for Optical bus Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Optical bus patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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