Lucent Technologies Inc.

Agere Systems Inc.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Univ. of North Carolina

Ashok V Krishnamoorthy

Joseph Earl Ford

Martin C Nuss

David A Miller

Wayne Harvey Knox

Ted Kirk Woodward

Anthony L Lentine

Keith Wayne Goossen

Fouad E Kiamilev

James Albert Walker

Osman Kibar

Richard Alden DeFelice

Keith Wayne Goosen

Richard G Rozier

John E Cunningham

Herwig Werner Kogelnik

Giorgio Giaretta

Jonathan Anderson Fields

Kent E Devenport

A method of data communication that includes receiving a plurality of 8b/10b encoded data streams. The method also includes multiplexing, on a word by word basis, each of the plurality of data streams and forming a new encoded data stream. The method also includes generating an interleaved encoded data stream substantially similar to an 8b/10b encoded spectrum from the new encoded data stream.

Word Multiplexing of encoded signals into a higher bit rate serial data stream

Method and arrangement are disclosed for a power distribution network for distributing power to VCSELS on an optoelectronic chip that maintains a constant bias voltage to the VCSELs. More particularly, the power distribution network includes an H-tree network for directing a power signal. The H-tree network includes a primary input for receiving the power signal and at least one level, with terminal nodes coupled to the last level, and each level includes a plurality of segments. Each segment of a respective level is equal in length and the total number of segments from the primary input to each terminal node is the same. Since the distance from the primary input to each terminal node is equal, greater bias voltage uniformity is provided to the terminal nodes. A similar distribution network is used for the ground connection.

Power distribution network for optoelectronic circuits

An array of bottom-emitting VCSELs, with its substrate still intact, is tested by means of a probe that includes an optoelectronic array, which is aligned and coupled to the top surface of the VCSEL array. The probe is aligned to the VCSEL array just once. The optoelectronic array includes driver circuits for energizing the VCSELs and the photodetection circuits in a predetermined sequence for detecting the back emission that leaks through the top mirror of each VCSEL. In another embodiment, this probe and method are applied to testing bottom-emitting VCSELs one at a time. The VCSELs may discrete devices or part of an array. In accordance with another aspect of our invention, an array of bottom-emitting VCSELs, with its substrate still in intact, is tested by means of a probe that includes separate electronic and photodetection arrays. The probe is aligned to the VCSEL array just once. The electronic array, which is electrically coupled to the top surface of the VCSEL array, includes driver circuits for energizing the VCSELs. The photodetection array is aligned and coupled to the bottom of the substrate in order to detect the primary bottom emission of the energized VCSELs. The photodetection array is aligned so that each detector receives the emission from a particular VCSEL, but because the substrate is relatively thick, the divergence of the bottom emission produces cross-talk; that is, the bottom emission of one VCSEL may be received by an adjacent photodetector that is supposed to detect only the emission from another VCSEL. To alleviate this cross-talk problem, the VCSELs are energized in a first predetermined sequence and/or the photodetector circuitry is turned on in a second predetermined sequence.

Testing the frontside emission of bottom-emitting VCSELs

Testing bottom-emitting VCSELs

A system for data communication receives more than one input data streams that have independent clocks and an input order. The system synchronizes the input data streams to a common clock, and multiplexes the synchronized data streams onto an input of a data communication link. The system demultiplexes one or more output data streams from an output of the data communication link. The system identifies each of the output data streams and reorders the output data streams into the same order as the input data streams.

Data flow synchronization and ordering

A system for data transmission and communication receives a plurality of Gigabit Ethernet data packets from multiple Gigabit Ethernet links. The system bit multiplexes the data packets, on a bit by bit basis, together onto a fiber optic link. At the output of the fiber optic link, the bits are demultiplexed into data packets and transmitted onto multiple Gigabit Ethernet links. The high speed fiber optic link transmits the data at higher speed than is possible over each individual Gigabit Ethernet link.

Bit multiplexing of packet-based channels

A high-speed access data network in which upstream and downstream traffic is logically or physically separated. The network can use the Ethernet media access control (MAC) layer protocol over distances that are much larger than conventionally possible with the Ethernet MAC layer protocol. In a configuration including a central office and multiple subscribers, the central office is removed from the collision domain, which can be made relatively small, without limiting the distance between the central office and the subscribers. The downstream data rate is not limited by the size of the collision domain and can thus be made almost arbitrarily large. Furthermore, by allowing a smaller collision domain, greater upstream data rates can be used. It is thus possible to use ubiquitous and inexpensive Ethernet LAN technology in highly cost-sensitive applications such as residential broadband access.

Ethernet fiber access communications system

Method and apparatus are disclosed for an optoelectronic network interface device allowing reconfiguration of ports in a Local Area Network (LAN). More particularly, the optoelectronic interface device is integrated to include optical ports for communicating with a network, electronic circuits for providing an interface to end-users and a controllable electronic switch between the optical ports and electronic circuits. In response to a control signal, the switch dynamically reconfigures the connection between selected optical ports and selected electronic circuits.

Optoelectronic network interface device

A step-index fiber bundle utilized in communicating optical Gigabit Ethernet signals from multiple Gigabit Ethernet optical transceiver interfaces directly to an array of Gigabit Ethernet receivers and lasers integrated on an optoelectronic-VLSI chip, with the step-index fibers in the bundle having core sizes between 50 um and 60 um to facilitate the fabrication of the bundles. The step-index fiber is selected to exhibit a numerical aperture between 0.19 and 0.25 to cooperate with a standard Gigabit Ethernet 50 um graded-index fiber jumper between each individual transmitter interface and the fiber bundle, and with a standard Gigabit Ethernet 62.5 um graded-index fiber jumper between each individual receiver interface and the corresponding integrated laser in ensuring that substantially all of the light coupled from each transmitter interface is collected by the corresponding step-index fiber and delivered to the corresponding detectors on the optoelectronic-VLSI chip and so that substantially all of the light coupled into the step-index fiber from the integrated lasers is collected and delivered to the corresponding individual receiver interface.

Reduction of modal noise in step-index fiber bundles

An optical local area network uses modified remote network interface cards (NICs) to provide an optical carrier signal for signaling use by a centralized optoelectronic switch unit. The NIC optical transceiver is modified so that instead of being normally &ldquo;off&rdquo; during the standby mode, the data signal is logically inverted to be &ldquo;on.&rdquo; Light from each NIC is used to provide optical power for a corresponding optical modulator on the switch unit.

Optical network using remote optical powering of optoelectronic switch

The disclosed technique enables fully integrated monolithic hybrid optoelectronic chips to be built that combine electronic circuits, optical devices that are either flip-chip bonded or surface mounted on the VLSI circuits, and fibers. Disclosed is a technique for attaching a fiber optic pigtail to connect a silicon photodetector and a CMOS receiver (or a phototransmitter and a driver) to create a fully integrated CMOS receiver circuit for multimode fiber applications, such as those at a wavelength of about 850 nm. The integrated silicon detector/CMOS receiver can serve as a cheap power/signal monitor (for low speed applications) or even a high-speed Gigabit/s detector.

Integrated CMOS pigtailed receiver using CMOS-compatible optical bench

A statistically-multiplexed link for transporting aggregated data from multiple clients to a central server. A concentrator is used to separate packets containing valid data (live packets) from invalid (dead) packets. When combined with a conventional multiplexer, the concentrator circuit provides arbitration on a first-come first-served basis and allows a smaller multiplexer to service a larger number of inputs thereby enabling a more statistically efficient multiplexed link.

Priority-based statistical multiplexer-hub

A switch, of the crossbar type, in which no clock recovery is undertaken. Multiple optical fibers deliver input signals to a single semiconductor die. The die contains circuitry which selectively connects each input fiber to a respective output fiber, which carries the signals off the die, to their destinations. The communication is asynchronous: no continuous clock signal accompanies the incoming data. However, periodic sequences of clock signals accompany the incoming data, and are used by circuitry on the die in &ldquo;clock recovery&rdquo; routines, to generate local clock signals. The invention eliminates the need for local clock recovery: the incoming signals are routed through the die to outgoing fibers, without generation of a local clock signal on the die.

Asynchronous transfer of high speed data signals through an optoelectronic VLSI switch

An optical detector is provided including a substantially annular metallic ring positioned on either side of an active (i.e. intrinsic) region of the optical detector to minimize optical crosstalk. Optical crosstalk originates from adjacent optical sources (e.g., VCSELs) emitting light toward the direction of the optical detector. The metallic ring prevents the light which propagates substantially parallel to a base of the optical detector from reaching the active region of the optical detector.

Optical detector for minimizing optical crosstalk

A four-to-one multiplexer circuit constructed purely in CMOS technology and fabricated using only pass-gates and inverters. The resulting multiplexer is simpler to fabricate and operates faster than known similarly fabricated and constructed CMOS multiplexers.

Growing community of inventors

Middletown, NJ, United States of America

Ashok V Krishnamoorthy