Samtec Incorporated

David A Langsam

Eric Jean Zbinden

William J Kozlovsky

Joshua R Cornelius

Raymond Lee

Jignesh H Shah

Ashraf M Wahba

R Brad Bettman

Thomas Benjamin Troxell

David Daniel Stark

An optical block includes a first surface that receives light entering the optical block, a second surface through which the light exits the optical block, and a reflector that reflects light from the first surface towards the second surface. The reflector includes a textured surface that scatters or absorbs some of the light received from the first surface to attenuate the light exiting the optical block through the second surface.

Optical block with textured surface

A method for determining receiver coupling efficiency includes varying optical power inputted into a half active optical cable to determine a maximum optical power at which the TIA squelches and determining a receiver coupling efficiency by calculating a ratio of a threshold optical power to the maximum optical power at which the TIA squelches. A method of determining link loss in a channel includes varying optical power of a light source to determine the maximum optical power at which the TIA squelches and determining the link loss in the channel by subtracting the maximum optical power from the threshold optical power. A method of determining link topology includes selecting a pattern of optical powers and matching a pattern of squelched and non-squelched outputs with the pattern of optical power. An active optical cable includes memory storing a value related to an initial link loss of the active optical cable.

Methods for determining receiver coupling efficiency, link margin, and link topology in active optical cables

A data transport system for transporting data and auxiliary signals over an optical link comprises a transmitter, a receiver and an optical link. The transmitter and receiver are coupled to a first end of the optical link. The optical link includes a number of optical channels. A controller is coupled to the transmitter and the receiver, and controls the transmitter and the receiver to operate in a first state when data are detected at an input of the transmitter. Data are transported via the data transport system in the first state. The controller controls the transmitter and the receiver to operate in a second state when the data are detected as absent at the input of the transmitter. Data are prevented from being transported via the data transport system in the second state.

Transporting data and auxiliary signals over an optical link

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Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

David A Langsam