Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

Mark A Nelson

Vladimir Sokolov

James N Kruchowski

Nathan E Harff

In an n-node optical communications system, energy harvesting photodetectors at each node receive extraneous electromagnetic wavelengths that are not used for communication or other purposes by the associated node. The energy harvesting photodetectors convert the unused electromagnetic energy into reusable electrical energy. The harvested electrical energy may be used as auxiliary power at the node or elsewhere in the communication system, or stored in a battery, capacitor, or other energy storage device. The system may be used in an 'all-to-all' broadcast and select communication scheme or in some other broadcast and select interconnect system that has extraneous wavelengths at node receivers.

Power recapture in an optical communications system

A connector assembly for optically coupling a first optical device mounted on a first substrate to a second optical device mounted on a second substrate, where the first and second substrates are orthogonally oriented to each other, is presented. The connector assembly includes two connectors. The first connector has an optical waveguide array. The optical waveguide array further includes multiple parallel optical waveguides that are continuously redirected by a mirror oriented at a 45 degree angle to the optical waveguides. Likewise, the second connector also has an optical waveguide array further include multiple parallel optical waveguides continuously redirected by a mirror oriented at a 45 degree angle to the optical waveguides. The first connector is oriented orthogonally to the second connector and the first and second connectors are optically welded together in a back-to-back configuration.

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Oronoco, MN, United States of America

Mark A Nelson