Stratos Lightwave, Inc.

Stewart Connector Systems, Inc.

Randal B Lord

Robert M Scharf

Derek Imschweiler

A communications transceiver includes a jack housing which, in turn, includes portions defining a recess for receiving a mating plug therein. Signal connector elements are provided within the recess for establishing inbound and outbound signal paths with corresponding signal connector elements of the mating plug. A circuit board within the jack housing preferably comprises an electrically conductive layer defining a first internal electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield. Accordingly, at least one first circuit device being susceptible to EMI is mounted on a first side of the circuit board, and at least one second circuit device generating EMI and is mounted on the circuit board on a second side thereof opposite the first side. The first internal EMI shield extends between the at least one first circuit device and the at least one second circuit device. The transceiver may include an electrically conductive layer on outer surface portions of the jack housing defining an external EMI shield. And the first internal EMI shield may be electrically connected to the external EMI shield. The transceiver may operate over an optical fiber path or a twisted pair path.

Communications transceiver with internal EMI shield and associated methods

Optical transceiver RJ-jack with EMI shield

An optical transceiver module includes a transmitter portion and receiver portion positioned within a housing with an EMI shield therebetween, and wherein the transmitter and receiver portions include respective substrates, or circuit boards, with opposing and spaced apart major surfaces. The port density, when using a plurality of such modules, is increased, while providing enhanced EMI shielding. Each circuit board may include a ground plane and have a plurality of generally L-shaped conductive leads extending outwardly from the respective circuit boards. The optical transmitter and optical receiver portions each preferably further comprise at least one active component mounted on the first major surfaces. Accordingly, these active components face one another. The optical transmitter portion preferably further includes an optical emitter connected to an end of the first circuit board, and the optical receiver portion preferably further comprises an optical detector carried by an end of the second circuit board. In addition, the housing preferably includes an integrally formed transverse bulkhead with respective openings receiving the optical emitter and the optical detector. The transverse bulkhead also defines a forward cavity for receiving an optical fiber connector. The housing may have a generally rectangular elongate shape and have a series of longitudinally extending slots therein. The EMI shield, and first and second substrates or circuit boards may be received in these lots for convenience of assembly.

Optical transceiver with enhanced shielding and related methods

A switched communications device includes a multi-port jack housing having portions defining a plurality of recesses extending inwardly from the front for receiving respective mating plugs. Signal connectors are preferably positioned within each of the recesses and define respective communications ports. A circuit board is positioned within the multi-port jack housing and preferably extends adjacent the back. The switched communications device preferably includes at least one switched communications processor mounted on the circuit board and connected to the plurality of communications ports for processing inbound and outbound communications signals so that the signals are switched among the communications ports. A switched communications processor preferably communicates with two or more of the communications ports. The signal connectors may be electrical and/or optical, and may be compatible with an RJ-45 jack. An internal EMI shield may be provided in the circuit board.

Switched multi-port communications device and associated methods

A shared communications device includes a multi-port jack housing having portions defining a plurality of recesses extending inwardly from the front for receiving respective mating plugs. Signal connectors are preferably positioned within each of the recesses and define respective communications ports. A circuit board is positioned within the multi-port jack housing and preferably extends adjacent the back. The shared communications device preferably includes at least one shared communications processor mounted on the circuit board and connected to the plurality of communications ports for processing inbound and outbound communications signals so that the signals are shared among the communications ports. A shared communications processor preferably communicates with two or more of the communications ports. In embodiments including a plurality of shared communications processors, a communications repeater bus is provided on the circuit board interconnecting the shared communications processors. The signal connectors may be electrical and/or optical, and may be compatible with an RJ-45 jack. An internal EMI shield may be provided in the circuit board.

Shared multi-port communications device and associated methods

A communications device includes a multi-port jack housing having portions defining a plurality of recesses extending inwardly from the front for receiving respective mating plugs. Signal connectors are preferably positioned within each of the recesses and define respective communications ports. A circuit board is positioned within the multi-port jack housing and preferably extends adjacent the back. The communications device preferably includes at least one communications processor mounted on the circuit board and connected to the plurality of communications ports for processing inbound and outbound communications signals. A communications processor preferably communicates with two or more of the communications ports. In embodiments including a plurality of communications processors, a communications bus is provided on the circuit board interconnecting the communications processors. The signal connectors may be electrical and/or optical, and may be compatibility with an RJ-45 jack. An internal EMI shield may be provided in the circuit board.

Multi-port communications device and associated methods

An opto-electric jack is provided which can be used as a drop-in replacement for a standard electrical jack such as an RJ-type or D-subminiature type jack. The opto-electric jack includes housing having a receptacle for receiving an optical plug which is coupled to a fiber optic cable, and a plurality of electrical terminals for connection to an electrical circuit. Preferably, the terminals are arranged in a predetermined array which corresponds to the terminal array (or footprint) of a standard electrical jack. An opto-electric conversion circuit is disposed within the housing, and is operable to convert optical signals received from the optical plug into electrical signals for transmission to the electrical circuit via the terminals, and to convert electrical signals received from the electrical circuit via the terminals into optical signals which are transmitted to the optical plug. The opto-electric conversion circuit preferably includes a light emitting diode or diode laser for converting electrical signals to optical signals for transmission along the fiber optic cable, as well as a photo diode or photo transistor for receiving optical signals sent along the optical cable and converting the same to electrical impulses for transmission to the electrical circuit.

Growing community of inventors

Melbourne, FL, United States of America

Randal B Lord