DE202005021977U1 - Multiplex transmitter for polymer fiber transmission - Google Patents

Abstract

Multiplex transmitter for polymer fiber transmission 1.1. with one or more output channels for the connection of polymer optical fibers (7), 1.2. one or more input channels for connecting photo transmitters (6), 1.3. wherein the multiplex transmitter has a base body (1) 1.4. with recesses (2), 1.5. in which waveguides (4) of the input channels and waveguides (4) of the output channel or channels are arranged 1.6. and wherein both the base body (1) with recesses (2) and the waveguides (4) are injection molded parts.

Description

The invention relates to a multiplex transmitter for polymer fiber transmission with one or more output channels for the connection of one or more polymer optical fibers, one or more input channels for the connection of photo transmitters.

Modern optical communication systems use a high bandwidth of the optical fibers by using high-bit-rate transmission channels. In order to be able to use the possibility of transmitting information via the fiber, transmitter modules and receiver-side receiver modules are necessary on the transmitter side.

Applications of the optical technologies of communication technology have a very broad field of application. From large parts of the existing telecommunications network via multimedia transmission in the automobile to data transmission in the office and home area. Optical data transmission provides high transmission capacity, is less susceptible to electromagnetic interference, and at the same time provides electrical isolation between transmitter and receiver. Also, optical fibers, especially plastic fibers, are cheaper and much lighter than copper cables of the same capacity and also cover a wider range of distances.

Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM), which emerged in the mid-1990s, made it possible to significantly increase the transmission capacity of the then mainly used optical fibers. With this method, the individual data to be transmitted are no longer transmitted in a temporal arrangement one behind the other on the fiber medium, but at the same time guided on the optical waveguide. Work is currently underway to introduce the successful WDM technology in the long-distance optical range (wavelength λ = 1.3 ... 1.7 μm) into the area of short-range networks with transmission lengths below 2000 m. Here you work with light in the visible wavelength range and uses as a transmission medium polymer fibers (POF), since in this application level, the components must be made as box-favored for the end user.

Of particular importance is the field of mobile multimedia applications. In addition to the higher data rate and the resulting improved integration of multimedia applications in buses or automobiles, considerable weight reductions of the wiring harness will be expected.

In order to come to a complex optical data transmission system taking into account the aforementioned aspects, several individual tasks must be solved. Among others, this includes the combination of wavelength-coded individual signals into a multiplexed overall signal.

For this purpose exists z. B. a solution of the Fraunhofer Institute IIS in Erlangen: In the patent application DE 102 40 057 A1 An arrangement is proposed which, with the aid of wavelength-dependent mirrors, can split both light into its color components and distribute them spatially separated to individual polymer fibers or else combine them in the sense of a multiplexer. However, the mechanical structure of this solution is very demanding and therefore expensive, so that such a structure for the low-cost range of the consumer market (home - and automobile) is not suitable.

A simplification of the production of modules of the optical data technology in terms of cheaper mass production is achieved by the application of the injection molding technique. Here exist solutions of DE 41 09 651 A1 , of the DE 100 43 324 A1 , of the DE 600 05 018 T2 as well as the already mentioned DE 102 40 057 A1 Instructions for using this technology. However, injection molding is proposed only for the production of individual parts of the optical modules, whereby the effort-minimizing effect of the application of injection molding is limited.

The main disadvantages of the known prior art, for which a summary in Daum et al: "POF Optical Polymer Fibers for Data Communication", Springer-Verlag, 2001 , exist in the size and in the complex production method, which is not suitable for a consistent mass production of really cost-effective modules.

The object of the invention is therefore to develop a low-cost multiplex transmitter for polymer fiber transmission, which allows the simple and cost-minimized design of complex optical transmission systems without sacrificing transmission and signal processing quality.

This object is achieved by the design of a multiplex transmitter for polymer fiber transmission according to the features of the first claim, wherein in dependent claims further, particularly advantageous embodiments of the inventions claimed.

The essence of the invention lies in the surprisingly simple and advantageous combination of the known radiation combining by a system of branched or into each other Transitioning waveguides, the signal input by photoelectronic elements at the entrance of the multiplex transmitter for polymer fiber transmission according to the invention newly provided passive or self-adjustment of the multiplex transmitter for polymer fiber out addition polymer fibers and the invention consistently applied arrangement of all sub-elements in an injection-molded base body as a base recording ,

In order to manufacture the polymer fiber transmission multiplex transmitter, it is highly advantageous to use the injection molding technique both to manufacture the body and the lenses of the polymer fiber transmission multiplex transmitter and to incorporate essential elements of the polymer fiber transmission multiplex transmitter into the body.

It is even possible for waveguides to be initially produced by injection molding in order to enclose them in a subsequent process step, likewise by injection molding, from a base body.

The invention is explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment in which the arrangement features according to the invention of the multiplex transmitter for polymer fiber transmission are made clear.

The accompanying drawing shows a schematic diagram of the inventive multiplex transmitter for polymer fiber transmission.

As shown in the drawing, a multiplex transmitter for polymer fiber transmission according to the invention has the constituents basic body 1 , Recesses 2 , self-adjusting fiber guide 3 with polymer fiber 7 as output channel, waveguide 4 , Lenses 5 and photo-transmitting diodes 6 as input channels.

The main body 1 is made as an injection molded part of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). PMMA is a scratch-resistant and transparent material with very high rigidity, whose light transmission is approx. 92% at 1 mm thickness and whose refractive index is ISO 489 has the value 1,492.

The named basic body 1 has recesses 2 which are designed so that in them preferably consisting of polyvinyl chloride PVC waveguide 4 as well as the lenses 5 Can find recording. PVC is a transparent material with a refractive index> 1.5 in the wavelength range of 300 ... 800 nm. The lenses 5 form an input optics for the generation of parallel beam bundles of the photo-transmitting diodes 6 exiting input beams.

After passing through the lenses 5 become the wavelength-coded single optical signals of the transmitting diodes 6 in respective gradually merging waveguides 4 summarized in a single multiplexed signal, that over the polymer fiber 7 is led out of the multiplex transmitter. The polymer fiber 7 is within the output range of the multiplex transmitter by a self-adjusting fiber guide 3 aligned so that the optical output signal is coupled out optimally.

The production of the multiplex transmitter for polymer fiber transmission takes place in special injection molding technology. In the first process step, the main body 1 with the recesses 2 for receiving the self-adjusting fiber guide 3 , for the waveguides 4 , for the lenses 5 and the photo-transmitting diodes 6 injected. In the second process step, the waveguides become with another micro-spraying process 4 and the lenses 5 inserted in optically high-quality with smooth surfaces.

As already shown above, it is also very possible to reverse the order of the method steps just presented and to subsequently encase the waveguide, initially produced by injection molding, with a base body by injection molding. This flexibility of the processes represents an important and new advantage in the implementation of the invention in a mass production process.

The implementation described in the embodiment of the multiplex transmitter for polymer fiber transmission is only one of several possible - the selected arrangement of the embodiment is to be understood as an advantageous embodiment of the invention. Further implementations of the multiplex transmitter for polymer fiber transmission are conceivable and possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

So z. B. more than one polymer fiber 7 be led out of the multiplex transmitter for polymer fiber transmission. Likewise, a three-dimensional arrangement of photo-transmitting diodes 6 (indicated in the drawing) possible, whose signals are then combined via a three-dimensional array of waveguides (not further explained in the figure) to form a multiplexed signal.

As special advantages of the invention can apply:
The described manufacture of the polymer fiber transmission multiplex transmitter allows cost-effective mass production of this important component of complex optical data transmission systems, thus laying the foundation for their mass and cost-minimized introduction into the broad various fields of application such as data communication in companies, residential buildings and vehicles as well as in machinery and equipment of the capital goods industry.

With the present integrated-optical multiplexer transmitter optical fibers with high numerical aperture can be used with low attenuation and high crosstalk attenuation as a transmission medium. The polymer fibers which can be massively used in the abovementioned fields of application in turn contribute to cost reduction and weight savings in the transmission systems.

The polymer fiber-transmitter coupling of the inventive multiplex transmitter for polymer fiber transmission can be fully automatic adjustment-free by the integrated optical production method and replaces previous complex adjustment method for multiplexer output fibers. The Justaueauigkeit by the injection-molded self-aligning fiber guide allows fiber orientation in the range better 10 microns and better 1 °.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

body

2

recess

3

fiber guide

4

waveguides

5

lens

6

Photo transmitting diode

7

polymer fiber

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 10240057 A1 [0007, 0008]
• DE 4109651 A1 [0008]
• DE 10043324 A1 [0008]
• DE 60005018 T2 [0008]

Cited non-patent literature

• Daum et al: "POF Optical Polymer Fibers for Data Communication", Springer-Verlag, 2001 [0009]
• ISO 489 [0018]

Claims (5)

Multiplex transmitter for polymer fiber transmission 1.1. with one or more output channels for the connection of polymer optical fibers ( 7 1.2. one or more input channels for the connection of photo senders ( 6 ), 1.3. wherein the multiplex transmitter comprises a base body ( 1 1.4. with recesses ( 2 ), 1.5. in which waveguides ( 4 ) of the input channels and waveguides ( 4 ) of the output channels or are arranged 1.6. and where both the main body ( 1 ) with recesses ( 2 ) as well as the waveguides ( 4 ) Injection molded parts are. Multiplex transmitter for polymer fiber transmission according to claim 1, 2.1. in which the one or more output channels self-adjusting fiber guides ( 3 ) exhibit. Multiplex transmitter for polymer fiber transmission according to claim 1, 3.1. in which the one or more waveguides of the input channels one or more lenses ( 5 ) are arranged upstream. Multiplex transmitter for polymer fiber transmission according to claim 1, 4.1. where the lenses ( 5 ) Injection molded parts are. Multiplex transmitter for polymer fiber transmission according to claim 3, 5.1. in which the one or more waveguides ( 4 ) of the input channels upstream lenses ( 5 ) Injection molded parts are.

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