WO2017218710A1

WO2017218710A1 - Hybrid high-definition multimedia interface interconnect for micro form-factor photonics

Info

Publication number: WO2017218710A1
Application number: PCT/US2017/037561
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kihong Kim; Gyudong Kim; Chandlee Harrell
Original assignee: Lattice Semiconductor Corporation
Priority date: 2016-06-14
Filing date: 2017-06-14
Publication date: 2017-12-21
Also published as: CN209946455U

Abstract

Various techniques are provided for implementing a hybrid electrical-optical interface. In one example, the hybrid electrical-optical interface includes a connector body configured to mate with a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) component in accordance with a predetermined mechanical misalignment tolerance, a plurality of electrical conduits at least partially disposed within a central region of the connector body and configured to pass electrical signals, and first and second optical conduits at least partially disposed within first and second peripheral regions of the connector body adjacent to the central region, wherein the optical conduits are configured to pass optical signals through a free space gap formed while the connector body is mated with the HDMI component and configured to maintain communication of the optical signals through the free space gap while the connector body and the HDMI component are within the misalignment tolerance. Additional implementations and related methods are also provided.

Description

HYBRID HIGH-DEFINITION MULTIMEDIA INTERFACE INTERCONNECT

FOR MICRO FORM-FACTOR PHOTONICS

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/349,836, filed June 14, 2016, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

[0002] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application No. 15/488,291 , filed April 14, 2017, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD [0003] This disclosure relates generally to communications, and more specifically to electrical and optical interconnects for small and micro form factor devices.

BACKGROUND

[0004] Small and micro form factor devices, such as mobile phones and tablets, offer limited modes of communication with other devices. It is common for such devices to have a single communications port configured to receive an electrical connector, as specified by one or more electronic communications standards. For example, many consumer electronics devices are limited to communicatively coupling with other devices, such as a personal computer or an audio/video system, through the available communications port using one or more communications standard, such as USB or HDMI. Adding communications ports for other standards or modes of communication may not be practical due to additional cost and the desire to maintain a small device size. As a result, other communications methods, such as optical communications, are not readily available in many small and micro form factor devices. [0005] In certain such small and micro form factor devices, existing standards govern placement of certain electrical components within the devices. Such small and micro form factor device standards may also govern the amount of misalignment acceptable between a plug and a receptacle. However, as the operating speeds of devices increase, increases in communications speeds between the plug and receptacle is needed. Additionally, such improved communications speeds, if they conform to the existing standards, allows backward compatibility. Such backward compatibility is desirable as receptacles and/or plugs can continue to be used in older interfaces as well as newer interfaces. There is therefore a need for improved systems and methods for facilitating optical communications with backwards compatible small and micro form factor devices.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary optical interconnection system in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. [0007] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating optical coupling loss through misalignment of optical axes in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0008] FIG. 3A is an exemplary plot of a flat top beam profile in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. [0009] FIG. 3B is an exemplary plot of a Gaussian beam profile in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[00010] FIG. 3C is a plot of a cross section of an exemplary beam profile mask in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[00011] FIGs. 3D and 3E are plots of exemplary passing and failing beam profiles, respectively, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[00012] FIGs. 4A and 4B are block diagrams illustrating exemplary non-zero gap coupling in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. [00013] FIG. 5 is an exemplary plot of a transmitting aperture diameter vs. collimated Gaussian beam range in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[00014] FIG. 6A illustrates an exemplary eye mask of an electrical specification in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[00015] FIG. 6B is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary electrical pin interface in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[00016] FIG. 7 is an exemplary state diagram for device discovery in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. [00017] FIGs. 8A and 8B are block diagrams illustrating exemplary misalignment tolerances in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[00018] FIGs. 9A, 9B and 9C are block diagrams of an exemplary communications port and corresponding connector in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. [00019] FIGs. 10A, 10B and 10C are block diagram of an exemplary communications port and corresponding connector in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[00020] FIG. 1 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary optical passive component to optical passive component coupling in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[00021] FIGs. 12A and 12B are block diagrams of exemplary hybrid electrical- optical plug and receptacle components in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[00022] FIGs. 13A and 13B are perspective and front views of exemplary hybrid electrical-optical plugs in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[00023] FIGs. 14A and 14B are perspective and front views of exemplary hybrid electrical-optical receptacles in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. [00024] FIGs. 15, 16, 17, and 18 are front views of exemplary hybrid electrical- optical plugs and receptacles in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[00025] FIG. 19 is a side view of an exemplary optical conduit in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[00026] FIG. 20 is a block diagram of an exemplary hybrid electrical-optical interface in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[00027] FIG. 21 is a flowchart detailing a method of operation of an exemplary hybrid electrical-optical interface in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[00028] Aspects of the disclosure and their advantages can be better understood with reference to the detailed description that follows. It should be appreciated that like reference numerals are used to identify like elements illustrated in one or more of the figures, wherein showings therein are for purposes of illustrating embodiments of the present disclosure and not for purposes of limiting the same. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[00029] In accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure, systems and methods for interconnecting small and micro form factor devices through optical connections are provided. In one embodiment, a ferrule-less, non- contact, optical interconnect system and method is provided. The ferrule-less optical interconnect includes optical active components, including an optical beam source, such as a laser diode, for generating an optical beam meeting a minimum Gaussian beam profile, and a collimator for shaping a free space beam. The optical active components may also include a sink, such as a photodiode, and a condenser for focusing a free space beam. An optical connector includes optical passive components to receive the free space beam and shape the beam for propagation through an optical cable. [00030] Referring to Fig. 1 , an embodiment of an optical interconnect will be described. An optical interconnect system 100 includes an optical active

components transmitter (OAC-Tx) 1 10, optical active component receiver (OAC-Rx) 130 and optical passive components (OPC) 150. In operation, the OAC-Tx 1 10 generates a free space beam 1 12 that travels through the gap 1 13 to a first end of the OPC 150. The OAC-Rx 130 generally uses a similar configuration for receiving a free space beam 132 formed by the OPC 150.

[00031] In one embodiment, the OAC-Tx 1 10 is disposed in a first host device, such as a mobile phone or tablet, and includes an optical source 1 14 that receives electrical signals from the host device and converts the electrical signals into an optical signal. In one embodiment, the optical source 1 14 includes a laser diode, such as a vertical cavity surface emitting diode (VCSEL), arranged to generate diverging optical beam 1 16. The OAC-Tx 1 10 further includes collimating lens 1 18 (collimator), which shapes the beam 1 16 to form collimated free space beam 1 12. [00032] The OPC 150 includes a first lens 152, which receives the collimated free space beam 1 12 and focuses the beam for transmission through the core of fiber optic cable 156, and a second lens 158 for shaping the beam to form collimated free space beam 132 which travels across gap 133.

[00033] In one embodiment, the OAC-Rx 130 is disposed in a second host device, such as an A/V system, and includes an optical sink 134 that converts the received optical signal to electrical signals for processing by the second host device. In one embodiment, the OAC-Rx 130 includes a condenser lens 138 that focuses the collimated free space beam towards a photodiode (PD), which is arranged to sense the optical signal. [00034] In an alternate embodiment, the OPC may include a conventional optical connector on one end, such as ferrule, for optically coupling with conventional optical devices. Further, each of the first host device and second host device may include one or more OAC-Tx and OAC-Rx components for bi-directional or multichannel communications. In various embodiments, the fiber optic cable may include a plurality of optical fibers and/or may be joined with electrical wires providing electronic communications in a hybrid arrangement. Although a single fiber optic cable is illustrated, the optical path between the OAC-Tx 1 10 and OAC-Rx 130 may include a plurality of OPCs coupled together.

[00035] Referring to Fig. 2, alignment of the OAC and OPC will now be discussed with reference to the optical axis 212 of the OAC 210 and the optical axis 232 of the OPC 230. In various applications, coupling loss as illustrated might occur due to manufacturing or in field use (e.g., at a consumer's home). Misalignment of the optical axis 212 with the optical axis 232 can result in a loss of light energy and a disruption of communications. In the present embodiment, misalignment errors are attenuated, in part, by the selection and use of an optical beam profile suitable for use in the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2.

[00036] The exemplary optical beam profile disclosed herein will be understood with reference to the ray transfer matrix and use of the paraxial approximation of ray optics, including the paraxial wave equation with complex beam parameter. As illustrated, the collimated output beam 214 has a Gaussian power distribution profile, which minimizes coupling loss due to misalignment where the misalignment is by small amount relative to the overall beam diameter. In such cases, the misalignment affects mainly the tail parts of Gaussian distribution. In the illustrated embodiment, the loss is approximately 20% which is about 1 dB loss for 1 σ misalignment.

[00037] Using a Gaussian beam profile has additional advantages including the availability of lasers with Gaussian beam profiles and the Gaussian waveform being a fundamental eigensolution for the paraxial wave equation used in some transceiver optical systems. However, many lasers produce beams that are non-ideal Gaussian. In one embodiment, a minimum Gaussian profile (MGP) is defined such that a non- Gaussian beam that satisfies the MGP can have reliable coupling power for an optical link as described herein.

[00038] A beam profile mask is defined and explained below which includes details of Gaussian beam parameters in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, the beam profile mask is comprised of a Flat Top Profile (FTP) as an upper bound and Minimum Gaussian Profile (MGP) for the lower bound. The Flat Top Profile is given in the following equation and is illustrated in the exemplary 3-dimensional plot of Fig. 3A: FTP(x, y) = 2.03718 x 10⁴ x £/(2.5 x 10^"4 - x² + y²) (Watts/m2)

1 if t > 0 (1 ) where U(t) step function defined by, U(t) =

0 if t < 0

[00039] The Minimum Gaussian Profile is given by the following equation and is illustrated in the exemplary 3-dimensional plot of Fig. 3B:

MGP(x, y) = 1.14592 x 10⁴ x _βί-⁷-^2χ1°^7χ(χ2^²⁾} (Watts/m2) (2)

Fig. 3C shows a cross section of the mask at y=0. Exemplary profiles that have passed and failed are shown in Figs. 3D and 3E, respectively. [00040] In various embodiments, non-zero gap (NZG) optical coupling between the optical active components and optical passive components is used. Non-zero gap (NZG) optical coupling will be described in further detail with reference to Figs. 4A and 4B. By using NZG, burdens on consumer electronics manufactures to add optical receptacles and invest in precision equipment for proper alignment of conventional optical interconnects is alleviated.

[00041] Fig. 4A is an embodiment of a direct, free space, bi-directional

communication channel in accordance with the present disclosure. As illustrated, each channel, 412 and 422, is implemented using a free space Gaussian beam (ideal or non-ideal Gaussian beam as described herein) from transmitter to receiver between two chips, 410 and 420, respectively. In this embodiment, both chips are sufficient aligned physically with each other and the beams do not substantially diverge or converge. The non-zero gap 430 of the present embodiment allows spacing between the beam output window (BOW) and the beam input window (BIW) when the light signal is traveling off-chip (i.e. off-OAC). [00042] In practice, a spatially coherent Gaussian beam diverges, and ideal collimation is not possible. Referring to Fig. 4B, in one embodiment the beam is substantially collimated to provide minimal focusing such that the beam waist 440 is located in the middle of L_C0|, and such that beam diameter at BOW and BIW are both increased from the diameter of the beam waist. In one embodiment, the beam diameter at BOW and BIW are both increased by the square root of the beam waist radius. In the illustrated embodiment the collimation length, L_COi, is related to the Rayleigh range— the distance from the waist 440 of the beam to the point at which the area of the cross section of the beam is doubled. L_C0| may be defined for any OAC such that the beam waist is located in the middle of L_COi such that beam diameter at BOW and BIW are both greater than the beam waist diameter and increasing from the beam waist. Here, the Gaussian beam output from the transmitter of OAC 420 is collimated up to minimum 100mm such that L_C0| > 100mm.

[00043] In one embodiment, optical beam characteristics are based on paraxial approximation where the ray angle (Θ) from an axial (z-axis) direction holds the following approximation, tan θ = Θ. Beam parameters and related definitions can be found in industry standard, IS01 1 146-2, which describes laser beam characteristics using second order moments of the Wigner distribution, and is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. Theoretically, this can be used on any optical beam, regardless of where it is Gaussian or non-Gaussian, fully coherence or partially coherence, single mode or multiple transverse mode.

[00044] Exemplary beam parameters for the illustrated embodiment are set forth below: i- Dbeam (Beam waist: D4o) = 4σ, where σ is defined at z₀ by

and l(x,y) is optical power density at beam waist location, z₀, of beam with ε (Beam Ellipticity≡ da_(Short_axis)/da(iong_axis)) being less than 0.87 (see ANSI 1 1 146-1 ) ii. ©f (Divergence Full Angle) = 2 x 0_h, where 0_h is half angle of beam

divergence (subtending angle from origin to 2a of far field Gaussian

profile)

BPP (Beam parameter product) (A2)

Beam propagation ratio) = π x BPP / λ [00045] The optical interface in the connector is specified by the Beam Parameter Product (BPP) defined by gpp _ Dbeam<a>OTl ^x ®τηαχ

^~ 4 where D_beam@oTi is the beam diameter of 4σ, 0_max is beam divergence at BOW (beam output window) of the optical transmitter assuming the beam is stigmatic, and OT1 is a first optical test point (see, e.g. , Fig. 1 ). For example, diffraction limited Beam Parameter Product, BPPg, can be achieved for ideal Gaussian Beam for λ = 850nm which is approximately BPPg = 0.271 mnrmrad. Fig. 5 shows an exemplary plot for the transmitting aperture diameter (D_beam) vs. the collimated Gaussian beam range (L_COi) for a Gaussian beam of the same wavelength. [00046] The illustrated embodiment allows beam distortions from OT1 signal due to ULPI (unintentional light path impairment) such as misalignment, reflection, bending, thermal distortion of optical media including air, dust etc. Thus, beam parameters in the illustrated system at optical test point 2 (OT2, the optical location at BIW) allows the increase of BPP (as also described below in terms of M² value). The tables, below, summarize an exemplary specification for related parameters at OT1 (BOW) and OT2 (BIW):

Optical beam specification at OT1

Optical beam specification at OT2

[00047] The present embodiment allows maximum M² increase (MSI) through the light path through which the signal beam travels from OT1 to OT2 via any OPC (optical passive component) or ULPI (unintentional light path impairments). Thus, the light path in the present embodiment meets the following MSI specification:

minimum MSI = 1 .0 (OdB); maximum MSI = 3.0 (4.7 dB).

[00048] Exemplary total signal power for OT1 and OT2 in the present embodiment are set forth in the following table, in which the total power of a collimated beam is defined within the circle having the diameter of D_beam@oTi and D_beam@oT2, respectively:

It will be appreciated by those having skill in the art that this optical signal specification provides advantages in link performance such as BER or analog noise when collimating and focusing correctly.

[00049] One goal of the present embodiment is to make use of commonly accessible electrical interfaces that are commonly available for use on small devices and accessible by existing electrical Serializer/Deserializer (SERDES) components used in high speed communications, such as using existing USB and/or HDM I interface components through minimal passive (or non-) modification by external circuit introduction.

[00050] Exemplary electrical specifications for the illustrated embodiment are set forth below.

These specifications may not be ideal to electrically drive (or be driven by) a cable connector in many applications, but are sufficient to drive board trace of minimal 10cm in tested embodiments. Fig. 6A illustrates an eye mask of the exemplary electrical specification.

[00051 ] Fig. 6B illustrates an exemplary semiconductor package 61 0 and electrical I/O pins 620. In one embodiment, l²C is used as a control interface to control local micro form factor photonics. The mechanical assembly may include a fiducial marker for reference in aligning the beam path. Depending on the implementation, the package 610 may function as a transmitter, receiver or transceiver and include one or more laser diodes/photo diodes 630, a driver 640, controller 650, memory 660 (which may be implemented as volatile or non-volatile memory, including a non- transitory computer readable medium) and other circuitry and logic, as appropriate. The device is generally controlled by an l²C interface for set-up, loss of signal (LOS), hot-plug detect, device discovery, contention resolution and other operational features. These and other operations may be implemented through a combination of dedicated circuitry and components and program logic stored in memory 660 for implementation by controller 650. In addition to two l²C pins, INT pin is provided to interrupt any process when it requires by local controller 650 or a remote processor, such as host controller 670.

[00052] In one embodiment, the controller 650 monitors loss of signal and whether the optical receiver receives proper level of optical power to avoid performance targets of bit error rate or analog signal to noise ratio. The loss of signal may also be tracked for safety to avoid the optical beam straying around non-defined optical path such that human eyes can be exposed or other safety concerns avoided. Optical power level is recommended to be set at P|_0S (of -12dBm for example) at Rx through l²C. [00053] A hot-plug of an optical link may be detected optically by monitoring optical power as long as both Tx and Rx are electrically powered through beacon light coming out from Tx and sensed at Rx with optical power of P_bCn = Pi_os-3

(informative). Therefore, normal operation of an optical link may discriminate whether the optical input is a relative drop due to loss of service or absolute changes of all optical input power including signal power level compared to the setting values described above.

[00054] In one embodiment, device discovery is achieved through a photon-copper interworking (PCI) block 680, which emulates auxiliary interface functions such as device discovery or other upper layer protocols. There are certain physical layer issues to translate the analog electrical signal into optical domain. The present embodiment defines a new functional block in-between electrical-to-optical interface to fulfill the link set-up process. The PCI block 680 is implemented to translate such functions in which case the information of electrical connect (or disconnect) is transferred to the optical domain, and vice versa. Although in the optical domain there are many possible ways to transmit and receive the bi-directional information on one optical fiber, the media should be transferred in-between optical and electrical. Thus a simplified processing controller for such purpose is recommended to implement such PCI with two wire communications in between.

[00055] An embodiment of a beacon to PCI state diagram 700 is illustrated in Fig. 7. At 702, the optical components are powered on and the beacon state is detected in block 704. Control remains at block 704 while the current measured at photodiode, i_PD, is less than a beacon current threshold, i_bCn- If the device receives an optical signal such that i_PD > ibcn then control is passed to the mode selection block 706. In standalone mode PCI 710, a loss of service process monitors current at the photodiode and compares the measured current to a standalone mode LOS threshold, ILOS_SM- Control passes to beacon state 704 when i_PD > i_.os_sM- In the pairing mode PCI block 708, a loss of service process monitors current at the photodiode and compares the measured current to a pairing mode LOS threshold, iLos_PM- Control passes back to beacon state 704 when i_PD > ILOS_PM- If mode selection 706 times out, control passes to error block 712 which sends resets signal and control passes back to beacon state 704. [00056] Referring to Figs. 8A and 8B, misalignment errors will be discussed in further detail. Fig. 8A illustrates an exemplary optical device package 800 with a reference point 802 for aligning the light signal beam with the core of an optical fiber 804. In one embodiment, the maximum displacement target between the core and the optical device package is δ₀=35μιη for reliable communications. As illustrated, a misalignment 810 by 35μιη or less would yield coupling loss 812 that still allows for reliable communications performance in accordance with the specifications herein. Fig. 8B illustrates misalignment due to angle of displacement. In one embodiment, the maximum angular displacement with reference to the desired beam path is δ_θ=0.35 mrad. [00057] Referring to Figs. 9A, 9B and 9C, an interconnect system implementing the present disclosure will now be described. A device 900, such as a mobile telephone, includes a communications port 902 for receiving a corresponding connector 904. The port 902 is controlled by communications transceiver (Tx/Rx) components 906, which facilitates communications between the device 900 and another device (not shown) through the communications cable 908. In various embodiments, Tx/Rx 906, port 902, connector 904 and cable 908 are configured to provide communications in accordance with a digital or analog electrical

communications standard, such as HDMI or USB.

[00058] For many devices, it is desirable to maintain a small form factor and adding additional ports is not a desirable option. In the illustrated embodiment, optical active components (OAC) 920 are provided, including an optical source that generates a beam along beam path 924. In other embodiment, the OAC 920 may include an optical sink that receive a beam along beam path 924. To facilitate the optical communications, the port 902 includes a hole 924 sufficient to allow the beam to travel from the OAC 920, through the hole and into the port 902 along beam path 922. The connector 904 includes corresponding optical passive components (OPC) 930 arranged such that optical path 932 is aligned with optical path 922 when the connector 904 is inserted and communicably coupled with the port 902 for electrical communications.

[00059] Referring to Figs. 9B and 9C, the holes 924 and 936 may be positioned at an available location in the port 902 and on connector 904, respectively. The positions of the holes will vary depending on the arrangement of connector and availability of free space for the optical beam path. The alignment of the connector 904 in port 902 allows the holes 924 and 936 to substantially align for optical communications allowing for non-zero gap optical coupling. The OAC 920 can be positioned within the circuitry of the device 900 and the OPC 930 can be positioned within the connector 904 and/or connector housing 940 and is coupled to an optical fiber 938, which is combined with electrical cable 908 to form a hybrid

electrical/optical cable and connector.

[00060] Some interconnect technologies don't provide sufficient open space in the port allowing for optical communications. In one embodiment, the electrical components may be removed from the connector to open up free space in a dedicated optical interconnect cable. In another embodiment, the beam path may be moved to the housing adjacent to the port. Referring to Figs. 10A, 10B and 10C, a hole 1024 is provided in device housing 1002, adjacent to the port 1004. OAC 1006 is aligned adjacent to the hole 1024 allowing the beam to travel along free space beam path 1022. When the connector 1020 is inserted into the port 1004, the connector housing 1022 is positing against or adjacent to the device housing 1002. The connector housing 1022 includes OPC 1030 for transmitting or receiving an optical beam through a hole 1036 in the connector housing 1022, along a beam path 1032, which is substantially aligned with optical path 1022 for optical

communications.

[00061] Referring to Fig. 1 1 , an exemplary embodiment of OPC to OPC coupling will now be described. In various embodiments, the OPC 930 may be optically coupled to optical passive components, such as optical passive components 1 130. In the illustrated embodiment, the optical passive components 1 130 are housed in a hybrid electrical/optical cable and connector including an electrical connector 1 104, adapted to receive connector 904 to form an electrical coupling, an electrical cable 1 108, a housing 1 140 and optical fiber 1 138. This arrangement can be used, for example, to connect two or more optical cables in series.

[00062] Reference is now made to exemplary hybrid electrical-optical high definition media interface (HDMI) interfaces. Such hybrid electrical-optical HDMI interfaces may include at least a plug and a receptacle that each include one or more optical conduits and/or electrical conduits configured to pass associated optical and/or electrical signals. In some embodiments, data included in the optical and/or electrical signals may be encoded by transition-minimized differential signaling (TMDS) when passed by the optical conduits and/or the electrical conduits (e.g., as the electrical and/or optical signals may be TMDS signals). [00063] The optical conduits may allow communication of data at a higher rate than conventional electrical conduits and, accordingly, allow for a faster version of a HDMI interface. In certain examples, such optical conduits may be configured to transmit optical signals (e.g., light and/or laser signals). Such optical conduits may be implemented with any appropriate optical media to transmit optical signals. Such optical media may include, for example, one or more OPCs, OACs, fiber cables, waveguides, and/or other components for communication of optical signals. [00064] The electrical conduits may be implemented with any appropriate conductive media to transmit electrical signals. Such conductive media may include, for example, electrical cables, traces, vias, and/or other appropriate components for communication of electrical signals. [00065] Referring to Figs. 12A and 12B, an exemplary hybrid electrical-optical interface will now be described. Figs. 12A and 12B include hybrid electrical-optical receptacle 1202 and hybrid electrical-optical plug 1204. The plug 1204 includes a connector body that includes electrical conduits 1210, OPCs 1230A and 1230B, and optical fiber 1238A and 1238B. [00066] The electrical conduits 1210 are configured to interface with electrical conduits 1212 of the receptacle 1202 to form an electrical coupling. In certain embodiments, the electrical conduits 1210 and 1212 may transmit and/or receive communications via electrical signals. At least some of the electrical conduits 1210 are disposed within a central region of the plug (illustrated in further detail in Fig. 13A). The OPC 1230A and 1230B may be at least partially disposed within first and second peripheral regions of the plug 1204 adjacent to the central region. OPC 1230A and OPC 1230B may transmit or receive optical beams along beam paths 1232A and 1232B. OPCs 1230A and 1230B are disposed within the connector body of the plug 1204 and are aligned with holes 1236A and 1236B. The holes 1236A and 1236B are positioned so as not to interfere with beam paths 1232A and 1232B.

[00067] The receptacle 1202 includes OACs 1206A and 1206B for transmitting or receiving an optical beam along beam paths 1222A and 1222B, respectively. The OACs 1206A and 1206B may be disposed within the receptacle 1202 and certain embodiments may position the OACs 1206A and 1206B within a cavity of the receptacle and/or behind one or more holes of the receptacle. In Fig. 12B, when the plug 1204 is mated to the receptacle 1202, the plug 1204 and the receptacle 1202 are positioned relative to each other such that there is a free space air gaps 1280A and 1280B between OPC 1230A and OAC 1206A and OPC 1230B and OAC 1206B. When mated, the electrical conduits 1210 are interfacing with electrical conduits 1212 to form electrical couplings. The plug 1204 and/or the receptacle 1202 may be configured to produce such a free space gap. The OACs 1206A and 1206B may be optically coupled with OPCs 1230A and 1230B. The beam axes of the OAC 1206A and OPC 1230A and OAC 1206B and OPC 1230B may be aligned or may include acceptable misalignment errors that are attenuated, in part, by the selection and use of an optical beam profile as described herein.

[00068] In various embodiments, the plug 1204 and the receptacle 1202 may include maximum misalignment specifications. The OACs 1206A and/or 1206B and/or the OPCs 1230A, and/or 1230B may be configured so that optical data transfer is maintained even when the plug 1204 and the receptacle 1202 are misaligned to the maximum allowed under specifications. As such, in certain embodiments, the OACs 1206A and/or 1206B and/or OPCs 1230A, and/or 1230B and/or the beam power and/or profile of the optical beams are configured to pass optical beams with the beam profiles described herein (e.g., in Figs. 3A-E) even when the plug 1204 and the receptacle 1202 are maximally misaligned (e.g., by the shaping and/or sizing of the OACs 1206A and/or 1206B and/or OPCs 1230A, and/or 1230B, and/or through powering and/or shaping the beam). [00069] OPCs 1230A and 1230B are optically connected to optical fibers 1238A and 1238B, respectively. Certain embodiments may directly couple OPCs 1230A and 1230B to optical fibers 1238A and 1238B, respectively.

[00070] As shown in Figs. 12A and 12B, the electrical conduits 1210 are disposed in a central region between the OPCs 1230A and 1230B (which are disposed in first and second peripheral regions) in a forward portion of the plug 1204. The OPCs 1230A and 1230B can then be optically coupled to the optical fibers 1238A and 1238B, respectively. The optical fibers 1238A and 1238B can then extend rearward such that the optical fibers 1238A and 1238B are disposed between the electrical conduits 1210. In certain embodiments, the electrical conduits 1210 are at least partially disposed around the optical fibers 1238A and 1238B. Such a configuration may provide protection to the optical fibers 1238A and 1238B to prevent mechanical failure of the optical fibers 1238A and 1238B. Other embodiments can dispose the optical fibers in other configurations, such as around the electrical conduits 1210 and/or within the electrical conduits 1210. [00071] Referring to Figs. 13A and 13B, a hybrid electrical-optical plug is shown. Fig. 13A shows a perspective view of a plug 1304. Fig. 13A also shows first and second peripheral regions 1390A and 1390B and a central region 1392. The first and second peripheral regions 1390A and 1390B are disposed adjacent to the central region 1392. At least a portion of the electrical conduits 1310 are disposed within the central region 1392. OPC 1330A is disposed within the first peripheral region 1390A and OPC 1330B is disposed within the second peripheral region 1390B. As shown in Fig. 13A, OPCs 1330A and 1330B each include a plurality of lenses. Two lenses per OPC are shown in Fig. 13A, but other embodiments can include any number of lenses. Additionally, certain embodiments may dispose electrical conduits in regions additional to the central region 1392. [00072] Fig. 13A also shows optical fibers 1346A and 1346B that are optically connected to the OPCs 1330A and 1330B, respectively. The optical fibers 1346A and 1346B are disposed within the first and second peripheral regions 1390A and 1390B, respectively, in a forward portion of the plug 1304. However the optical fibers 1346A and 1346B can then move inward into the central region 1392 towards the rear portion of the plug 1304 and may be disposed between the electrical conduits 1310. The optical fibers 1346A and 1346B can then meet together and form a single optical fiber 1346C in the rear portion. In certain embodiments, the optical fiber 1346C may be an optical fiber assembly. As such, for example, if OPCs 1330A and 1330B each include two lenses, optical fibers 1346A and 1346B may also include two individual fibers, respectively, and optical fiber 1346C may include four individual fibers. The rear portion of the plug 1304 can include a rear housing 1348 that can contain optical fibers 1346A, 1346B, and 1346C as well as electrical conduits 1310. In certain embodiments the OPC and optical fiber assembly and/or each OPC and optical fiber can be referred to as an optical conduit. [00073] Additionally, plug 1304 can include openings 1340 in a forward portion of the plug 1304. The openings 1340 may be air gap openings and/or may be openings that include electrical conduits. Also, the plug 1304 can include mechanical fastener 1342 that can be configured to hold the rear housing 1348 and/or couple to other components and/or assemblies. [00074] Various drawings of the present disclosure (e.g., Figs. 13B, 14B, 15, 16, 17, and 18) include mechanical dimensional specifications of various plugs and receptacles. Such specifications include dimensions and locations of various features of the plugs and receptacles, as well as tolerance standards. For purposes of the present disclosure, such dimensions and tolerances are provided in millimeters. Such drawings also depict combinations and subcombinations of such dimensions and tolerances. [00075] Moreover, drawings of the present disclosure depict combinations and subcombinations of the relative locations of the various illustrated optical and electrical components in relation to each other and in relation to the mechanical features of connector bodies (e.g., including plugs and receptacles) for various implementations. In particular, Figs. 13A, 13B, 14A, and 14B depict various combinations and subcombinations for HDMI Type A implementations, Figs. 15 and 16 depict various combinations and subcombinations for HDMI Type B implementations, and Figs. 17 and 18 depict various combinations and subcombinations for HDMI Type C implementations.

[00076] Fig. 13B shows a forward view of the plug 1304 that includes mechanical dimensional specifications. Fig. 13B shows a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) configuration plug. As shown in Fig. 13B, the plug 1304 includes width and height specifications 1350A and 1350B. Width and height specifications 1350A and 1350B includes tolerance values that determine a maximum and minimum dimensional specification for the width and height of the plug 1304. [00077] The plug 1304 also includes OPCs 1330A and 1330B. As shown in Fig. 13B, frontal space on the plug 1304 is limited. To ensure backwards compatibility, OPCs 1330A and 1330B are placed in regions of the plug 1304 that does not include other components. Thus, plug 1304 can be used in receptacles that do not include optical conduits. [00078] Referring to Figs. 14A and 14B a hybrid electrical-optical receptacle is shown. Fig. 14A shows a perspective view of a receptacle 1402. Fig. 14A shows first and second peripheral regions 1490A and 1490B and a central region 1492 adjacent to the first and second peripheral regions 1490A and 1490B. At least a portion of the electrical conduits 1412 (which can include a plurality of electrical conduits) are disposed within the central region 1492. OAC 1406A is disposed within the first peripheral region 1490A and OAC 1406B is disposed within the second peripheral region 1490B. OACs 1406A and 1406B each include a plurality of lenses. Two lenses per OPC are shown in Fig. 14A, but other embodiments can include any number of lenses. Certain embodiments may dispose electrical conduits in regions additional to the central region 1492. In certain embodiments, the forward portion of the receptacle 1402 includes the OACs 1406A and 1406B and the OACs 1406A and 1406B are connected to one or more optical fibers. The optical fibers can run rearward.

[00079] Fig. 14B shows a forward view of the receptacle 1402 that includes mechanical dimensional specifications. Fig. 14B shows a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) configuration receptacle. As shown in Fig. 14B, the receptacle 1402 includes width and height specifications 1450A and 1450B. Width and height specifications 1450A and 1450B includes tolerance values that determine a maximum and minimum dimensional specification for the width and height of the receptacle 1402. Referring to Figs. 13B and 14B, the plug 1304 is configured to be inserted into the receptacle 1402. The plug 1304 can be a minimum height of 4.4 millimeters while the opening of the receptacle 1402 can be a maximum height of 4.6 millimeters. The plug 1304 can be a minimum width of 13.85 millimeters while the opening of the receptacle 1402 can be a maximum width of 14.05 millimeters. As such, the maximum misalignment between the plug 1304 and the receptacle 1402 is 0.2 millimeters in either the height or width direction. Additionally, as shown in Figs. 13B and 14B, the respective first and second OPCs are separated by at least 7 mm. Additionally, the respective electrical conduits are contained within a width of at least 7.2 mm.

[00080] The receptacle 1402 also includes OACs 1406A and 1406B. Frontal space on the plug 1402 is limited and, thus, to ensure backwards compatibility, OACs 1406A and 1406B are placed in regions of the receptacle 1402 that does not include other components. Thus, receptacle 1402 can mate with plugs that do not include optical conduits.

[00081] FIGs. 15, 16, 17, and 18 are front views of exemplary hybrid electrical- optical plugs and receptacles in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figs. 15 and 17 show certain HDMI configuration plugs and Figs. 16 and 18 show certain HDMI configuration receptacles. As shown, Figs. 15 and 16 illustrate a HDMI plug and receptacle combination that includes a plurality of OPCs 1530A and 1530B and OACs 1606A and 1606B and that, via width and height specifications 1550A and 1550B and 1650A and 1650B, respectively, has a maximum misalignment specification of 0.2 millimeters in either the height or width direction. Figs. 17 and 18, via width and height specifications 1750A and 1750B and 1850A and 1850B, respectively, illustrate a HDMI plug and receptacle combination that has a maximum misalignment specification of 0.16 millimeters in either the height or width direction. Additionally, the HDMI plug and receptacle of Figs. 17 and 18, respectively, illustrate a configuration with one OPC 1730A and one OAC 1806A and one OPC 1730B and one OAC 1806B per side. Other embodiments may include any number of OPCs, fiber optic cables, and/or optical conduits such as only one such item and/or any number of plurality of such items.

[00082] Referring now to Fig. 19, an optical conduit 1930 is shown. The optical conduit 1930 is disposed within a cavity 1964 of a plug and/or receptacle and includes lens 1960 and a fiber optic cable 1962 optically coupled to the lens 1960. As shown in Fig. 19, cavity 1964 includes an opening that allows an optical beam to be emitted and/or received by the optical conduit 1930.

[00083] The lens 1960 may be a ball lens. The ball lens configuration of the lens 1960 allows for an optical beam to be emitted and/or received by through a free space gap. The lens 1960 can collimate optical signals from the fiber optic cable 1962 and/or receive collimated optical signals and concentrate them into the fiber optic cable 1962.

[00084] The fiber optic cable 1962 is optically coupled to the lens 1960 so that it can communicate optical signals with the lens 1960 (e.g., provide and/or receive such optical signals). In certain embodiments, the fiber optic cable 1962 may be connected to the lens 1960, but other embodiments may, for example, include an air gap between the lens 1960 and the fiber optic cable 1962. In certain embodiments, the lens 1960 and the fiber optic cable 1962 can constitute an optical conduit. Such an optical conduit may be a ferrule-less optical conduit. [00085] Referring to Figs. 20 and 21 , a method of operation using the hybrid electrical-optical interface is described. Fig. 20 illustrates a block diagram of a hybrid electrical-optical interface. Operation of such an interface is detailed in the flowchart of Fig. 21 .

[00086] Fig. 20 illustrates a hybrid electrical-optical HDMI interface. The interface includes a controller 2000 with a memory 2002A and a processor 2002B. In certain embodiments, the controller 2000 may be a part of the HDMI source 2004 and/or may be communicatively connected to the HDMI source 2004 (e.g., through one or more signal connections) to control at least some of the operation of the HDMI source 2004. The HDMI source 2004 may be configured to provide one or more HDMI signals. Such signals may be electrical and/or optical. The controller 2000 and/or the HDMI source 2004 may be configured to determine whether to provide such signals electrically and/or optically pursuant to the techniques described herein. In certain embodiments, the USB sink 2026 also includes and/or is coupled to a controller 2030 with a memory 2032A and a processor 2032B. For the purposes of this disclosure, techniques and processes described herein as performed by the controller 2000 may also be performed, alternatively or additionally, by the controller 2030.

[00087] The HDMI source 2004 can provide such signals via a low-speed copper signaling 2006, high-speed copper SERDES 2008, and/or optical Tx 2012. In certain embodiments, if the HDMI source 2004 is providing optical signals via the optical Tx 2012, a high-speed optical serializer 2010 may also be included to serialize signals from the HDMI source 2004 into optical signals. Electrical signals from the low- speed copper signaling 2006 and/or high-speed copper SERDES 2008 and/or optical signals from the optical Tx 2012 are communicated to the hybrid optical connector 2014. The receptacle and/or plug described herein may include one or more of the hybrid optical connector 2014, low-speed copper signaling 2006, highspeed copper SERDES 2008, optical Tx 2012, and/or high-speed optical serializer 2010. Such signals are then communicated over the hybrid optical cable 2028 to the hybrid optical connector 2016.

[00088] After receiving the electrical and/or optical signals by the hybrid optical connector 2016, such signals may be passed to the high-speed copper SERDES 2022 and/or low-speed copper signaling 2006, if electrical signals, or optical Rx 2018, if optical signals. Certain embodiments may also include a high-speed optical de-serializer 2020 to de-serialize optical signals. One or more of the hybrid optical connector 2016, low-speed copper signaling 2024, high-speed copper SERDES 2022, optical Rx 2018, and/or high-speed optical de-serializer 2020 can be included in a plug and/or receptacle described herein. Signals from such can then be provided to the HDMI sink 2026. As such, Fig. 20 illustrates a hybrid electrical- optical interface that includes a plug and a receptacle. Both the plug and the receptacle can include optical conduits as well as mating features to allow the plug and receptacle to be mated.

[00089] Referring to Fig. 21 , the plug and receptacle are mated in block 2102. The plug and receptacle, when mated, can include an amount of misalignment up to a maximum amount of misalignment allowed. The misalignment can be misalignment in the height and/or width direction and/or a combination of both (e.g. , also including an angular misalignment portion). When mated, the optical Tx and Rx shown in Fig. 20, which may be optical conduits, may communicate optically through a free space gap.

[00090] After the plug and receptacle are mated in block 2102, the controller may detect whether optical conduits are present on both the plug and/or the receptacle in block 2104. Such a detection may be performed by, for example, communicating one or more test optical signals. If the controller receives an optical signal reply, the controller 2000 may determine that optical conduits (e.g., optical Tx and Rx 2012 and 2018) are present and proceed to block 2106. Otherwise, the controller 2000 may determine that optical conduits are not present and proceed to block 21 10. Other embodiments may determine the presence of optical conduits through other techniques, such as through mechanical techniques (e.g., triggering components and/or sensors with the optical conduit) and/or through other communications techniques.

[00091] If the optical conduits are detected, the bandwidth (e.g., data rate) requirements are determined in block 2106 by the controller 2000. In a certain embodiment, the controller 2000 may determine the amount of data rate required to transmit via the electrical and optical conduits. If such a data rate is lower than a threshold data rate (e.g., the amount and/or speed of data to be transmitted is higher the bandwidth and/or speed of the electrical conduits), then optical signals are provided through the optical conduits. Other embodiments may, additionally or alternatively, determine if bandwidth is available for transmission via the electrical conduits and/or optical conduits. If the optical conduits include available bandwidth, then data may be transmitted via the optical conduits. If such conditions for using the optical conduits are satisfied, the technique may proceed to block 2108. If such conditions are not satisfied, the technique may proceed to block 21 10.

[00092] In block 2108, optical signals may communicate via the optical Tx/Rx 2012/2018. The optical Tx/Rx 2012/2018 may communicate optically through a free space gap as described herein. During communication, block 21 12 may be performed and whether the optical conduits are still in communication may be determined. If the optical conduits are determined to still be in communication, communications can continue to be performed via the optical Tx/Rx 2012/2018 in block 2108. If the optical conduits are determined to have lost connection, the technique may proceed to block 21 10 and communicate via the electrical conduits. [00093] In block 21 10, communications can be performed using the electrical conduits (e.g. , via the high-speed copper 2008/2022 and/or the low-speed copper 2006/2024). In certain embodiments, the techniques described may communicate with either the optical Tx/Rx 2012/2018 and/or the high-speed copper 2008/2022. Such embodiments may communicate separate signals through the low-speed copper 2006/2024, but may use the optical Tx/Rx 2012/2018 to complement and/or supplement signals communicated through the high-speed copper 2008/2022 as such high speed connections may benefit most from the increased speed of the optical Tx/Rx 2012/2018. The connections described herein (e.g., via the optical Tx/Rx, high-speed copper, and/or low-speed copper) may communicate signals from the HDMI source 2004 to the HDMI sink 2026. In certain embodiments, the controller 2000, when communicating with the electrical conduits in block 21 10, may periodically proceed to block 2104 to see if communications may be switched to optical signals.

[00094] As such, an electronic device may utilize the optical communications capability of the hybrid electrical-optical interface if available, while using electrical communications if optical communications are unavailable. Thus, backwards compatibility is retained. [00095] It is appreciated that the technique described in Fig. 21 is exemplary. Other techniques may be performed in an order different from that described in Fig. 21 (e.g., block 21 12, if determined to still be in optical communication, and first return to block 2106), and/or may be performed with different steps. [00096] The foregoing disclosure is not intended to limit the present invention to the precise forms or particular fields of use disclosed. As such, it is contemplated that various alternate embodiments and/or modifications to the present disclosure, whether explicitly described or implied herein, are possible in light of the disclosure. For example, embodiments with one or two optical connections are described, but a person skilled in the art will understand that the present disclosure may cover any number of optical connections that are physically supportable by the host device. Having thus described embodiments of the present disclosure, persons of ordinary skill in the art will recognize advantages over conventional approaches and that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure is limited only by the claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1 . A hybrid electrical-optical interface comprising:

a connector body configured to mate with a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) component in accordance with a predetermined mechanical misalignment tolerance;

a plurality of electrical conduits at least partially disposed within a central region of the connector body and configured to pass electrical signals; and

first and second optical conduits at least partially disposed within first and second peripheral regions of the connector body adjacent to the central region, wherein the optical conduits are configured to pass optical signals through a free space gap formed while the connector body is mated with the HDMI component and configured to maintain communication of the optical signals through the free space gap while the connector body and the HDMI component are within the misalignment tolerance.

2. The hybrid electrical-optical interface of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the optical conduits comprises a lens and a fiber optic cable connected to the lens, wherein the lens is configured to project at least one of the optical signals through the free space gap with a substantially Gaussian power density distribution exceeding a threshold density to maintain the communication during the

misalignment.

3. The hybrid electrical-optical interface of claim 2, wherein the misalignment is at least 0.2 millimeters in a height or width direction.

4. The hybrid electrical-optical interface of claim 1 , wherein the optical conduits extend from a forward portion of the connector body to a rear portion of the connector body and transition from the first and second peripheral regions at the forward portion to the central region at the rear portion, wherein the electrical conduits at least partially surround the optical conduits in at least a portion of the rear portion.

5. The hybrid electrical-optical interface of claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to:

determine a data rate associated with data to be passed by the hybrid electrical-optical interface; and

selectively provide the data through the electrical signals or the optical signals based on the determined data rate.

6. The hybrid electrical-optical interface of claim 1 , wherein the data is encoded by transition-minimized differential signaling (TMDS).

7. The hybrid electrical-optical interface of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the optical conduits is configured to pass at least one of the optical signals along a connector optical beam path substantially aligned with an HDMI component optical beam path while the connector body is mated with the HDMI component.

8. The hybrid electrical-optical interface of claim 1 , wherein the connector body is a plug body or a receptacle body.

9. The hybrid electrical-optical interface of claim 1 , wherein ends of the first and the second optical conduits are separated by at least 7 mm, and wherein the plurality of electrical conduits are contained within a width of at least 7.2 mm.

10. A method comprising:

mating a connector body to a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) component in accordance with a predetermined mechanical misalignment tolerance; passing electrical signals through a plurality of electrical conduits at least partially disposed within a central region of the connector body;

passing optical signals through a free space gap formed while the connector body is mated with the HDMI component via first and second optical conduits at least partially disposed within first and second peripheral regions of the connector body adjacent to the central region; and maintaining communication of the optical signals through the free space gap while the connector body and the HDMI component are within the misalignment tolerance.

1 1 . The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the optical conduits comprises a lens and a fiber optic cable connected to the lens, the method further comprising projecting, by the lens, at least one of the optical signals through the free space gap with a substantially Gaussian power density distribution exceeding a threshold density to maintain the communication during the misalignment.

12. The method of claim 1 1 , wherein the misalignment is at least 0.2 millimeters in a height or width direction.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the optical conduits extend from a forward portion of the connector body to a rear portion of the connector body and transition from the first and second peripheral regions at the forward portion to the central region at the rear portion, wherein the electrical conduits at least partially surround the optical conduits in at least a portion of the rear portion.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining a data rate associated with data to be passed by a hybrid electrical-optical interface comprising the connector body, the electrical conduits, and the optical conduits; and

selectively providing the data through the electrical signals or the optical signals based on the determined data rate.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the data is encoded by transition-minimized differential signaling (TMDS).

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the passing optical signals comprises passing, by at least one of the optical conduits, at least one of the optical signals along a connector optical beam path substantially aligned with an HDMI component optical beam path while the connector body is mated with the HDMI component.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the connector body is a plug body or a receptacle body.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein ends of the first and the second optical conduits are separated by at least 7 mm, and wherein the plurality of electrical conduits are contained within a width of at least 7.2 mm.

19. A method comprising:

determining a data rate associated with data to be passed by a hybrid electrical-optical interface comprising:

a connector body configured to mate with a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) component in accordance with a predetermined mechanical misalignment tolerance,

a plurality of electrical conduits at least partially disposed within a central region of the connector body and configured to pass electrical signals, and

first and second optical conduits at least partially disposed within first and second peripheral regions of the connector body adjacent to the central region and configured to pass optical signals through a free space gap formed while the connector body is mated with the HDMI component; and

selectively providing the data through the electrical signals or the optical signals through the free space gap based on the determined data rate while the connector body and the HDMI component are within the misalignment tolerance.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising detecting a presence of the first and second optical conduits prior to the providing.