JPH0357628B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to an optical transmission device with an optical bypass mechanism suitable for use as a station in an optical communication network, for example.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems] Conventionally, a station in an optical communication network
As shown in FIG. A, it is composed of an optical switch 1, an optical transmitter 2, and an optical receiver 3. The optical input signal from the transmission line 4 passes through the optical switch 1 to the optical receiver 3.
and converted into an electrical signal. When this station operates as a relay station, for example, this electrical signal is converted into an optical signal again by the optical transmitter 2, and is sent to the transmission line 4 as an optical output via the optical switch 1, and is transmitted to the connected station. sent to.

In such a station, if a failure occurs in the station system, the optical switch 1 is switched as shown in FIG. 6B, and the optical input port 5 and optical output port 6 connected to the transmission lines 4 By directly connecting the optical communication network to the optical communication network and bypassing the failed station, the entire optical communication network is prevented from becoming unusable. In the figure, 7 is a prism, and 8 is a drive mechanism for moving the prism.

Therefore, each station in such an optical communication network is a system that combines an optical switch 1, an optical transmitter 2, an optical receiver 3, and two optical fibers 9, 9 as a whole.

Therefore, the conventional system has the following drawbacks.

Since the optical switch 1 is used to connect the transmission lines 4, 4 and the optical transmitter 2 and optical receiver 3, an optical connector is used between the transmission lines 4, 4, the optical transmission line 2, and the optical receiver 3. 10 is added at two locations, and the coupling loss increases.

The number of parts that make up the system is large, the installation space is large, and reliability is reduced.

[Object of the Invention] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a compact and highly reliable optical transmission device in which coupling loss can be reduced without increasing the number of optical connector coupling parts. It is something.

[Summary of the Invention] The present invention is an optical transmission device that integrates an optical switch, an optical transmitter, and an optical receiver, and instead of switching optical waveguides using a prism or the like, the optical transmitter and optical receiver are directly moved. This is an optical transmission device equipped with an optical bypass function, which is characterized by realizing an optical switch function and reducing the number of optical connector coupling parts.

[Embodiment 1 of the Invention] Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows a schematic configuration diagram.

That is, the drive mechanism 15 is fixed to a housing 14 that includes a light input port 12 and a light output port 13 that are connected to an optical connector of an external transmission path. A movable body 16 is provided that moves linearly within the housing 14 in the direction indicated by an arrow 24 to a first position and a second position by this drive mechanism 15. This movable body 1
6, an optical waveguide 17, an optical transmitter 18, and an optical receiver 19 using, for example, a plastic optical fiber are fixed. The optical transmitter 18 is the light emitting element 2
0, and the optical receiver 19 includes a light receiving element 21.

When the movable body 16 is in the first position, the optical axis of the light entrance port 12 and the entrance end surface 17a of the optical waveguide 17
The optical axes of the light output port 13 and the optical axis of the light output end face 17b of the optical waveguide 17 coincide with each other. Therefore, the optical signal entering the light input port 12 exits from the light output port 13 as is. In other words, in this state, the optical transmission device has a bypass function.

Furthermore, when the movable body 16 is in the second position, the optical axis of the light input port 12 and the optical axis of the light receiving element 21 coincide, and the optical axis of the light output port 13 and the optical axis of the light emitting element 21 coincide with each other.
The optical axes of 0 coincide. An optical signal entering from the light input port 12 is converted into an electrical signal by the light receiving element 21 and outputted from the external terminal 22. Conversely, an electrical signal entering the external terminal 22 is converted into an optical signal by the light emitting element 20 and output from the light output port 13. That is, in this state, the optical transmitter 18 and the optical receiver 19
is connected to an external transmission line.

As described above, according to the optical transmission device of the present invention,
Optical loss from converting an electrical signal into an optical signal to outputting it from the light output port, or from converting an optical signal input from the optical input port into an electrical signal, occurs between the light output port 13 and the light emitting element 20 or between the light output port 13 and the light emitting element 20. , there is only one location between the light incidence port 12 and the light receiving element 21. Therefore, coupling loss can be reduced, and optical coupling between the external transmission line and the light emitting/light receiving element can be efficiently performed. Therefore, the transmission distance can be extended.

Furthermore, since the present invention is an optical transmission device having both an optical switch function and a photoelectric conversion function, it can be easily miniaturized and its reliability can be improved compared to the conventional example shown in FIG.

Note that the optical waveguide 17 is not limited to an optical fiber, and may be formed by, for example, a condenser lens or filled with a translucent substance.

[Embodiment 2 of the invention] Next, a second embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to FIG.

That is, in this embodiment, the plastic optical fiber 17 of the optical waveguide is bent into a U-shape, and the light incident end face 17a is bent into a U-shape.
The light emitting end face 17b, and furthermore, the optical transmitter 18 and the optical receiver 19 are provided on the same side of the movable body 16. Correspondingly, the light entrance port 12 and the light exit port 13 are arranged on the same surface of the housing 14.

According to this embodiment, the light input port 12 and the light output port 13 are located on the same surface of the housing, and the operability of connecting the optical connectors of the external transmission line is significantly improved.

[Embodiment 3 of the Invention] Next, a third embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4A shows a sectional view, and FIG. 4B shows a front view.

That is, in this embodiment, the moving direction of the movable body 16 is set to be the rotational direction as shown by the arrow 30.
The drive mechanism can be easily used not only in a linear movement type but also in a rotational movement type.

[Embodiment 4 of the invention] Next, a fourth embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to FIG.

That is, in this embodiment, the condenser lens 32 is disposed at at least one of the light entrance port 12 and the light exit port 13. In this embodiment, any of a condensing lens, an optical fiber, or a transparent material can be used for the optical waveguide 17, and at the same time, optical loss can be significantly reduced.

Note that the optical waveguide 17 may be a space without arranging an optical fiber or the like. In this case, it is not necessary to provide the optical waveguide 17 inside the movable body 16.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the optical coupling between the external transmission line and the optical transmitter/optical receiver is at only one location, the optical input port section or the optical output port section, so that the optical coupling is improved. Loss can be reduced and transmission distance can be easily extended. Furthermore, since it is an optical transmission device that has both an optical switch function and a photoelectric conversion function, it can be made smaller and has improved reliability.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 3 is a simplified sectional view showing a second embodiment of the invention, and Fig. 4 shows a third embodiment of the invention. FIG. 5 is a simplified sectional view showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a conventional system diagram of an optical transmission device equipped with an optical bypass function. 12... Light entrance port, 13... Light exit port, 14... Housing, 15... Drive mechanism, 16...
Movable body, 16, 17... Optical waveguide, 17a... Light incident end face, 17b... Light output end face, 18... Optical transmitter, 19... Optical receiver, 20... Light emitting element, 2
0, 21... Light emitting element 21.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A casing including a light entrance port and a light exit port; a drive mechanism fixed to the casing; and a drive mechanism located inside the casing;
a movable body movable between a first position and a second position; when the movable body is located at the first position, an optical axis of an input end face coincides with an optical axis of the light input port, and an output end face an optical waveguide provided such that its optical axis coincides with the optical axis of the light exit port; An optical transmission device with an optical bypass mechanism, comprising: a light receiving element fixed to a body; and a light emitting element fixed to a movable body so as to coincide with the optical axis of the light output port. 2. The optical transmission device with an optical bypass mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the optical waveguide is fixed to a movable body. 3. The optical transmission device with an optical bypass mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the optical waveguide is an optical fiber. 4. The optical transmission device with an optical bypass mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the optical waveguide is a condenser lens. 5. The optical transmission device with an optical bypass mechanism according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the light input port and the light output port is provided with a condenser lens.