JPH0544003B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an optical branching device for optical signals in an optical waveguide.

[Conventional technology]

Figures 4 and 5 are, for example, published in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-73225.
This is a conventional optical branching device shown in the No. ``Optical Switch.''

In FIGS. 4 and 5, FIG. 4a shows a branching device of an optical switch, and a transmission prism 51 outputs light from an upper light input end 52 to a lower light output end 53. The optical signal is configured to be transmitted through the B station 61 in FIG. There is. In this way, the optical signal from the A station 64 is transmitted to the B station 61, the C station 62, and the D station 66 through the optical fiber 65. And during normal operation, each station B, C, D station 6
1, 62, and 66 amplify the optical signal to compensate for attenuation in the optical path.

If a failure occurs at one of these stations, the prism 51 is removed from the optical path L above the optical switch 63, as shown in Figure 4b, and the light is transmitted to the next station without being split or amplified. It is structured like this.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

Conventional optical branching devices are configured as described above, so if the power supply to stations B, C, and D is cut off, the prism cannot be removed from the optical path, and the light amplification can't do it,
There was a problem in which the light could not be transmitted to the next station.

This invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide an optical branching device that can transmit light to the next station even if the power supply to each station is cut off. .

[Means for solving problems]

The optical branching device according to the present invention is arranged between a waveguide 1 and a waveguide 2 such as an optical fiber, and
a half mirror 31 tilted at a certain angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to the direction of the optical path A of the waveguides 1 and 2; and a light receiving amplifier 32 that captures and amplifies the light output from the waveguide 1 and reflected by the half mirror 31. a transparent member 3 having an integral structure made of a transparent resin body 33; and a transparent member 3 which is arranged on the opposite side of the light receiving amplifier 32 with the half mirror 31 in between, and is driven by the light receiving amplifier 32 and is connected through the half mirror 31. A light emitting element 4 for inputting light into the waveguide 2 is provided.

Further, the photodetector according to the second invention is characterized in that, in addition to the above configuration, it includes an auxiliary storage battery 6 inserted in parallel to the power supply terminal 5 that supplies power to the light receiving amplifier 32. It is something to do.

[Effect]

The light output from the waveguide 1 is split by the half mirror 31 of the transparent member 3, one branched light passes through the half mirror 31 and enters the waveguide 2, and the other branched light passes through the half mirror 31. 31 and enters the light receiving amplifier 32. Light receiving amplifier 32
amplifies the output of the received light and drives the light emitting element 4 with this amplified output.

Here, the light emitted from the light emitting element 4 enters the waveguide 2 via the half mirror 31.

Even if the power supply to the light receiving amplifier 32 is cut off for some reason, the waveguide 1 to the half mirror 3
Since the optical path A of the light that passes through the waveguide 1 and enters the waveguide 2 is secured, the light is transmitted to the next station without being amplified.

Furthermore, the auxiliary storage battery 6 in the second invention stores electricity while power is being supplied, and supplies power to the light receiving amplifier 32 when the power is cut off, so even if the power is cut off, the auxiliary storage battery 6 does not amplify the light. Transmit to the next station.

[One embodiment of the invention]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an optical branching device 1A showing an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 and 2 are waveguides made of optical fibers, etc., and 3 is a space between waveguide 1 and waveguide 2. The optical path A of the waveguides 1 and 2 is
A predetermined angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to the direction of , i.e. 45
A transparent member in which a half mirror 31 tilted by a degree and a light receiving amplifier 32 that captures and amplifies the light output from the waveguide 1 and reflected by the half mirror 31 are integrated with a transparent resin body 33, 4 is the half mirror 31
This is a light emitting element that is disposed on the opposite side of the light receiving amplifier 32 across the light receiving amplifier 32 and is driven by the light receiving amplifier 32 to input light into the waveguide 2 via the half mirror 31. Therefore, the optical branching device 1A is constructed by integrating a half mirror 31, a light receiving amplifier 32, and a light emitting element 4.

Here, the half mirror 31 is constructed by depositing metal powder such as aluminum, indium, or tin on the light-receiving surface on the side of the waveguide 1, and of course, it is made of semi-transparent reflective polyester on which these metal powders are deposited. A film may be attached to the surface, or a half mirror made of glass may be provided. The light-receiving amplifier 32 includes, for example, a photodetector 32a made of a photodiode PD, an electronic amplifier circuit 32b, a constant voltage power supply 32c, and an output drive transistor 32d. It is connected to the light emitting element 4 through a resistor R. The anode of this light emitting element 4 is connected to the power supply terminal 5 of the light receiving amplifier 32.
It is connected to the.

FIG. 2 shows an optical branching device 1A configured in this way.
The structure of the power supply terminal 5 of each station B, C, and D that supplies power to the station is shown.

The following operation will be explained.

The light output from the waveguide 1 passes through the half mirror 31
One of the branched lights is input to the waveguide 2.

The other branched light is reflected by the half mirror 31 and input to the light receiving amplifier 32. The photodetector 32a of the light receiving amplifier 32 detects this light and outputs a detection signal to the electronic amplification circuit 32b.

When the electronic amplifier 32b amplifies the detection signal and drives the output drive transistor 32d, the output drive transistor 32d controls the light emission of the light emitting element 4. The light output from the light emitting element 4 is reflected by the half mirror 31 and input to the waveguide 2. Here, the power output from the power supply terminals 5 of each station B, C, and D is stably maintained at a constant voltage by a constant voltage power supply 32c, and is supplied to the light receiving amplifier 32.

For example, if power is no longer supplied from the power supply terminal 5 for some reason while the light output from the waveguide 1 is being amplified and input to the waveguide 2, the light emitting element 4 will no longer emit light. ,
Since the optical path from the waveguide 1 through the half mirror 31 and input to the waveguide 2 is secured, the light can be transmitted to the next station although it is not amplified.

Moreover, FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of an optical branching device showing the second invention.

As shown in FIG. 3, this second invention includes an auxiliary storage battery 6 such as a lithium battery inserted in parallel with the power supply terminal 5, and a backflow prevention diode between the power supply terminal 5 and the auxiliary storage battery 6. 7 has been inserted.

In such a configuration, while power is being supplied from the power supply terminal 5 to the light receiving amplifier 32, power is stored in the auxiliary storage battery 6, and the power is stored in the auxiliary storage battery 6,
When power is no longer supplied from the auxiliary storage battery 6
power is supplied to the light receiving amplifier 32 by.

Therefore, even if power is no longer supplied from the power supply terminal 5, the optical branching device 1A can amplify the light and transmit it to the next station.

In the present invention, it has been found that even if the response delay inside the light receiving amplifier 32 to the light transmitted through the half mirror 31 is 1 μm, there is no problem with low-speed signal transmission such as 9600 bps.

Furthermore, this embodiment has a transparent member 3 with an approximately 10 mm solid shape, which has an integrated structure of a light receiving amplifier 32 consisting of an IC of only 3 mm square, and a half mirror 31 with a transparent resin body 33, and a transparent member 3 with an approximately 10 mm solid shape that is almost the same as this transparent member 3. Since the light emitting device 4 is only combined with the light emitting element 4, it is possible to provide an ultra-compact integrated optical branching device 1A having an optical fiber connection structure. Moreover, this optical branching device 1A can also be used as an optical branching connector.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, in this invention, a half mirror is arranged between waveguides, and the light reflected by the half mirror is amplified and input to the waveguide, so attenuation in the optical path is reduced. Even if power is no longer supplied from the power supply terminal, the optical path that passes through the half mirror and is input from the waveguide to the waveguide is ensured. Light can be transmitted to the next station.

Further, according to the second invention, since the auxiliary storage battery is inserted in parallel with the power supply terminal that supplies power, even if power is no longer supplied from the power supply terminal, the auxiliary storage battery supplies power. This allows the light to be amplified and transmitted to the next station.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of an optical branching device showing an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a diagram showing a power supply device that supplies power to the optical branching device, and Fig. 3 is an embodiment of the second invention. A configuration diagram of the optical branching device showing FIG. 4a and b.
5 is a configuration diagram of a conventional optical branching device, and FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing the connection state of the optical branching device. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 2... Waveguide, 3... Transparent member, 4... Light emitting element, 31... Half mirror, 32... Light receiving amplifier, 5... Power supply terminal, 6... Auxiliary storage battery.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A half mirror arranged between a waveguide such as an optical fiber and the waveguide and inclined at a certain angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to the direction of the optical path of the waveguide, and a transparent member having an integrated structure of a transparent resin body with a light-receiving amplifier that outputs light and captures and amplifies the light reflected by the half mirror, and arranged on the opposite side of the light-receiving amplifier with the half mirror in between, and and a light emitting element driven by the light receiving amplifier to input light into the waveguide via the half mirror, and the light from the light emitting element is added to the light transmitted through the half mirror and amplified. Branching device. 2. A half mirror arranged between waveguides such as optical fibers and inclined at a certain angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to the direction of the optical path of the waveguide, and a half mirror that is output from the waveguide and a transparent member having an integral structure of a light-receiving amplifier that captures and amplifies the reflected light using a transparent resin; and a transparent member that is arranged on the opposite side of the half mirror from the light-receiving amplifier and is driven by the light-receiving amplifier. a light emitting element that makes light enter the waveguide via a half mirror; and an auxiliary storage battery inserted in parallel with a power supply terminal that supplies power to the light receiving amplifier. Branching device.