JPH0559592B2 - - 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]

Traditionally, a station in an optical communication network
As shown in Figure 0a, an optical switch 1 and an optical transmitter 2
and an optical receiver 3. Transmission line 4
The optical input signal is input to the optical receiver 3 via the optical switch 1 and converted into an electrical signal. When this station operates, for example, as a relay station, this electrical signal is converted into an optical signal again by the optical transmitter 2, passes through the optical switch 1, and is sent as an optical output to the transmission line 4.
and then to subsequent stations.

In such a station, if a failure occurs in the station system, the optical switch 1 should be
The optical input port 5 and the optical output port 6 connected to the transmission lines 4 and 4 are directly connected to bypass the failed station and prevent the entire optical communication network from becoming unusable. There is. In the figure, 7
8 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 transmitters 4, 4 and the optical transmitter 2 and optical receiver 3, an optical connector is used between the transmission lines 4, 4 and the optical transmitter 2 and 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.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been devised 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 particularly increasing the number of optical connector coupling sections.

[Summary of the invention]

The present invention is an optical transmission device in which a light emitting element and a light receiving element are fixed to a housing, and an optical switch, an optical transmitter, and an optical receiver are integrally configured, and the optical waveguide provided in the movable part is 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 explained with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram, and FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a movable part.

That is, an optical transmitter 15, an optical receiver 16, and a drive mechanism 1 are installed in 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.
7 is fixed. With this drive mechanism 17,
arrow 2 inside the housing 14 to the first position and the second position.
A movable body 18 that moves linearly in the direction indicated by 5 is provided. This movable body 18 includes optical waveguides 21 and 2 using plastic optical fibers, for example.
Three numbers 2 and 23 are fixed. The optical transmitter 15 includes a light emitting element 19 and the optical receiver 16 includes a light receiving element 20.

When the movable body 18 is in the first position, the optical axis of the light entrance port 12 and the light entrance end face 21 of the optical waveguide 21
The optical axes of a coincide with each other, and the optical axes of the light output port 13 and the optical axis of the light output end face 21b of the optical waveguide 21 coincide with each other. Therefore, the optical signal entering the light input port 12 exits from the light output port 13 as it is. In other words, in this state, the optical transmission device has a bypass function.

When the movable body 18 is in the second position, the optical axis of the light input port 12 and the optical axis of the light input end face 22a of the optical waveguide 22 coincide with each other, and the optical axis of the light output end face 22b of the optical waveguide 22 coincides with the optical axis of the light input end face 22a of the optical waveguide 22. The optical axes of the light receiving elements 20 coincide. At the same time, the optical axis of the light output port 13 and the optical axis of the light output end surface 23b of the optical waveguide 23 coincide with each other, and the optical axis of the light input end surface 23a of the optical waveguide 23 and the optical axis of the light emitting element 19 coincide with each other. An optical signal entering from the light input port 12 is converted into an electrical signal by the light receiving element 20, and is sent to an external terminal 24 via a lead wire (not shown).
Go outside. Conversely, an electrical signal input from the external terminal 24 is converted into an optical signal by the light emitting element 19 and output from the light output port 13. That is, in this state, the optical transmitter 15 and the optical receiver 16 are connected to the external transmission path.

As described above, according to the optical transmission device of the present invention, the optical loss between converting an electrical signal into an optical signal and outputting it from the light output port 13, or converting the optical signal input from the light input port 12 into an electrical signal. The optical loss up to
and the light emitting element 19, or between the light input port 12 and the light input end face 22a of the optical waveguide 22 and the optical waveguide 22.
This is the sum of the two locations between the light emitting end surface 22b and the light receiving element 20. Therefore, the number of optical coupling parts is smaller than in the past, the coupling loss can be reduced, and the optical coupling between the external transmission line and the light emitting/light receiving element can be performed efficiently. Therefore, the transmission distance can be extended more easily than before.

Further, the present invention is an optical transmission device having both an optical switch function and a photoelectric conversion function, and a light receiving element and a light emitting element are fixed to a housing serving as a case. Therefore, the movable body itself can be made lightweight, and the electromagnetic current and solenoid current of the drive mechanism and solenoid members can be reduced proportionally, making it possible to drive the movable body at high speed with low power consumption. There is also no need for electrical wiring to the movable body, and high reliability can be achieved without deterioration of the wiring and connector parts due to bending and stretching of the wiring.As there is no need for electrical wiring to the movable body, assembly work is also easy.

Note that the optical waveguide 21 is not limited to an optical fiber, and may be formed by, for example, a condensing 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 the drawings. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a movable part.

That is, in this embodiment, three optical waveguides 21, 2
By configuring 2 and 23 in a straight line, it is possible to easily use not only an optical fiber but also a condensing lens or a translucent material as each optical waveguide. Note that the light input port 12 and the light transmitter 15, and the light output port 13 and the light receiver 16 are in a vertical positional relationship on the plane of the drawing.

According to this embodiment, it can be used regardless of the material of the optical waveguide, and furthermore, since the optical waveguide has a straight shape, processing efficiency is significantly improved.

[Embodiment 3 of the Invention] Next, a third embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to FIG. 6.

That is, in this embodiment, the optical waveguide 22, the optical waveguide 2
3, an optical fiber is used, and the light output end face 22b of the optical waveguide 22 and the light input end face 23a of the optical waveguide 23 are drawn out from the movable part 18. Optical waveguide 2
The light emitting end face 22b of the optical waveguide 23 is fixed at a position where the optical axes of the light receiving element 20 of the optical receiver 16 and the light receiving element 20 of the optical waveguide 23 coincide with each other, and the light input end face 23a of the optical waveguide 23 is fixed at a position where the optical axes of both the light receiving element 20 of the optical receiver 16 and the light receiving element 20 of the optical waveguide 23 coincide with each other. Fixed in matching position. Note that the movable parts 18 of the optical waveguides 22 and 23
The portion extending from the movable portion 18 is formed to be slightly longer so as not to hinder the movement of the movable portion 18.

According to this embodiment, the optical waveguide 22 and the optical receiver 1
6. Since the optical waveguide 23 and the optical transmitter 15 are fixed at appropriate positions in advance, they are connected to the external transmission line and the transmitter.
Since the coupling efficiency between the light receiving elements is less affected by the movement of the movable part, reliability is improved.

[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 28 is disposed on 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 21, and at the same time, optical loss can be significantly reduced.

Note that the optical waveguide 21 may be a space as shown in FIG. 8 without arranging an optical fiber or the like. In this case, it is not necessary to separately provide the optical waveguide 21 inside the movable body 18.

[Embodiment 5 of the Invention] Next, a fifth embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to FIG. 9.

That is, in this embodiment, a combination of reflecting prisms 31 and 32 and condensing lenses 29 and 30 is used in the second and third optical waveguides. With this embodiment, the optical waveguide can be easily fixed to the movable body 18 with high precision.

Note that one or both of the condensing lenses 30 and 29 may be omitted depending on the case, and a condensing lens may be attached to at least one of the light input port 12 and the light output port 13.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the optical coupling between the external transmission line, the optical transmitter, and the optical receiver is performed at two locations each: the optical input port section and the optical receiver section, or the optical output port section and the optical transmitter section. Therefore, the optical coupling loss can be reduced and the 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. Furthermore, since the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element are fixed to the housing as a case, the movable body can be made lightweight, and the movable body can be driven at high speed with low power consumption, and wiring can be done by bending and stretching the wire.・High reliability can be achieved without deterioration of the connector part, and assembly work is also easier.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

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 schematic diagram of a movable part showing the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a movable part showing a second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a movable part showing a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. The figure is a schematic block diagram showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 9 is a schematic block diagram showing a fifth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10 is a conventional optical transmission device equipped with an optical bypass function. FIG. 1... Optical switch, 2, 15... Optical transmitter,
3, 16... Optical receiver, 4... Transmission line, 5, 12
...Light input port, 6,13...Light output port,
7... Prism, 8, 17... Drive mechanism, 9...
Optical fiber, 10... Optical connector, 14... Housing, 18... Movable body, 19... Light emitting element, 20...
... Light receiving element, 21, 22, 23 ... Optical waveguide, 2
4... External terminal, 28, 29, 30... Condensing lens, 31, 32... Reflecting prism.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A housing having a light entrance port and a light output port; a light emitting element and a light receiving element fixed to the housing; a drive mechanism fixed to the housing; and a drive mechanism fixed to the housing; a movable body located inside and movable between a first position and a second position by the drive mechanism; when the movable body is located at the first position;
a first optical waveguide in which an optical axis of an input end face coincides with an optical axis of the light input port, and an optical axis of an output end face coincides with an optical axis of the light output port; the movable body is in the second position; When located,
a second optical waveguide in which an optical axis of an input end face coincides with an optical axis of the light input port, and an optical axis of an output end face coincides with an optical axis of the light receiving element; and the movable body is located at the second position. and when,
the optical axis of the incident end surface coincides with the optical axis of the light emitting element,
An optical transmission device with an optical bypass function, comprising: a third optical waveguide whose optical axis of the output end face coincides with the optical axis of the light output port. 2. The optical transmission device with an optical bypass function according to claim 1, wherein the first optical waveguide is fixed to the movable body. 3. The optical transmission device with an optical bypass function according to claim 1, wherein the second optical waveguide and the third optical waveguide are fixed to the movable body. 4. The optical transmission device with an optical bypass function according to claim 1, wherein the first optical waveguide is made of an optical fiber. 5. The optical transmission device with an optical bypass function according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the light entrance port and the light exit port is provided with a condenser lens. 6 The second optical waveguide and the third optical waveguide are
2. An optical transmission device with an optical bypass function according to claim 1, wherein each optical fiber is made of an optical fiber. 7. The optical transmission device with an optical bypass function according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the second optical waveguide and the third optical waveguide has a condenser lens. 8. The optical transmission device with an optical bypass function according to claim 1, further comprising a reflecting prism in at least one of the second optical waveguide and the third optical waveguide.