Transceiver module including optical sensor at a rotationally symmetric position
View Patent ↗An optoelectronic module includes a transceiver operable to transmit data optically. The transceiver includes a light emitter to emit light from the module, and a light detector to detect light entering the module. The light detector is disposed at a rotationally symmetric position with respect to a central axis of the module. Such modules can help facilitate the exchange of data optically between two devices.
1. An optoelectronic module comprising:
a transceiver operable to transmit data optically, the transceiver including:
a light emitter to emit light from the module; and
a light detector to detect light entering the module, the light detector being disposed at a rotationally symmetric position with respect to a central axis of the module,
a first lens element to project light from the light emitter out of the module into a far field; and
a second lens element to project light from the light emitter out of the module into a near field,
wherein the first lens element to project light into the far field has a narrower field-of-view than the second lens element to project light into the near field, and wherein the first and second lens elements are arranged such that light from the first lens element passes out of the module without passing through the second lens element, and such that light from the second lens element passes out of the module without passing through the first lens element.
2. The optoelectronic module of claim 1 wherein the light emitter and light detector are mounted on a substrate, and wherein the module's central axis is perpendicular to a plane of the substrate.
3. The optoelectronic module of claim 2 wherein the substrate is composed at least partially of silicon.
4. The optoelectronic module of claim 2 wherein the substrate has a cavity in a surface opposite a surface of the substrate on which the light emitter and light detector are mounted, and wherein supporting architecture for the light emitter and light detector are disposed within the cavity.
5. The optoelectronic module of claim 1 wherein the second lens element is a torus lens.
6. The optoelectronic module of claim 1 wherein the second lens element circumscribes the first lens element.
7. The optoelectronic module of claim 1 further including a third lens element to facilitate collection of incoming light by the light detector from both the far field and the near field.
8. The optoelectronic module of claim 1 wherein the light emitter is a laser diode or a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL).
9. The optoelectronic module of claim 1 wherein both the light emitter and light detector are operable at a rate of gigabytes per second.
10. The optoelectronic module of claim 1 wherein the transceiver is operable in a half-duplex mode.
11. A first device operable to communicate with another such device, the first device comprising:
a transceiver module operable to transmit and receive data optically at a rate of gigabytes per second, the transceiver module including:
a light emitter to emit light from the device;
a light detector to detect light entering the transceiver module, the light detector being disposed at a rotationally symmetric position with respect to a central axis of the transceiver module;
a first lens element to project light from the light emitter out of the transceiver module into a far field; and
a second lens element to project light from the light emitter out of the transceiver module into a near field,
wherein the first lens element to project light into the far field has a narrower field-of-view than the second lens element, and wherein the first and second lens elements are arranged such that light from the first lens element passes out of the transceiver module without passing through the second lens element, and such that light from the second lens element passes out of the transceiver module without passing through the first lens element.
12. The first device of claim 11 wherein the transceiver module is operable in a half-duplex mode.
13. The first device of claim 11 further including a third lens element to facilitate collection of incoming light by the light detector from both the far field and the near field.
14. The first device of claim 11 wherein the light emitter is a laser diode or a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL).
15. The first device of claim 11 wherein the light detector is a photodiode composed of one or more III-V compound semiconductor materials.
16. The first device of claim 11 wherein the first device is a handheld mobile device.
17. The first device of claim 16 wherein the handheld mobile device is a smart phone.