US 12,442,984 B2
Integrated connector-wavelength division multiplexing device and fiber optic module including such devices
Scott William Ramsdell, Charlotte, NC (US)
Assigned to CORNING RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, Corning, NY (US)
Filed by CORNING RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, Corning, NY (US)
Filed on Sep. 16, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/946,219.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/251,793, filed on Oct. 4, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0108598 A1, Apr. 6, 2023
Int. Cl. G02B 6/293 (2006.01); F21V 8/00 (2006.01); G02B 6/44 (2006.01); H04J 14/02 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 6/2937 (2013.01) [G02B 6/0026 (2013.01); G02B 6/44526 (2023.05); G02B 6/44528 (2023.05); H04J 14/0201 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) module, comprising:
a module body defining an interior;
a bulkhead at a front portion of the module body, the bulkhead including one or more adapters defining a plurality of rear ports accessible from the interior of the module body and a plurality of front ports accessible from an exterior of the module body; and
a plurality of integrated connector-WDM devices in the interior of the module body and connected to respective rear ports of the bulkhead, wherein each integrated connector-WDM device of the plurality of integrated connector-WDM devices comprises:
a housing defining a housing interior and including a connector interface having at least one ferrule;
a device input optical fiber extending from the housing and configured to carry an input optical beam having a plurality of optical signals each having a different wavelength;
a device output optical fiber extending from the housing and configured to carry an output optical beam having a plurality of optical signals each having a different wavelength; and
a plurality of channel filters positioned in the housing interior, wherein a first channel filter of the plurality of channel filters is connected to the device input optical fiber, wherein a second channel filter of the plurality of channel filters is connected to the device output optical fiber; and
a plurality of submodules positioned in the interior of the module body and including at least one input submodule and a plurality of WDM submodules,
wherein the at least one input submodule includes a plurality of group bandpass filters, each of the plurality of group bandpass filters having a bandpass output optical fiber configured to carry an optical beam having a plurality of optical signals each of a different wavelength,
wherein each of the plurality of WDM submodules includes at least one of the integrated connector-WDM devices,
wherein each of the bandpass output optical fibers is connected to a respective one of the plurality of WDM submodules; and
wherein at least one of the plurality of channel filters is configured to separate at least one optical signal from the plurality of optical signals of the device input optical beam and provide the at least one optical signal to the at least one ferrule.