Optical interconnect device, information processing device and data transmission method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9696538-B2
Application number	US-201414561606-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 5, 2014
Priority date	Dec 19, 2013
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

To provide a high-density optical interconnect device, information processing device and data transmission method which are able to suppress limitations caused by the widening of light beams and the size of lenses. An optical interconnect unit includes a plurality of first lenses and a plurality of second lenses corresponding to a plurality of light-emitting element groups, and a plurality of light beams emitted from the plurality of light-emitting element groups pass through plurality of first lenses and the plurality of second lenses. The optical interconnect unit also includes a plurality of third lenses and a plurality of fourth lenses, and light beam groups pass through any one of the plurality of third lenses and the plurality of fourth lenses, and are focused by any one of a plurality of light-receiving element groups that include a plurality of light-receiving elements.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An information processing device comprising:
a first information processing block for generating a plurality of first data sets;
a second information processing block for receiving input of a plurality of second data sets;
an optical interconnect unit for transmitting the plurality of first data sets from the first information processing block using a light beam, and inputting the data sets to the second information processing block as the plurality of second data sets, wherein the optical interconnect unit comprises:
a plurality of light-emitting element groups each having a plurality of light-emitting elements;
a plurality of light-receiving element groups each having a plurality of light-receiving elements;
a plurality of focusing mechanisms each including at least a first convex lens, a second convex lens, a third convex lens, and a fourth convex lens, the focusing mechanisms being provided in parallel to each light-emitting element group included in the plurality of light-emitting element groups to integrate light beams from the plurality of light-emitting elements in the light-emitting element group and to focus the light beams on any light-receiving element group included in the plurality of light-receiving element groups;

wherein the first convex lens is arranged opposite the light-emitting element group and the fourth convex lens is arranged opposite the light-receiving element group in each focusing mechanism among the plurality of focusing mechanisms, and wherein each focusing mechanism further includes a movable member that is able to change the position of the first convex lens in a direction extending from the light-emitting element group to the light-receiving element group;
wherein, in each focusing mechanism among the plurality of focusing mechanisms, the second convex lens is arranged opposite the first convex lens, the first convex lens intervening between the light-emitting element group and the second convex lens, and the third convex lens is arranged opposite the fourth convex lens, the fourth convex lens intervening between the light-receiving element group and the third convex lens; and
wherein the movable member is a piezoelectric element, and the movable member is arranged in a position that allows the movable member to not interfere with optical paths between lenses.

2. The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the optical interconnect unit further comprises:
in the optical interconnect unit, a light beam from at least one light-emitting element among the plurality of light-emitting elements included in at least one of the plurality of light-emitting element groups being focused on two or more light-receiving elements included in a corresponding light-receiving element group.

3. The information processing device according to claim 2 , wherein the plurality of light-emitting element groups include at least two light-emitting elements, the plurality of light-receiving element groups include at least three light receiving elements and the plurality of light-receiving element groups include at least more light-receiving elements than the number of light-emitting elements, and the light beam from one light-emitting element included in one light-emitting element group among the light-emitting element groups is focused on two or more light-receiving elements included in any light-receiving element group among the light-receiving element groups.

4. The information processing device according to claim 2 , wherein the number of first data sets output by the first information processing block is at least one, and the number of second data sets inputted to the second information processing block is at least one.

5. The information processing device according to claim 4 , wherein:
the first information processing block includes an encoder for encoding the first data sets into signals supplied to the light-emitting elements, and
the second information processing block includes a decoder for decoding signals from the light-receiving elements into the second data sets.

6. A data transmission method for an information processing device, the data transmission method comprising the steps of:
encoding at least one first data sets into at least two signals using an encoding matrix including preset correspondence relationships, wherein the number of signals is greater than the number of first data sets;
switching the signals into at least three signals using a switching matrix including preset correspondence relationships;
decoding the signals into at least one second data sets using a decoding matrix including preset correspondence relationships, wherein the number of second data sets is less than the number of switched signals, wherein transmission of data sets further comprises transmitting data through an optical interconnect device, wherein the encoding matrix, the switching matrix, and the decoding matrix are included within the optical interconnect device, and wherein transmitting data through the optical interconnect device further comprises transmitting data sets through:
a plurality of light-emitting element groups each having a plurality of light-emitting elements;
a plurality of light-receiving element groups each having a plurality of light-receiving elements;
a plurality of focusing mechanisms each including at least a first convex lens, a second convex lens, a third convex lens, and a fourth convex lens, the focusing mechanisms being provided in parallel to each light-emitting element group included in the plurality of light-emitting element groups to integrate light beams from the plurality of light-emitting elements in the light-emitting element group and to focus the light beams on any light-receiving element group included in the plurality of light-receiving element groups;

wherein the first convex lens is arranged opposite the light-emitting element group and the fourth convex lens arranged opposite the light-receiving element group in each focusing mechanism among the plurality of focusing mechanisms, and wherein each focusing mechanism further includes a movable member that is able to change the position of the first convex lens in a direction extending from the light-emitting element group to the light-receiving element group;
wherein, in each focusing mechanism among the plurality of focusing mechanisms, the second convex lens is arranged opposite the first convex lens, the first convex lens intervening between the light-emitting element group and the second convex lens, and the third convex lens is arranged opposite the fourth convex lens, the fourth convex lens intervening between the light-receiving element group and the third convex lens; and
wherein the movable member is a piezoelectric element, and the movable member is arranged in a position that allows the movable member to not interfere with optical paths between lenses.

7. An optical interconnect device comprising:
a plurality of light-emitting element groups, each light-emitting element group including a plurality of light-emitting elements;
a plurality of light-receiving element groups, each light-receiving element group including a plurality of light-receiving elements, wherein a plurality of optical paths originate at the light-emitting element groups and terminate at the plurality of light-receiving element groups;
a first plurality of optical path switching members disposed along the plurality of optical paths, wherein each first optical path switching member is connected to a respective optical path switching mechanism that adjusts an orientation of the connected first optical path switching member to selectively direct a light beam along an optical path of the plurality of optical paths that is selected from among opt

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Katayama Yasunao
• Kuse Naoya
• Nakano Daiju

Classifications

• H04Q11/0005

  Switch and router aspects · CPC title

• H04Q2011/0024

  using space switching · CPC title

• G02B6/4214 Primary

  the intermediate optical element having redirecting reflective means, e.g. mirrors, prisms for deflecting the radiation from horizontal to down- or upward direction toward a device (G02B6/4246 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04Q2011/0026

  using free space propagation (e.g. lenses, mirrors) · CPC title

• H04Q2011/003

  using switches based on microelectro-mechanical systems [MEMS] · CPC title