Patent ID: 7289692

Claim:
A device for fiber optic free-space optical communication between electronic components, the device comprising: a) at least a first electronic component including: i) at least a first fiber optic transceiver; ii) at least a first optical fiber having a connection end that is connected to said first fiber optic transceiver and a first terminal free-end; and iii) at least a first alignment mechanism configured so as to maintain a preset alignment angle and to support said first optic fiber and align said first terminal free-end to said preset alignment angle; and b) at least a second electronic component including: i) at least a second fiber optic transceiver; ii) at least a second optical fiber having a connection end that is connected to said second fiber optic transceiver and a second terminal free-end; and iii) at least a second alignment mechanism configured so as to maintain a preset alignment angle and to support said second optic fiber and align second said terminal free-end to said preset alignment angle; wherein, no physical communication connection is required for communication between said first and said second electronic components when said first and said second electronic components are deployed, since said first and said second terminal free-ends are aligned such that light emitting from one of said first and said second terminal free-ends is received by the other of said first and said second terminal free-ends, and thereby transmitted to a corresponding one of said first and said second transceivers, thereby establishing optical communication between said first and said second transceivers across the free-space separating said first and said second terminal free-ends.