Patent ID: 8109675

Claim:
An optical-electrical processing jack comprising: an optical jack including: a jack housing having walls and an orifice; a connector mechanical interface formed in the jack housing walls, capable of selectively engaging a plug connector mechanical interface without permanently fixing the jack connector mechanical interface to the plug connector mechanical interface; a signal bridge formed in a jack housing wall with a bridge element for transceiving an optical signal between a connected plug connector optical interface lens and a backcap processing module; a connector optical interface forming an air gap cavity between the bridge element and the connected plug connector optical interface lens, the air gap cavity having a variable range of lengths when the jack connector mechanical interface is engaged with the plug connector mechanical interface; a backcap processing module including: a backcap housing with walls, attached to the jack housing; an optical element having an optical interface to transceive an optical signal via the signal bridge, the optical element converting optical signals and electrical signals transceived via an electrical interface; and, a backcap electrical port connected to the optical element electrical interface.