Fiber optic circuit breaker

US10439733B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · US

Inventors

• Joseph E. Sluz · Ellicott City, US
• Michael L. Dennis · Alexandria, US
• Eric Adles · Raleigh, US
• Raymond M. Sova · Owings Mills, US
• Chun-Huei Bair · Silver Spring, US
• Darrell A. Zinn · Clarksville, US
• Edward H. Darlington · Jessup, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 8, 2015
• Grant date: Oct 8, 2019
• Expiry date: May 26, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04J14/0294
• WIPO field: Telecommunications
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

An optical circuit breaker includes a main optical transmission path including an optical coupler, a delay line and a protection device, and a parallel protection path configured to receive a tapped portion of a signal provided to the main optical transmission path and generate a reference signal based on the tapped portion. The protection device may be configured to be triggered to prevent an overpower condition from passing through the optical circuit breaker responsive to the reference signal exceeding a user selectable threshold. The delay line may be configured to have a longer delay than a time it takes for the protection device to be triggered via the parallel protection path.