Patent · US Expired

Apparatus and method for controlling shared optical pump power sources

US5912761A · kind A · utility

22Cited by
2References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 22, 1998
Grant dateJun 15, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 22, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01S3/1305
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An optical gain block that is pumped by one or more pump input modules is disclosed. Each pump input module includes a pump source, a pump power control circuit and a bus interface. Each of the available pump input modules detect the presence and pump power of other available pump input modules in order to properly adjust the output power of its own pump source. By controlling the power provided by each of the available pump input modules, the gain block output will be maintained at a specified output power level while all pump input modules share in delivering the required total input pump power. Upon the insertion or removal of any pump input module, the remaining pump input modules will adjust their output power accordingly to maintain the gain block output power at the specified level.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.