Patent · US Expired

Optoelectronic transmitter having an improved power control circuit for rapidly enabling a semiconductor laser

US6108114A · kind A · utility

92Cited by
3References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 22, 1998
Grant dateAug 22, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 22, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04B10/564
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An optoelectronic transmitter is provided including a laser diode. A control circuit for driving the laser diode includes a current source which provides a DC bias current to the laser diode, and the laser diode emits an optical signal having an average power determined by the magnitude of the bias current. A voltage regulator establishes a regulated supply voltage which is input to a first reference circuit and a feedback monitor circuit. The first reference circuit establishes a first fixed reference voltage. The feedback monitor circuit includes a monitor device for measuring the optical power emitted by the laser diode, and the monitor circuit establishes a variable monitor voltage proportional to the optical power measured by the monitor device. An op-amp compares the first fixed reference voltage and the feedback monitor voltage, and the output voltage of the op-amp controls the magnitude of the bias current output by the current source. A disable switch is incorporated for selectively blocking the bias current to the laser upon receipt of a DISABLE signal. A second reference circuit is provided for developing a second derived reference voltage, and an analog switch which is …

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