Systems and methods for detecting imperfect connections in optical systems
US6305851A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 12, 2000 |
| Grant date | Oct 23, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 12, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04B10/071
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system prevents damage to at least one component of a laser apparatus that includes a laser that emits a light signal of increasing power during power up and at least one connector that receives the light signal from the laser and reflects at least a portion of the light signal when an imperfect connection exists. The system includes a detector and a monitoring circuit. The detector detects the reflected light signal from the connector. The monitoring circuit receives the reflected light signal, determines an amount of power in the reflected light signal, calculates a ratio of the power of the light signal emitted by the laser to the power in the reflected light signal, compares the ratio to a predetermined threshold to determine whether the imperfect connection exists, and shuts down the laser when the imperfect connection exists.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.