Safety and power control arrangement and method for optical fiber communication systems

A safety and power control arrangement for an optical communication apparatus with a first circuit pack emitting an optical signal, at least one further circuit pack, and at least one end circuit pack connected in series via optical fibers, comprising:

• at least one signal monitor for monitoring an output power of an output port of the at least one further circuit pack;
• a control device configured for:
• receiving control signals from said signal monitor of the at least one further circuit pack and from further monitors of further downstream circuit packs;
• and
• decreasing an output power of the first circuit pack according to a power control signal of said signal monitor of the at least one further circuit pack receiving the optical signal, until a measured output power of an optical signal emitted into an interrupted fiber is reduced to a safe power value if loss-of-signal is determined for a next following downstream circuit pack.

A safety and power control method for an optical communication apparatus with a first circuit pack emitting an optical signal, at least one further circuit pack, and at least one end circuit pack connected in series via optical fibers, the method which comprises the following steps:

• monitoring loss-of-signal of an optical signal to be received by a circuit pack;
• if loss-of-signal is determined for a circuit pack:
• measuring an output power of a next upstream circuit pack emitting the optical signal and transmitting a power control signal to a control device;
• and
• decreasing an output power of the first circuit pack until the measured output power of the optical signal emitted into an interrupted fiber is reduced to a safe power value.