Optical communication apparatus

An optical communication apparatus connected to an optical communication apparatus on other party side via an optical transmission medium for communicating a data signal with the optical communication apparatus on the other party side, said optical communication apparatus comprising:

• drive signal outputting means for controlling a signal level of an input signal in accordance with a light emitting power control signal and outputting the input signal the signal level of which has been controlled as a drive signal;
• a light emitting element for emitting light at an intensity in accordance with the signal level of the drive signal and transmitting an optical signal via the optical transmission medium;
• test signal generating means for forming a test signal having a specific signal pattern;
• selecting means for selectively outputting either of the test signal and the data signal to the drive signal forming means as the input signal;
• a light receiving element for receiving the optical signal via the optical transmission medium and converting the received optical signal into an electric signal;
• detecting means for detecting whether the electric signal outputted from the light receiving element coincides with the specific signal pattern when the selecting means selects the test signal;
• and
• controlling means for controlling a parameter of the light emitting power control signal based on a result of detection by the detecting means;
• wherein when the detecting means detects that the electric signal does not coincide with the specific signal pattern, the controlling means controls the parameter of the light emitting power control signal such that an intensity of the optical signal outputted by the light emitting element is increased and when the detecting means detects that the electric signal coincides with the specific signal pattern, the controlling means sets a current value of the parameter of the light emitting power control signal as the parameter when the selecting means selects the data signal.