Optical device, system and method for detecting a condition in an optical device
AssigneeTerraWorx, Inc.
InventorSteven R. Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An optical device and system and method for monitoring a fault condition in an optical device. A loop-back path couples a portion of an optical signal from a first transmission path to a second transmission path as a loop-back signal. The loop-back path includes at least one optical attenuator configured to attenuate the loop-back signal in response to at least one detected condition. The loop-back signal may be detected by line monitoring equipment, where the attenuation imparted by the attenuator is interpreted as corresponding to the detected condition.
Claims24
An optical device comprising:
- first and second optical signal transmission paths;
- at least one detector configured to provide a detector output in response to at least one detected condition;
- and
- a loop-back path for coupling a portion of an optical signal from said first transmission path to said second transmission path as a loop-back signal, said loop-back path comprising at least one optical attenuator configured to attenuate said loop-back signal in response to said detector output.
An optical device comprising:
- first and second optical signal transmission paths;
- and
- a loop-back path for coupling a portion of an optical signal from said first transmission path to said second transmission path as a loop-back signal, said loop-back path comprising at least one optical attenuator configured to attenuate said loop-back signal in response to at least one high ambient temperature condition.
An optical communication system comprising:
- a transmitter configured to transmit an optical signal over an optical information channel, said optical information channel comprising first and second optical signal transmission paths;
- at least one detector configured to provide a detector output in response to at least one detected condition;
- and a loop-back path for coupling a portion of an optical signal from said first transmission path to said second transmission path as a loop-back signal, said loop-back path comprising at least one optical attenuator configured to attenuate said loop-back signal in response to said detector output;
- and
- a line monitoring system configured to detect said loop-back signal.
An optical communication system comprising:
- a transmitter configured to transmit an optical signal over an optical information channel, said optical information channel comprising first and second optical signal transmission paths and a loop-back path for coupling a portion of an optical signal from said first transmission path to said second transmission path as a loop-back signal, said loop-back path comprising at least one optical attenuator configured to attenuate said loop-back signal in response to at least one high ambient temperature condition;
- and
- a line monitoring system configured to detect said loop-back signal.
A method of monitoring an optical device comprising:
- detecting a condition in said optical device;
- attenuating a loop-back signal on a loop-back path in said device in response to said detected condition;
- and
- detecting said attenuated loop-back signal.
A method of monitoring an optical device comprising:
- detecting a high ambient temperature condition in said optical device:
- attenuating a loop-back signal on a loop-back path in said device in response to said detected condition;
- and
- detecting said attenuated loop-back signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.