Patent ID: 7845194
Filing Date: 2010-12-07
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. A method of splicing two optical fibers, a left fiber and a right fiber, to each other, the method comprising: placing the two optical fibers having their end regions aligned with each other and their end surfaces at or in close contact with each other, initiating supply of electric voltage to electrodes to produce an electric arc between points of the electrodes, the electric arc heating regions of the two optical fibers at the end surfaces thereof, capturing at least one image of the heated regions of the two optical fibers and of a region surrounding the heated regions, evaluating said at least one captured image to determine a position of highest light intensity in said at least one captured image and taking the determined position to represent the position of the center of the electric arc, moving the two optical fibers in relation to the electrodes in accordance with the determined position so that, if said at least one captured image would have been captured after moving the two optical fibers, the determined position would be centered in areas depicting the end surfaces in said at least one captured image, hence the center of the electric arc being placed substantially centered in the end surfaces after moving the two optical fibers, continuing to supply electric voltage to the electrodes to fusion material of the two optical fibers at the end surfaces together to give a splice, and stopping supplying electric voltage to the electrodes and allowing the heated regions to cool.