Patent ID: 6798990
Filing Date: 2004-09-28
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
A method for regulating optical power in a DC coupled open loop parallel optical link upon the occurrence of an open fiber therein, said method comprising:detecting an open fiber in an open loop parallel fiber optic link between a first transceiver and a second transceiver, wherein said fiber optic link includes a plurality of channels, one of which is a designated safety channel; disabling data transmission on all channels except for the designated safety channel between said first transceiver and said second transceiver; and transmitting data from either of said first transceiver or said second transceiver on said safety channel at a power level that is less than a threshold optical power level, wherein the safety channel power level is generated by a safety pulse generator on said safety channel, and wherein transmitting data from either of said first transceiver or said second transceiver on said safety channel at a power level that is less than the threshold optical power level includes: comparing a threshold current and modulation current in a laser of said designated safety channel with a redundant threshold current reference and a redundant modulation current reference, wherein the redundant threshold current reference and the redundant modulation current reference are generated by independent sources; disabling data transmission on said designated safety channel between said first transceiver and said second transceiver if either of the threshold current and the modulation current exceed the redundant threshold current reference and redundant threshold modulation current reference in the laser of said designated safety channel, respectively; and producing, by said safety pulse generator, a low duty cycle signal in said safety channel.