Patent ID: 7260324
Filing Date: 2007-08-21
Classification: H04B,H04J

Abstract:
1. An automatic optical power management system for use with an optical communications system, comprising: a first emitting light source residing in a first circuit pack and emitting light along a first optical fiber of the optical communications system, said emitting light source adapted to emit light at a nominal power level only absent receipt of an indicator signifying a loss of signal resulting from a fiber discontinuity relating to the first optical fiber, wherein the nominal power level is of sufficient magnitude to violate laser safety guidelines in the event of the fiber discontinuity; a redundant detection system, including a first optical detector residing in the first circuit pack and operable to detect the loss of signal, a second optical detector operable to detect the loss of signal, and residing in a second circuit pack that is optically adjacent to the first circuit pack by virtue of receiving light along the first optical fiber that is emitted by said first emitting light source, and a third optical detector residing in a third circuit pack that receives no light along the first optical fiber that is emitted by said first emitting light source, but that receives an out-of-path optical signal propagating along a portion of the first optical fiber, wherein the third optical detector is operable to detect a loss of signal resulting from fiber discontinuity relating to the portion of the first optical fiber; and a redundant response system operable to communicate the indicator signifying loss of signal from the first optical detector to said first emitting light source upon detection of loss of signal by the first optical detector, and from the second optical detector to said first emitting light source upon detection of loss of signal by the second optical detector, said redundant response system further being operable to communicate a provisional indicator signifying loss of signal from said third optical detector to said first emitting light source upon detection of loss of signal by the third optical detector, wherein said emitting light source is adapted to emit light at the nominal power level only absent receipt of the provisional notification if predefined conditions denoting failure of the first optical detector have been met.