Patent ID: 6897464
Filing Date: 2005-05-24
Classification: G01B

Abstract:
1. An alignment system for aligning a first component in relation to an optical signal comprising: an optical path having a path input port, for receiving light incident thereon from the optical signal, and a path output port; a first photodetector optically coupled to the optical path output port for detecting incident light thereon and for generating a photocurrent signal in dependence thereon; an actuator mechanism for moving, in response to a control signal, the first component within at least a portion of the optical path, between the path input port and the path output port, the actuator mechanism having a frequency response sufficiently high to allow displacement of the first component within the at least a portion of the optical path, resulting in an optical loss variation of less than a specified allowable optical loss for detection at the detector and caused by the first component displacement when the first component is approximately aligned within the at least a portion of the optical path about a point of substantial alignment; and, a controller circuit coupled to the photodetector for receiving the photocurrent signal, the controller circuit for providing the control signal to the actuator in dependence upon the photocurrent signal from the photodetector, where the control signal is indicative of a non-zero displacement of the first component about the point of substantial alignment within the at least a portion of the optical path.