Patent ID: 7332702
Filing Date: 2008-02-19
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
1. An optical receiver, comprising: an avalanche photodiode having a multiplication factor; a voltage source for supplying a bias voltage to the avalanche photodiode; a temperature sensor for monitoring a temperature of the avalanche photodiode; a controller for controlling the voltage source; and a reference generator including a register and a digital-to-analog converter, the register storing a relation between a reference voltage and the temperature of the avalanche photodiode in a digital form, the reference generator being configured to retrieve the reference voltage stored in the register by indexing the temperature of the avalanche photodiode and to output the retrieved reference voltage to the controller in an analog form by converting with the digital-to-analog converter, wherein the multiplication factor of the avalanche photodiode is kept substantially constant by adjusting the bias voltage to the avalanche photodiode based on the temperature monitored by the temperature sensor.