Abstract:
An optical transceiver with a transimpedance amplifier generates a dynamic common mode voltage of the peak-to-peak output current of the photodetector for use as an in-situ optical power meter. Peak-to-peak voltage signal are imposed on the common mode voltage so optical power measurements are obtained using preexisting electrical contacts. An nfet and a capacitor of the transimpedance amplifier smooths the peak-to-peak voltage to create the control signal for the common mode voltage. The common mode current is mirrored into a bank of pfets at the output stage to create a current sink. Depending upon the potential of the common mode voltage, more or less current will be drawn from the peak-to-peak voltage signals output from a final differential amplifier stage of the transimpedance amplifier.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to the field of optical data transmission and more specifically relates to measuring the peak-to-peak optical power incident on a photodetector connected to a transimpedance amplifier having an in situ optical power meter function. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Increasingly so, today&#39;s communications uses optical data transmitted through, for instance, a fiber optic cable. At the receiving end of a fiber optic link, a photodetector receives the light and generates an electrical current proportional to the intensity or power of the light. The photodetector can be for short wavelength and long wavelength light sources. This photocurrent is then conditioned and coupled to a transimpedance amplifier. A transimpedance amplifier is an electronic circuit which converts an input signal current into a proportionally scaled output voltage signal. The output of the transimpedance amplifier can be input into a host such as a data processing system, such as a computer. A photoreceiver, comprised of a photodetector and a transimpedance amplifier, can be packaged into a TO can. A TO can is a small, hermetic cylindrical package having a window or a lens on one end to couple the incoming optical data onto a photodetector. The photodetector converts the light to a current which is input to a transimpedance amplifier, and other electronics. On the other end of the TO can are electrical contact pins to transmit electrical data output derived from the optical input and power and ground pins. Because of convention, size and other limitations, the vast majority of TO cans are constrained to, at most, four pins. 
     An optical power meter is a device which converts light power to a measurable current or voltage that is proportional to the optical input. Optical power detectors can be quite elaborate and expensive. The optical power meter function may be used to monitor the power of the laser generating the optical signal, to measure the loss through the transmission medium, to test the receiving electronics, etc. Typically, to monitor the optical power, the optical fiber is detached from the photodetector associated with the transceiver and the impinging light is attached directly to a separate optical power meter. Then to use the link to receive data again, the fiber is reattached to the optical fiber link. The four-pinned version of the TO can does not have an optical power meter because all four pins are utilized for power, ground, and signaling. Some optical links don&#39;t measure the optical power at all, but rather use a “loss of signal” detector which indicates when light is not being received or the photodetector is not working. 
     There is a need in the optical transmission industry to monitor the optical power received by a link in situ to detect if the laser is losing power which might indicate that the laser or the link may need replacement, or to detect if the link is otherwise faulty. 
     There is a further need in the industry for a low cost optical power meter function which can be implemented in a TO can or other fiber link package without either introducing more pins or without removing an existing pin function. 
     Other objects, features, and characteristics of the invention; methods, operation, and functions of the related elements of the structure; combination of parts; and economies of manufacture will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and accompanying figures, all of which form a part of this specification, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the various figures. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     To satisfy the above objects and to provide the industry with a solution to the problems stated above, what is presented herein is an optical receiver comprising a photodetector current source having as output a peak-to-peak current proportional to light impinging on the photodetector, and a peak detector circuit having as input the peak-to-peak current to create a peak voltage that is related to the peak optical power of the impinging light. The peak voltage is in a known relationship to the peak optical power of the impinging light. The optical receiver may further comprise at least one amplifying circuit to generate a peak-to-peak voltage signal from the peak-to-peak current; the peak voltage determined by detecting the peak-to-peak voltage signal; a peak common mode control circuit having as input the peak voltage, the peak common mode control circuit configured as a current sink; and a differential amplifier stage wherein the peak-to-peak voltage signal is imposed on the peak voltage using the current sink. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the peak detector circuit, the at least one amplifying circuit, the peak common mode control circuit, and the differential amplifier stage are in a transimpedance amplifier connected to the photodetector. The transimpedance amplifier and the photodetector may be packaged in a fiber optic transceiver. The fiber optical transceiver may further comprise a post amplifier connected to the transimpedance amplifier to receive and extract the peak-to-peak voltage signal and generate an optical power signal from the peak voltage, and to interface the peak-to-peak voltage signal and the optical power signal to a host; and a phototransmitter to receive electrical signals from the host and in response thereto generate modulated optical data from transmission. The fiber optical transceiver may be packaged in a TO can. 
     Another aspect of the invention is a fiber optic transceiver, comprising: a fiber optic interface to receive optical data into the fiber optic and transmit optical data from the fiber optic transceiver; a transmit section comprising a laser and laser driver and safety circuits to generate and transmit optical data from the fiber optic transceiver; a receiver section, further comprising a photodetector to receive the optical data and generate a peak current signal in response to the optical power of the optical data and a transimpedance amplifier having an optical power meter to convert the peak current to a peak voltage signal and a post amplifier to further process the peak voltage signal; and a host interface connected to both the receive and transmit sections to couple electrical signals to the fiber optic transceiver. The post amplifier may extract the optical power from the peak voltage. The peak voltage may be input directly to the post amplifier without affecting the peak voltage signal. Alternatively, the peak voltage may control the peak voltage signal, and the post amplifier may extract the optical power by decoupling the peak voltage signal from the peak voltage. The transimpedance amplifier may further have a voltage signal generating circuit which generates a voltage data signal in response to the optical data; and a current sink which sinks current from the voltage signal generating circuit in response to the common mode voltage so that the voltage data signal is imposed on the common mode voltage. 
     Another aspect of the invention is an optical power meter, comprising: means to receive an optical signal; means to convert the optical signal to a peak-to-peak current; means to convert the peak-to-peak current to a peak-to-peak voltage; and means to derive a common mode peak control voltage from the peak-to-peak voltage, the common mode peak control voltage in a known relationship with the power of the optical signal. The optical may further comprises a means to drive the peak-to-peak voltage with the common mode control voltage. And yet, the optical power meter of may still further comprise a means to differentiate between the peak-to-peak voltage and the common mode control voltage; and means to determine the optical power from the common mode control voltage. 
     The invention may still yet be considered a method to measure the optical power of transmitted light, the method comprising the steps of: converting the transmitted light to a peak-to-peak current; converting the current to a voltage signal; detecting the voltage signal to obtain a peak voltage; and determining that the peak voltage is related to the optical power of the transmitted light. The peak voltage is in a known relationship to the optical power of the transmitted light. The method may yet further comprise imposing the voltage signal on the peak voltage. 
     The invention may still be considered a method of deriving the optical power of transmitted light, comprising: receiving a peak-to-peak voltage signal indicative of data of the transmitted light; decoupling a common mode control voltage from the peak-to-peak voltage signal; and determining the optical power from the common mode control voltage knowing a relationship between the optical power and the common mode control voltage. A linear relationship may exist between the optical power and the common mode control voltage. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     Thus, having been summarized, the invention will best be understood by reference to the following description and the Drawing in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a high-level block diagram of an optical transceiver. 
     FIG. 2 is a simplified circuit diagram of a optical receiver having a transimpedance amplifier with an in-situ optical power meter. It is suggested that FIG. 2 be printed on the face of the patent. 
     FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the electronic functions of a transimpedance amplifier having an in-situ optical power meter. 
     FIG. 4 is a simplified circuit diagram of the first amplification stage of a transimpedance amplifier of the optical receiver having an in-situ optical power meter. 
     FIG. 5 is a simplified circuit diagram of the common mode control of a transimpedance amplifier of the optical receiver having an in-situ optical power meter. 
     FIG. 6 is a simplified circuit diagram of a differential amplifier stage of a transimpedance amplifier of the optical receiver having an in-situ optical power meter. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of a fiber optic transceiver  10  having an receive section  200  and a transmit section  30 . The fiber optic transceiver  10  preferably provides a high-speed serial or parallel electrical interface for connecting hosts  20 , such as computer or device processors, switches, and peripherals through an optical fiber cable. In the Gigabit Ethernet environment, for example, transceiver  10  can be used in such hosts  20  as local area network (LAN) switches or hubs, as well as in interconnecting processors. In storage area networks (SANs) as hosts  20 , the transceiver  10  can be used for transmitting data between peripheral devices and processors. Thus, the host  20  may be an electronic switch, a network interface to another system, a computer, a processor with a computer; indeed, any electronic device which may receive data from the transceiver  10 . The transmit section  30  of the transceiver  10  is coupled to the host  20  which preferably provides a differential data stream  24  and  26 . The modulation  40  of the transceiver  30  is part of the laser driver circuitry which modulates the output optical intensity  84  of a semiconductor laser  70 . The DC drive and safety control circuits  60  maintain the laser at a proper power level which may be present and in conjunction with safety circuits and a fault sensor  50 , the transmit section  30  will shut off the laser  70  if a fault signal  22  is detected. 
     The receive section  200  may further comprise an optical receiver  210  which receives the incoming modulated optical signal  214  and converts it to an electrical signal in the optical receiver  210 . The electrical signals  242 ,  244  may then be amplified and converted to a differential serial output data stream  252 ,  254  and delivered to the host  20 . In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a common mode voltage  226  that is proportional to the peak-to-peak optical power may also be processed by the post amplifier  260  and delivered to the host  20  as an optical power meter signal  256 . A signal  258  indicating the detection and loss of a signal and a detection of signal may further be provided to the host  20 . 
     FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram of a optical receiver  210 . Preferably optical receiver  210  is integrated with the post amplifier  250 . Preferably, optical receiver  210  may be packaged together with a post amplifier  250  and a transmit section  30  of a fiber optic transceiver  10  shown in FIG.  1 . The optical receiver  210 , moreover, may be packaged as a TO can such as a TO 46  or a TO 56  can and while shown in FIG. 2 as having the four pins  216 ,  240 ,  222 , and  224  of a TO can, the invention is not limited to the packaging of the TO can or to any packages having a limited number of input/output pins; it is only one application where the transimpedance amplifier with the optical meter function is particularly useful. 
     Optical receiver  210  comprises at least a photodetector  212  which receives optical input  214  and converts the light to a proportional peak-to-peak photocurrent  218 . Typically, the optical input may be light having a longer wavelength on the order of 1.0 to 1.8 micrometers and/or a shorter wavelength on the order of 0.6 to 1.0 micrometers. Those of skill in the art will realize that the wavelength of the light is a detail and that the features of the invention are not limited to any particular wavelength of light or radiation. Furthermore, although the integrated circuits herein usually of silicon CMOS and/or bipolar semiconductor technologies, one of skill in the art will understand that other semiconductor materials may be used for other speeds of data transmission or other wavelengths of light. There is an input power supply voltage  216  and a ground return provided  240  to the optical receiver  210 . The photocurrent  218  is input to a transimpedance amplifier  220  where it is converted to a peak-to-peak voltage that is conditioned and amplified. The transimpedance amplifier  220  then provides three outputs: a true and complement of the output signal voltage  222 ,  224 , respectively, and a common mode voltage  226  derived from signal  222  and  224  that is proportional to the peak received optical power. An optical power meter circuit  230  generates and controls the common mode voltage  226  as a function of the input peak-to-peak current  218  in accordance with principles of the invention. The invention realizes that the common mode voltage  226  is in a known relationship to the optical power input, preferably directly proportional but other relationships may be determined by the circuit implementation. The common mode voltage  226  is obtained by reading the voltage between two resistors  242 ,  244  placed across the output  222 ,  224  before the two capacitors  232 ,  234  of the transimpedance amplifier  220 . Processing and signal conditioning of the post amplifier  250  can extract the common mode voltage  226  from the signals  222 ,  224  to obtain the power of the optical input. 
     FIG. 3 is a simplified block diagram of functions performed by the electronic circuits of the photodetector  212  and the transimpedance amplifier  220 . These components include a PD Bias  318 , a stage 1  amplifier  320 , bandgap and reference control circuits  310 , a common mode control circuit  330 , a stage 2  amplifier  312 , an automatic gain control circuit  350 , and a stage 3  amplifier circuit  360 . The output of the stage 3  amplifier circuit  360  is preferably AC coupled to a post amplifier  250  of a fiber optic transceiver  30  to boost the voltage levels to digital voltage levels satisfying the host system interface for signals  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  252 ,  254 ,  256 ,  258  of FIG.  1 . Some circuits of the photodetector and transimpedance amplifiers shown in FIG. 2 are not be described herein to the extent that they are not involved with the power meter function of the invention. For instance, the circuits of PD Bias  318  properly bias and provide a cathode voltage for the photodetector  212 . In addition, the PD Bias  318  couples the signal photocurrent  218  to stage 1   320  of the transimpedance amplifier  220 . The circuits within stage 2   312  of the transimpedance amplifier  220  provide, inter alia, a differential amplification stage and control the bandwidth of the signal. Block  310  called the bandgap reference voltage and control provides bandgap voltage references, compensates for the inherent semiconductor resistance, nulls out undesirable effects, provides bias currents for various stages, etc. Where the transimpedance amplifier  220  is linear over the full optical power range, there may be an automatic gain control  350  which controls the peak-to-peak swing of the output voltages  222  and  224 . The circuits participating in the optical power meter function  230  of the transimpedance amplifier comprise stage 1   320 , the common mode control  330 , and stage 3   360 . Each of these will be discussed in more detail. 
     With respect to FIG. 4, therein is a simplified circuit diagram of the components of stage 1   320  of the transimpedance amplifier  220  in a optical receiver  210  pertinent to the optical power meter. Stage 1   320  may comprise many more circuit elements not shown in FIG.  4 . The coupled peak-to-peak photocurrent signal  218  from the PD Bias circuit  318  is input to stage 1   320  at a resistor RF  424  and a first transistor stage QRF  422  which convert the peak-to-peak photocurrent  218  to a peak-to-peak voltage. Feedback is provided to the collector of the transistor QRF  422  by resistor RF  424 . Preferably transistors QRF  422 , QLS  426 , and QPK  430  are npn bipolar transistors to achieve high bandwidth. Transistor QLS  426  is configured as a diode to stack the peak-to-peak voltage through resistor RL  428  to minimize the resistance, compensate for the Miller effect through the stage 1   320 , and hold off the voltage from Vdd. The output of QLS  426  is provided to stage 2   312  of the transimpedance amplifier  220  and to a second transistor QPK  430  which is in an emitter-follower configuration to follow the peak voltage output of transistor QLS  426 . The peak voltage is obtained using transistor QPK  430  in conjunction with a large capacitor CPK 1  which creates a RC time constant to smooth the peak voltage obtained from the transistor QRF  422 . This smoothed output voltage PK 1   440  is input to the common mode control  330  and becomes the common mode voltage which steers the outputs of the true  222  and complementary  224  signals. 
     One particularly beneficial aspect of the invention is the use of the peak voltage rather than the average voltage. A photodetector in a transceiver may be receiving ambient light and generate a signal and thus the transimpedance amplifier would generate an average voltage in response thereto. Distinguishing between an optical signal having high amplitude and one with low amplitude and one not having an optical signal at all is difficult, if not impossible, using an average voltage of a signal. In other words, it does not matter if the signal strength is ±1.8 units such as micro-, milli-, volts or ±0.8 units, the average is still the same. But if the peak voltage changes from 0.8 units to 1.8 units over time, that difference can be detected as the peak voltage generated in stage 1   320  of the transimpedance amplifier  220 . 
     Note that in alternative packaging of a transceiver  10  where there is no limitation to the number of output pins, this peak voltage PK 1   440  may be tapped directly for further processing by the post amplifier  250  to yield the optical power of the impinging light. If, however, there are restrictions on the number of pins output from the optical receiver  210 , then the peak voltage PK 1   440  can be used to steer the signal voltage as described below. 
     FIG. 5 is a simplified circuit diagram of the pertinent portions of the common mode control  330 . The smoothed PK 1   440  voltage output from stage 1   320  is input to an operational amplifier  520  of the common mode control  330 . The output of the operational amplifier  520  feedbacks onto itself as the complement COMP  512  of the input signal relabeled TRUE  510 . The output is also input to the gate of a nfet TSF  522  to remove temperature variability. The signal then is received in parallel by a dropping resistor RF  526  and another nfet PKFBK  524  whose gate is controlled by voltage CNTL from the automatic gain control circuit  314 . Transistor PKFBK  524  behaves as a variable resistor. The net result is a current from transistor TSF  522  which develops a voltage across the resistor RF  526  which then goes through a first current mirror comprising two pfets PMIR  528  and PSOURCE  530 . The mirrored current from pfet PSOURCE  530  is mirrored again through two nfets NSUB  534  and NSUB  536  along with a voltage signal from  310  which compensates for bandgap and the inherent semiconductor resistance. The combined current gets mirrored a third time through nfets NMIRC  544  and NCMV  546  which behaves as a current sink. The use of the current sink of the common mode control is what the common mode peak voltage uses to steer the output signals  222 ,  224  as will be discussed in FIG.  6 . When the input signal PK 1   440  is at a maximum, the output signal CMVCTL  550  sinks a minimum current, e.g., one milliamp, but when input signal PK 1   440  decreases, CMVCTL  550  sinks current from stage 3   360  which is the last stage of the transimpedance amplifier  220 . 
     The signal CMVCTL  550  from the common mode control  330  is input to stage 3   360 . FIG. 6 is a simplified circuit diagram of the pertinent portions of stage 3   360  of the transimpedance amplifier  220  in the optical receiver  210 . Stage 3   360  has some features of a classical differential amplifying stage with two npn bipolar transistors QT  622  and QC  624  facing each other with their emitters tied together through a respective resistor R 2   632  and R 4   634  to a tail bias current source  626 . In accordance with one implementation of the invention, however, the collectors are also tied together through respective resistors R 0   636  and R 1   638  to a bank of pfets and a resistor RCMV  616  to Vdd  216 . A nfet TN  654  whose gate is controlled by a bias from stage 2   312  controls how much current passes through the pfets  642 - 652 . When there is no photocurrent  218 , the signal CMVCTL  550  is sinking a large amount of current and the rest of the current goes through the differential amplifier of transistors  622 ,  624  and their respective resistors  632 ,  634 , etc. The signal CMVCTL  550  responds to a higher peak voltage PK 1   440  by sinking less current from the differential amplifier biasing circuits of stage 3   360 . By sinking or sourcing (as another embodiment) a greater or lesser current, the output voltages  222  and  224  are affected accordingly. 
     The invention as described herein takes advantage of a wide range of optical power to the receiver. The optical power meter circuit steers the common mode peak voltage levels as seen at the peak voltage output signal pins. The peak voltage output signals simply ride a dynamic common mode voltage that is proportional to the peak optical power. This approach for creating a continuously varying common mode voltage as an indicator of optical power is unique. The approach used by the invention takes advantage of linear peak signal detection to linearly modify the common mode voltage. The common mode voltage can be processed from the AC signal output by the optical receiver and can be post processed before being presented to the host computer. Several unique features of the invention herein is that first it overcomes the lack of signal pins by using the existing AC output pins; and second it has a wide optical dynamic range that exceeds existing designs that have the extra pins for the optical power monitor. Furthermore, the optical power meter method is a peak method which provides more detail concerning the presence of an AC modulated optical signal. An averaging type of optical power can only ascertain the DC component of a signal. 
     The invention is particularly applicable as a receiver front end in serial or parallel fiber optical links. Specific systems which would benefit from the invention are fiber optic applications in Gigabit Ethernet, Infiniband, OIF, SONET, and Fibre Channel for multigigabit data rates. The optical power meter function is fabricated using semiconductor technologies. One of skill in the art will realize that for different applications, more or fewer transistors and/or circuit elements of different specifications can be used. It is preferable to have a bank of pfets  642 - 652  as shown in FIG. 6 rather than one large pfet because of processing considerations. Of course, the values of the pfets/nfets/bipolars can change according to the design considerations. Thus, which has been achieved is an in-situ optical power meter in a transimpedance amplifier that is very accurate, highly sensitive, and has a dynamic optical range. 
     While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.