Patent ID: 7787504

Claim:
An optical supply apparatus comprising: a laser source; an optical supply path for guiding laser light from the laser source; a first coupler disposed along the optical supply path at a position remote from the laser source for receiving the guided laser light and sampling at least a portion of the guided light; an optical return path for guiding the sampled light from the first coupler to a detection assembly in communication with the laser source, the detection assembly comprising: a photo detector disposed along the optical return path, the photo detector adapted to detect the intensity of the sampled laser light in the optical return path, and to provide an output indicative of the intensity therein; circuitry for receiving the output of the sampled laser light intensity from the photo detector and providing an output indicative of transmission loss from the transmitted laser light in the optical supply path; and a controller for receiving the output indicative of the transmission loss from the laser light in the optical supply path from the circuitry, and selectively extinguishing the laser source based on a predetermined reference for transmission loss; and a removable key disposed along the optical return path, the key being selectively operable to interrupt the guidance of the sampled light through the optical return path to the detection assembly.