Patent ID: 7835642

Claim:
In an optical transceiver module having a light source for emitting optical signals representative of electrical signals received by the optical transceiver module, a method for providing to a host system information relating to operation of the light source, the method comprising: periodically sensing data of at least one parameter relating to operation of the light source; storing the periodically sensed parameter data in a persistent memory location; and calculating an estimated amount of time remaining before the light source will reach an end of life state based on diagnostic data related to the operation of the optical transceiver module in transmitting optical data in a fiber optic network, wherein the end of life calculation uses the stored periodically sensed parameter data obtained from the light source during optical data transmission to estimate the amount of time remaining before the light source reaches the end of life state, wherein periodically sensed parameter data includes a rate of change of the laser slope efficiency or acceleration on the rate of change of the laser slope efficiency.