Patent ID: 6901223

Claim:
An optical transmitter, for coupling to communication devices though an optical divider/coupler, having a source outputting a drive current, a light-emitting element, for outputting an optical signal to an optical fiber coupled to at least one of the communication devices, that is driven by the drive current for generating an optical output signal, a flip-flop circuit generating a light-on/off signal based on an externally supplied data signal and an externally supplied clock signal, and a modulator controlling the supply and cutoff of the drive current to the light-emitting element in response to the light-on/off signal, wherein the flip-flop circuit changes the level of the light-on/off signal to be outputted to cause the modulator to cut off supply of the drive current when a source voltage is lower than a predetermined voltage and maintains a state in which the drive current is cut off until the data signal and the clock signal for directing light emission are supplied even after the source voltage has reached the predetermined voltage.