Patent ID: 8223128

Claim:
An optical input system, comprising: a first optical fiber segment defining a beam path; a source for injecting a first optical signal into the first optical fiber segment; a first input device including: a first input key; a first beam splitter disposed along the first optical fiber segment at a first location, the beam splitter for dividing the first optical signal into a first portion that continues along the beam path of the first optical fiber segment and a second portion that diverges from the first portion; and a first reflector connected to the first input key for reflecting the second portion of the first optical signal in response to actuation of the first input key; and a detector for receiving the second portion of the first optical signal reflected by the first reflector and determining whether the first input key is actuated; and a signal decoder configured to select a first input code from a plurality of input codes, the first input code corresponding to the reflected signal.