Patent ID: 7532825

Claim:
An optical receiver for performing communication of binary digital data using an optical signal, the optical receiver comprising: a plurality of photodetectors for receiving the optical signal and outputting a signal; a plurality of amplifiers, provided corresponding to the plurality of photodetectors, respectively, for amplifying signals output from the respective photodetectors; a plurality of identification sections provided corresponding to the plurality of amplifiers, respectively, each identification section configured to output a value “1” when an amplitude of a signal output from a respective one of the plurality of photodetectors is greater than or equal to a critical value, and configured to output a value “0” when the amplitude of the signal output from the respective one of the plurality of photodetectors is less than the critical value; and a determination section for receiving a plurality of output values from the plurality of identification sections, and for determining the binary digital data based on a majority of the plurality of output values, wherein an identification section stops outputting of digital data to the determination section when an amplitude level of a signal output from a respective amplifier is smaller than a minimum value, and wherein the identification section further stops operations of the corresponding photodetector and amplifier for a predetermined time period when the amplitude level of the signal output from the respective amplifier is smaller than the minimum value.