Patent ID: 7349454

Claim:
A method of controlling a laser diode comprising: measuring an average light output power of the laser diode, the average light output power being an average of a low light output power at a low bias current and a high light output power at a high bias current; comparing the average light output power to an average light output power target range; and if the average light output power is not within the target range, measuring a first light output power at a first bias current; measuring a second light output power at a second bias current, wherein each of the first light output power and the second light output power are greater than a minimum light output power, computing a slope efficiency from the first light output power, the first bias current, the second light output power, and the second bias current, calculating a new bias current, and biasing the laser diode at the new bias current so as to produce a new average light output power within the average light output target range.