Patent ID: 7484899

Claim:
A fiber optic transceiver module having built-in test capabilities comprising: a first optical fiber having an angled end that defines an acute angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the first optical fiber; a second optical fiber having an angled end that defines an acute angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the second optical fiber, the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber being aligned with one another, wherein the acute angle for the angled end of the first optical fiber and the acute angle for the angled end of the second optical fiber are both 49 degrees; an optical source that emits an optical signal propagated along the first optical fiber in which a portion of the optical signal is received at the second optical fiber and is propagated along the second optical fiber wherein the acute angle of the angled end of the first optical fiber is selected to cause a predefined portion of the optical signal entitled from the optical source to be received at and propagated along the second optical fiber such that approximately 50% of the optical signal coupled from the optical source is passed from the first optical fiber to the second optical fiber; and an optical detector for receiving a return optical signal through the angled end of the second optical fiber in response to reflection from a discontinuity in an optical path of the second optical fiber, said fiber optic transceiver module having built-in test capabilities detects discontinuities in the optical path of the second optical fiber and meets small-form-factor requirements.