Patent ID: 8599384

Claim:
A handheld wavelength measurement meter for measuring a wavelength of an input light signal passing through an optical fiber, said meter comprising: a housing dimensioned to be held in an average adult human hand; an input signal fiber connector extending from said housing and adapted for attachment to the optical fiber such that the input light signal passes therethrough; a non-stable reference light source disposed within said housing, wherein said non-stable reference light source is adapted to produce a reference light signal having a non-stable wavelength; a temperature measurement device disposed within said housing, wherein said temperature measurement device is: in thermal communication with said non-stable reference light source; adapted to determine a temperature of said non-stable reference light source; and adapted to produce a temperature related output signal; an interferometer disposed within said housing, wherein said interferometer: is in optical communication with said input signal fiber connector such that the input light signal passes therein; is in optical communication with said non-stable reference light source such that the reference light signal passes therein; and is adapted to produce a measurement signal output and a reference signal output; a measurement signal optical to electrical converter disposed within said housing and in the optical path of the measurement signal output, and adapted to produce a measurement electrical signal; a reference signal optical to electrical converter disposed within said housing and in the optical path of the reference signal output, and adapted to produce a reference electrical signal; a controller disposed within said housing, wherein said controller is: in electrical communication with at least said temperature measurement device and said measurement signal optical to electrical converter; and adapted to process at least the temperature related output signal, the measurement electrical signal, and the reference electrical signal to determine a wavelength of the input light signal; and a user interface disposed upon said housing and in electrical communication with said controller further comprising a frequency multiplier disposed within said housing and in electrical communication with said reference signal optical to electrical converter and said controller, wherein: said frequency multiplier is adapted to multiply a frequency of the reference electrical signal; said frequency multiplier is adapted to direct a multiplied reference electrical signal to said controller; and said controller is further adapted to process the multiplied reference electrical signal to determine the wavelength of the input light signal.