Patent ID: 8078028

Claim:
An optical patch panel device comprising: an optical input port for receiving an input optical signal; an electrical output port for transmitting an output electrical signal; an optical-to-electrical converter for generating the output electrical signal in response to the input optical signal; a signal monitor for monitoring at least one of the input optical signal or the output electrical signal; a signal injector having an active and an inactive mode; wherein, when the signal injector is in its active mode: the signal injector is operative to allow injection of an injected optical signal or an injected electrical signal; the output electrical signal corresponds to the injected signal; if the injected signal is an optical signal, the converter is adapted to generate the output electrical signal corresponding to the injected signal; if the injected signal is an electrical signal, the converter is inoperative (or alternatively switched out of the circuit); and wherein, when the signal injector is in its inactive mode, then the converter generates the output electrical signal corresponding to the input optical signal.