Patent ID: 7079733

Claim:
An optical communication system comprising: a first optical communication apparatus having a light emitter for outputting an optical signal; a second optical communication apparatus having a light receiver for receiving the optical signal; and an optical cable for coupling said first and second optical communication apparatuses to each other, said optical cable being attached to and detached from each of the first and second optical communication apparatuses, wherein said optical cable includes an inter-apparatus conductor for conducting electricity to the first and second optical communication apparatuses and each of the first and second optical communication apparatuses includes an internal conductor for connecting the inter-apparatus conductor to conduct electricity thereto; wherein said inter-apparatus conductor has a plurality of conducting wires, the conducting wires being provided inside of a coating that covers a fiber core; wherein the first and second optical communication apparatuses are coupled to each other by means of the optical cable to constitute a detection circuit for detecting a connection of the optical cable, said detecting circuit being constituted by connecting the internal conductors of the first and second optical communication apparatuses to each other through the inter-apparatus conductor; and wherein the first optical communication apparatus having the light emitter includes a monitor for monitoring a state of conduction of the detection circuit, and a controller for controlling output of the light emitter based on a result of monitoring by the monitor.