Patent ID: 7129689

Claim:
A test apparatus comprising: a transmitter source wherein the transmitter source comprises: an AC supply; and a DC supply; wherein the transmitter source is adapted to couple to a transmitter; an optical receiver adapted to receive optical signals from a transmitter coupled to the transmitter source, wherein the optical receiver comprises an amplifier with a differential output; a first matching network coupled to a high output of the differential output; a second matching network coupled to a low output of the differential output; a first filter coupled to the first matching network, the first filter being adapted to separate AC and DC signals; a second filter coupled to the second matching network, the second filter being adapted to separate AC and DC signals; an RMS conversion circuit coupled to the first and second filters such that the RMS conversion circuit receives AC signals from the first and second filters, wherein the RMS conversion circuit converts the AC signals to a DC function of the RMS value of the AC signals; and a data acquisition system coupled to the RMS conversion circuit to receive the function of the RMS value of the AC signals further wherein the data acquisition system is coupled to the first and second filters to receive DC signals from the first and second filters.