Fiber optic monitoring device

• US 5,251,278 A
• Filed: 05/22/1992
• Issued: 10/05/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James K. Samborsky
• Original Assignee: James K. Samborsky
• Inventors: Samborsky, James K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PALMER, PHAN T H
• Application Number:
  US07/887,028
• Time in Patent Office: 501 Days
• Field of Search: 385/48, 385/43, 385/44, 385/46, 385/47
• US Class Current: 385/48
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2804 forming multipart couplers without wavelength selective elements, e.g. "T" couplers, star couplers
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2852 using tapping light guides arranged sidewardly, e.g. in a non-parallel relationship with respect to the bus light guides (light extraction or launching through cladding, with or without surface discontinuities, bent structures)

Abstract

A device for the purpose of monitoring light transmissions in optical fibers comprises a fiber optic tap that optically diverts a fraction of a transmitted optical signal without disrupting the integrity of the signal. The diverted signal is carried, preferably by the fiber optic tap, to a lens or lens system that disperses the light over a solid angle that facilitates viewing. The dispersed light indicates whether or not the monitored optical fiber or system of optical fibers is currently transmitting optical information.

Claims

1. An apparatus for monitoring at least one transmitted signal in a light carrying means, said apparatus comprising:

tapping means for tapping into said light carrying means and obtaining a portion of said transmitted signal; and

viewing means for viewing said portion of said transmitted signal, said viewing means receiving said portion from said tapping means and dispersing said portion of said transmitted signal over a solid angle, said solid angle dimensioned so that said dispersed light can be seen without the need to be aligned with the axis of said optical fiber to receive said portion from said tapping means.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said tapping means further comprises an optical fiber.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said portion of said transmitted signal is small enough so that said transmitted signal is not disrupted.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said viewing means further comprises a divergent lens.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said light carrying means further comprises a plurality of optical fibers and said tapping means further comprises a fiber optic multiplexer, said plurality of optical fibers in optical communication with said multiplexer, said multiplexer repeatedly tapping, in sequence, each optical fiber of said plurality of optical fibers, said viewing means permitting a determination of whether each of said plurality of optical fibers is transmitting.

6. An apparatus for monitoring at least one transmitted signal in a light carrying means, said apparatus comprising:

an optical fiber having a connecting end and a non-connecting end, said connecting end tapped into said light carrying means so that, when said light carrying means carries said transmitted signal, said optical fiber obtains and carries a portion of said transmitted signal without disrupting said transmitted signal;

a divergent lens for viewing said portion of said transmitted signal, said divergent lens generally occupying said non-connecting end of said optical fiber, said divergent lens receiving said portion from said tapping means and dispersing said portion of said transmitted signal over a solid angle, said solid angle dimensioned so that said dispersed light can be seen without the need to be aligned with the axis of said optical fiber to receive said portion from said tapping means.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said light carrying means further comprises a plurality of signal carrying optical fibers and said optical fiber moves from one of optical fiber of said plurality of signal carrying optical fibers to another, said portion being obtained in a repeated series from said plurality of optical fibers.

8. A method for monitoring at least one transmitted signal in a light carrying means, said method comprising the steps of:

tapping into a first optical fiber with a second optical fiber so that a portion of any light carried by said first optical fiber is then carried by said second optical fiber; and

dispersing said portion of light into a solid angle for viewing, said solid angle dimensioned so that said dispersed light can be seen without the need to be aligned with the axis of said optical fiber to receive said portion from said first optical fiber.