Fiber optic monitoring device
First Claim
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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.
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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.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. An apparatus for monitoring at least one transmitted signal in a light carrying means, said apparatus comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An apparatus for monitoring at least one transmitted signal in a light carrying means, said apparatus comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. A method for monitoring at least one transmitted signal in a light carrying means, said method comprising the steps of:
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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.
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Specification