Eye safety and interoperability of active cable devices
First Claim
1. In a first optoelectronic device, a method of actively maintaining eye safety while permitting operation of the first optoelectronic device above a nominal eye safety limit, the method comprising:
- initiating operation in a transmit power mode in which average transmit optical power is below a nominal eye safety limit, including transmitting primary data from the first optoelectronic device to a second optoelectronic device in the transmit power mode in which average transmit optical power is below the nominal eye safety limit;
monitoring a status link established by the second optoelectronic device with the first optoelectronic device for first status data indicative that it is safe for the first optoelectronic device to transmit one or more optical signals to the second optoelectronic device at an aggregate optical transmit power that is greater than the nominal eye safety limit;
in response to not detecting the first status data, maintaining operation in the transmit power mode in which average optical power is below the nominal eye safety limit;
in response to detecting the first status data, transitioning to a transmit power mode in which the average transmit optical power is above the nominal eye safety limit;
monitoring a first optical link comprising a first electro-optical transducer of the second optoelectronic device, a first opto-electrical transducer of the first optoelectronic device, and a first optical fiber coupled therebetween to determine whether one or more optical signals transmitted from the second optoelectronic device to the first optoelectronic device over the second optical link are potentially exposed to view;
if the first optoelectronic device determines that one or more optical signals transmitted over the first optical link are not potentially exposed to view, transmitting to the second optoelectronic device second status data indicative that it is safe for the second optoelectronic device to transmit one or more optical signals to the first optoelectronic device at an aggregate optical transmit power that is greater than the nominal eye safety limit; and
if the first optoelectronic device determines that one or more optical signals transmitted over the first optical link are potentially exposed to view, not transmitting the second status data to the second optoelectronic device.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An integrated cable configured to communicate over much of its length using one or more optical fibers includes an electrical connector at least one end. The electrical connector at a first end of the integrated cable and an optoelectronic device coupled to or included in the other end of the integrated cable may utilize a bidirectional status link to transmit status data to each other. If the status data indicates that optical signals transmitted over the optical channels between the two devices are not potentially exposed to view, the two devices may operate above nominal eye safety limits. Otherwise, the two devices may operate at or below nominal eye safety limits. If the second optoelectronic device is not status-link enabled, the first optoelectronic device may operate at or below nominal eye safety limits.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. In a first optoelectronic device, a method of actively maintaining eye safety while permitting operation of the first optoelectronic device above a nominal eye safety limit, the method comprising:
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initiating operation in a transmit power mode in which average transmit optical power is below a nominal eye safety limit, including transmitting primary data from the first optoelectronic device to a second optoelectronic device in the transmit power mode in which average transmit optical power is below the nominal eye safety limit; monitoring a status link established by the second optoelectronic device with the first optoelectronic device for first status data indicative that it is safe for the first optoelectronic device to transmit one or more optical signals to the second optoelectronic device at an aggregate optical transmit power that is greater than the nominal eye safety limit; in response to not detecting the first status data, maintaining operation in the transmit power mode in which average optical power is below the nominal eye safety limit; in response to detecting the first status data, transitioning to a transmit power mode in which the average transmit optical power is above the nominal eye safety limit; monitoring a first optical link comprising a first electro-optical transducer of the second optoelectronic device, a first opto-electrical transducer of the first optoelectronic device, and a first optical fiber coupled therebetween to determine whether one or more optical signals transmitted from the second optoelectronic device to the first optoelectronic device over the second optical link are potentially exposed to view; if the first optoelectronic device determines that one or more optical signals transmitted over the first optical link are not potentially exposed to view, transmitting to the second optoelectronic device second status data indicative that it is safe for the second optoelectronic device to transmit one or more optical signals to the first optoelectronic device at an aggregate optical transmit power that is greater than the nominal eye safety limit; and if the first optoelectronic device determines that one or more optical signals transmitted over the first optical link are potentially exposed to view, not transmitting the second status data to the second optoelectronic device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. In a first optoelectronic device that is status-link enabled, a method of interoperating with a second optoelectronic device, the method comprising:
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in response to a triggering event, operating in a transmit power mode in which average transmit optical power is below a nominal eye safety limit, including transmitting primary data from the first optoelectronic device to the second optoelectronic device in the transmit power mode in which average transmit optical power is below the nominal eye safety limit; determining that the second optoelectronic device is status-link enabled; transitioning to a transmit power mode in which average optical power is above the nominal eye safety limit; monitoring one or more receiver bias currents of one or more optical receivers of the first optoelectronic device to determine whether one or more optical signals transmitted from the second optoelectronic device to the first optoelectronic device are potentially exposed to view; in response to determining, based on the one or more monitored receiver bias currents, that one or more optical signals transmitted from the second optoelectronic device to the first optoelectronic device are not potentially exposed to view, transmitting to the second optoelectronic device status data indicative that it is safe for the second optoelectronic device to transmit at an aggregate optical transmit power that is greater than the nominal eye safety limit; and in response to determining, based on the one or more monitored receiver bias currents, that one or more optical signals transmitted from the second optoelectronic device to the first optoelectronic device are potentially exposed to view, not transmitting the second status data to the second optoelectronic device. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15)
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14. In a first optoelectronic device, a method of actively maintaining eye safety while permitting operation of the first optoelectronic device above a nominal eye safety limit, the method comprising:
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initiating operation in a transmit power mode in which average transmit optical power is below a nominal eye safety limit; monitoring a status link established by a second optoelectronic device with the first optoelectronic device for status data indicative that it is safe for the first optoelectronic device to transmit one or more optical signals to the second optoelectronic device at an aggregate optical transmit power that is greater than the nominal eye safety limit; in response to not detecting the status data, maintaining operation in the transmit power mode in which average optical power is below the nominal eye safety limit; and in response to detecting the status data, transitioning to a transmit power mode in which the average transmit optical power is above the nominal eye safety limit; wherein; the first optoelectronic device includes; a first opto-electrical transducer coupled to a first end of a first optical fiber external to the first optoelectronic device; and a first electro-optical transducer coupled to a second optical fiber external to the first optoelectronic device; and the first electro-optical transducer, the second optical fiber, and a second opto-electrical transducer of the second optoelectronic device are included within a first optical link; the first opto-electrical transducer, the first optical fiber, and a second electro-optical transducer of the second optoelectronic device are included within a second optical link; the method further comprising; monitoring the second optical link to determine whether one or more optical signals transmitted from the second optoelectronic device to the first optoelectronic device over the second optical link are potentially exposed to view; establishing a status link with the second optoelectronic device over the first optical link; if the first optoelectronic device determines that one or more optical signals transmitted over the second optical link are not potentially exposed to view, transmitting to the second optoelectronic device second status data indicative that it is safe for the second optoelectronic device to transmit one or more optical signals to the first optoelectronic device at an aggregate optical transmit power that is greater than the nominal eye safety limit; and if the first optoelectronic device determines that one or more optical signals transmitted over the second optical link are potentially exposed to view, not transmitting the second status data to the second optoelectronic device.
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Specification