The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 29, 1992
Filed:
Apr. 05, 1991
Applicant:
Inventors:
David W Boerstler, Millbrook, NY (US);
Bert W Weidle, Ulster Park, NY (US);
Assignee:
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Attorneys:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H04B / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
359180 ; 372 38 ; 250205 ;
Abstract
A semiconductor injection laser diode is coupled via a switch to two drivers. One driver provides a drive current above the threshold current required to cause the injection laser diode to lase. The other driver provides a drive current below this threshold current, causing the laser diode to operate in a light-emitting diode (LED) mode. The switch couples the laser diode to one or the other of the drivers depending upon the receiver to which the transmitter is coupled.