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:
Feb. 11, 1997
Filed:
Apr. 19, 1995
Applicant:
Inventor:
Raymond H Masonson, Derwood, MD (US);
Assignee:
Optelecom, Inc., Gaithersburg, MD (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H01S / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
372 34 ; 372 25 ; 372 36 ;
Abstract
A system uses a parallel switch/thermoelectric cooler circuit between a voltage source and a subsystem having a laser diode in thermal contact with the thermoelectric cooler. The switch opens when the temperature is above a switch temperature such that current is supplied to the thermoelectric cooler in order to cool the laser. The thermoelectric cooler uses energy which would otherwise be wasted in a voltage regulator. The subsystem includes an optical transmitter using the laser to send signals. An alternate arrangement uses a pulse width modulator to provide proportional control for more precise regulation of the laser temperature.