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. 07, 1999
Filed:
Feb. 09, 1998
Ladd W Freitag, Rochester, MN (US);
David Warren Siljenberg, Byron, MN (US);
Raymond Jonathan Thatcher, Rochester, MN (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for laser safety. A fault detector detects laser fault conditions and generates a laser fault control signal. A laser fault counter is coupled to the fault detector for counting laser fault conditions and for generating a disable laser control signal responsive to a predetermined fault count. A reset timer is coupled to the laser fault counter for identifying a predetermined reset time period responsive to the laser fault control signal and applying a reset signal to the laser fault counter. Features of laser safety method and apparatus of the invention are that the laser fault counter is reset if a second laser fault condition is not detected within the predetermined reset time period after the laser is turned on. The disable laser control signal is not generated when a safe laser optical power condition occurs between two laser fault conditions.