The present disclosure relates to systems and method for deploying a fiber optic network. Distribution devices are used to index fibers within the system to ensure that live fibers are provided at output locations throughout the system. In an example, fibers can be indexed in multiple directions within the system. In an example, spare ports can be providing in a forward direction and reverse direction ports can also be provided.

A reflector assembly at a power beam receiver includes at least two sets of reflection surfaces positioned to shift some incoming light away from the center of the beam and towards the periphery. These surfaces may be positioned obliquely to one another, for example orthogonally. By shifting a portion of the power beam away from a higher-intensity center and toward a lower-intensity periphery, the reflector assembly may improve receiver efficiency without substantial redirection of power outside of a power-collecting surface of the receiver.

Provided is a communication system including a communication building side communication device in a communication building and a user's home side communication device in a user's home that are connected via an optical fiber and a metal cable. When a power fed to the user's home side communication device from a commercial power supply stops, the communication building side communication device feeds the power to the user's home side communication device via the metal cable to operate the user's home side communication device, and the user's home side communication device communicates with the communication building side communication device via the optical fiber.

Remote terminal field device monitoring using distributed fiber optic sensing (DFOS) comprising a length of optical sensor fiber extending into the remote terminal, said remote terminal including one or more field devices located therein, wherein said length of optical sensor fiber located in the remote terminal includes one or more fiber loops formed in the length of optical sensor fiber, said one or more fiber loops respectively positioned proximate to the one or more field device(s) located in the remote terminal, a DFOS interrogator in optical communication with the optical sensor fiber and configured to generate optical pulses, introduce the generated pulses into the length of optical sensor fiber, and receive backscattered signals from the one or more fiber loops formed in the length of the optical sensor fiber, and an intelligent analyzer configured to analyze DFOS data received by the DFOS interrogator and determine from the backscattered signals, environmental activity occurring at the one or more fiber loops located within the remote terminal; operating the DFOS system and collecting/analyzing/reporting the environmental activity determined at the one or more fiber loops located within the remote terminal.

An optical communication system includes an optical transmitter and one or more processors. The optical transmitter is configured to output an optical signal, and includes an average-power-limited optical amplifier, such as an erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA). The one or more processors are configured to receive optical signal data related to a received power for a communication link from a remote communication system and determine that the optical signal data is likely to fall below a minimum received power within a time interval. In response to the determination, the one or more processors are configured to determine a duty cycle of the optical transmitter based on a minimum on-cycle length and a predicted EDFA output power and operate the optical transmitter using the determined duty cycle to transmit an on-cycle power that is no less than the minimum required receiver power for error-free operation of the communication link.

An optical communication system includes an optical transmitter and one or more processors. The optical transmitter is configured to output an optical signal, and includes an average-power-limited optical amplifier, such as an erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA). The one or more processors are configured to receive optical signal data related to a received power for a communication link from a remote communication system and determine that the optical signal data is likely to fall below a minimum received power within a time interval. In response to the determination, the one or more processors are configured to determine a duty cycle of the optical transmitter based on a minimum on-cycle length and a predicted EDFA output power and operate the optical transmitter using the determined duty cycle to transmit an on-cycle power that is no less than the minimum required receiver power for error-free operation of the communication link.

An optically-monitored and/or optically-controlled electronic device is described. The device includes at least one of a semiconductor transistor or a semiconductor diode. An optical detector is configured to detect light emitted by the at least one of the semiconductor transistor or the semiconductor diode during operation. A signal processor is configured to communicate with the optical detector to receive information regarding the light detected. The signal processor is further configured to provide information concerning at least one of an electrical current flowing in, a temperature of, or a condition of the at least one of the semiconductor transistor or the semiconductor diode during operation.

An optical wireless communication (OWC) interface apparatus comprises: at least one input and/or output configured to transfer data signals from and/or to a bus device; optical interface circuitry configured to transfer optical wireless communication (OWC) signals representative of the data signals between the OWC interface apparatus and a light transmitter and/or receiver apparatus, wherein the light transmitter and/or receiver apparatus is configured to transmit and/or receive the OWC signals as free-space light signals; and interface control circuitry that is configured to establish and/or maintain communication with the bus device in accordance with a bus protocol thereby to enable transfer of the data signals between the OWC interface apparatus and the bus device.

Systems for low power distribution in a power distribution network (PDN) contemplate using multiple low-power conductors to convey power from a power source to a remote sub-unit. The multiple conductors are isolated from one another to help prevent overcurrent conditions in a fault condition. In a first exemplary aspect, the isolation is provided by galvanic isolation. In a second exemplary aspect, the isolation is provided by diodes at the remote sub-units. Further, current sensors may be used at the power source to detect if any of the multiple low-power conductors are carrying current above a defined threshold current. By providing one or more of these safety features, a multiplexer may not be needed at the remote sub-unit, thus providing cost savings while preserving the desired safety features.

Adaptive communications focal plane arrays that may be implemented in, e.g., a specially-configured camera that can be utilized to receive and/or process information in the form of optical beams are presented. A specialized focal plane array (FPA) having a plurality of optical detectors is utilized, where one or more optical detectors are suppressed such that data is not allowed to be output from the one or more suppressed optical detectors, and only a significantly smaller number or subset of optical detectors receiving optical beams are allowed to output data. In this way, the rate at which data is to be output by an adaptive communications FPA (ACFPA) can be significantly reduced.