Apparatus and methods for transmitting light over optical fibers
An apparatus for providing a light of at least two colors to an optical fiber is disclosed. The apparatus includes a source for the at least two colors and a controller that controls the source to generate lights having selected duty cycles.
1 . An apparatus for transmitting light over an optical fiber, the apparatus comprising:
a source of at least two colors of light; and
a controller that controls the source of at least two colors of light to generate the at least two colors of light with a selected duty cycle.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the source includes a light-emitting diode (LED) for providing a color of light.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the source includes a laser for providing a color of light.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the colors include at least two of: red, green, black, yellow, blue and orange.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
one of the colors is black.
6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a timing mechanism operative to control intensity of at least one color of light.
7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein:
the timing mechanism and a selector are operative to cooperatively switch among the at least two colors of light.
8 . A method for providing a light over an optical fiber, the method comprising:
selecting at least two colors of light;
selecting an optical fiber from among a group of optical fibers that extend from a first location to a second location; and
transmitting the at least two colors of light via the selected optical fiber, each color of light having a selected duty cycle.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein:
transmitting the at least two colors of light further includes switching among at least two light-emitting diodes (LEDs).
10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein:
transmitting the at least two colors of light further includes switching among at least two lasers.
11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein: transmitting the at least two colors includes providing at least two of red, green, yellow, orange and black lights.
12 . The method of claim 8 further comprising, detecting emission of at least one of the at least two colors of light at the second location to determine a fault in the optical fiber.
13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the duty cycle differs between at least two light colors
14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising changing intensity of at least one color of light.
15 . A system for providing a light over an optical fiber, the system comprising:
a source of at least two colors of light;
a controller operative to control the source; and
a connector operative to couple the system to provide the at least two colors of light to a first end of the optical fiber, the optical fiber being of a group of optical fibers that extends from a first location to a second location.
16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein:
the source includes at least two light-emitting diodes (LEDs), each optically coupled to provide a color of light to the connector.
17 . The system of claim 15 , wherein:
the source includes at least two lasers, each optically coupled to provide a color of light to the connector.
18 . The system of claim 15 , wherein each of the at least two colors of light has a selected duty cycle.
19 . The system of claim 15 , wherein at least one of the at least two colors of light is black that fluoresces at a second end of the optical fiber.
20 . The system of claim 15 , further comprising:
a timing mechanism operative to control intensity of at least one color of light.