OPTICAL MONITORING OF TARGET CHARACTERISTICS
An optical monitor includes a target disposed within the optical monitor and exposed to ambient air, wherein exposure to the ambient air produces a change in an optical property of the target. The optical monitor may also include a light emitter to illuminate the target and an optical detector to generate a signal based on light reflected from or transmitted through the target. A processing device may activate the light emitter and receive the signal from the optical detector.
1 . An optical monitor comprising:
a target representative of a component of a monitored system, the target disposed within the optical monitor and exposed to ambient air, wherein exposure to the ambient air produces a change in an optical property of the target;
a light emitter configured to illuminate the target;
an optical detector configured to generate a signal based on light reflected from or transmitted through the target; and
a processing device configured to activate the light emitter and receive the signal from the optical detector;
wherein the processing device is a semiconductor chip disposed within the optical monitor.
2 . The optical monitor of claim 1 , further comprising a baffle configured to provide the ambient air to the target and block ambient light from reaching the target or the optical detector.
3 . The optical monitor of claim 1 , further comprising a baffle configured to reduce light from reaching the optical detector from the light emitter other than light interacting with the target.
4 . The optical monitor of claim 1 , wherein the processing device is further configured to analyze the signal from the optical detector and determine a change in a physical property of the target.
5 . The optical monitor of claim 1 , wherein the light emitter comprises a vertical cavity surface emitting laser.
6 . The optical monitor of claim 1 , further comprising a second light emitter, wherein the second light emitter provides light at a different frequency than a frequency of light provided by the light emitter.
7 . The optical monitor of claim 6 , further comprising a second optical detector, wherein the second optical detector is configured to receive light at the different frequency.
8 . The optical monitor of claim 1 , wherein the processing device is further configured to:
determine that the signal received from the optical detector satisfies a threshold; and
in response to determining that the signal satisfies the threshold, generating an indication that the threshold is satisfied.
9 . The optical monitor of claim 1 , further comprising a communication interface, wherein processing device is configured to communicate with a host system through the communication interface.
10 . The optical monitor of claim 1 , wherein the target is a copper, silver, steel, or a material coated with a metal film, and the optical property is changed based on corrosion of the target.
11 . The optical monitor of claim 1 , wherein the target is a transparent target coated with a substance to promote bacteria growth or mold, and the optical property is changed based on the bacteria growth or mold on the target.
12 . A method comprising:
illuminating, by a light emitter, a target disposed within an apparatus and exposed to ambient air, wherein the target is representative of one or more components of a monitored system;
generating, by an optical detector, a measurement signal in response to receiving light reflected from the target; and
determining, by a processing device, a change in a physical property of the target based on the measurement signal generated by the optical detector.
13 . (canceled)
14 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
illuminating, by a second light emitter, the target with a second frequency of light; and
generating, by a second optical detector, a second measurement signal in response to receiving light at the second frequency reflected from the target.
15 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
determining that the measurement signal generated by the optical detector satisfies a threshold; and
in response to determining that the measurement signal satisfies the threshold, generating an indication that the threshold is satisfied.
16 . A system comprising:
a host system; and
an optical monitor communicatively coupled to the host system through a communication channel, the optical monitor comprising:
a target representative of one or more components of the monitored system, the target disposed within the optical monitor and exposed to ambient air, wherein exposure to the ambient air produces a change in an optical property of the target;
a light emitter configured to illuminate the target;
an optical detector configured to generate a signal based on light reflected from or transmitted through the target; and
a processing device configured to control operation of the optical monitor.
17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the monitored system is a computer system and the optical property of the target changes due to corrosion of the target.
18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the processing device of the optical monitor is further configured to:
receive a request from the host system, through the communication channel, to update a configuration parameter; and
update the configuration parameter in response to receiving the request.
19 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the change in the optical property of the target indicates the integrity of contacts and enclosures of the one or more components of the monitored system.
20 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the host system is configured to:
receive, through the communication channel, the signal generated by the optical detector from the processing device; and
determine a level of corrosion of the one or more components of the monitored system based on the signal generated by the optical detector,
wherein the monitored system is a server in a data center and the one or more components are structures in the server.