Optical interface identification system
A connector assembly, configured to releasably couple a socket assembly, includes zero or more data conductors. An optical pathway is configured to: receive an optical signal from an optical light source positioned within the socket assembly; and provide at least a portion of the optical signal to an optical light target positioned within the socket assembly.
1. A socket assembly comprising:
zero or more data conductors;
one or more optical light sources, associated with the socket assembly, configured to emit at least a portion of an optical signal to an optical pathway included within a connector assembly, wherein the optical pathway is independent of the zero or more data conductors; and
one or more optical light targets, associated with the socket assembly, configured to receive at least a portion of the optical signal from the optical pathway included within the connector assembly.
2. The socket assembly of claim 1 wherein the one or more optical light sources are a photo emitter.
3. The socket assembly of claim 1 wherein the one or more optical light targets are a photo detector.
4. The socket assembly of claim 1 wherein the one or more optical light targets are an optical conductor, and wherein the optical conductor is optically-coupled to a photo detector.
5. The socket assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of the zero or more data conductors is an electrical data conductor.
6. The socket assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of the zero or more data conductors is an optical data conductor.
7. The socket assembly of claim 1 wherein the optical signal includes optical energy within a defined optical spectrum, the optical pathway including an optical filter for filtering a portion of the defined optical spectrum.
8. The socket assembly of claim 1 wherein the connector assembly further comprises one or more additional optical pathways, wherein each additional optical pathway is configured to:
receive at least a portion of the optical signal from the one or more optical light sources associated with the socket assembly; and
provide at least a portion of the optical signal to the one or more optical light targets associated with the socket assembly.
9. The socket assembly of claim 1 wherein the optical pathway includes at least one optical conductor.
10. The socket assembly of claim 1 wherein the optical pathway includes at least one optical reflector.
11. The socket assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
an optical indicator assembly;
wherein the optical pathway is further configured to provide at least a portion of the optical signal to the optical indicator assembly; and
wherein the optical indicator assembly is configured to provide a visual indicator concerning a characteristic of the coupling of the socket assembly and the connector assembly in response to receiving the at least a portion of the optical signal.
12. The socket assembly of claim 2 wherein the one or more optical light sources include an optical conductor.
13. The socket assembly of claim 2 wherein the one or more optical light sources include an optical reflector.
14. The socket assembly of claim 2 wherein the one or more optical light sources include an optical filter.
15. The socket assembly of claim 3 wherein the one or more optical light targets include an optical conductor.
16. The socket assembly of claim 3 wherein the one or more optical light targets include an optical reflector.
17. The socket assembly of claim 3 wherein the one or more optical light targets include an optical filter.
18. The socket assembly of claim 1 wherein the optical pathway includes at least one optical splitter.
19. A method comprising:
emitting at least a portion of an optical signal by one or more optical light sources associated with a socket assembly, the optical signal configured to be received by one or more optical pathways included within a connector assembly, wherein the one or more optical pathways are independent of any data conductors;
receiving at least a portion of the optical signal from the one or more optical pathways by one or more optical light targets associated with the socket assembly; and
determining a connection based, at least in part, on at least a portion of the optical signal received by the one or more optical light targets.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein the connection includes a connection type.
21. The method of claim 19 wherein the connection includes a connection characteristic.