OPTICAL FIBER DETECTION METHOD AND SYSTEM

摘要

An optical fiber detector, and a method and system for optical fiber detection are disclosed. One embodiment of the optical fiber detector of this invention comprises: a receptacle, to receive and position an optical fiber connector; an infra-red ("IR") source for providing an incident IR beam onto a cross-sectional face of an optical fiber and a cross-sectional face of the optical fiber connector; and an IR detector for receiving a reflected IR beam from the face of the optical fiber and the face of the optical fiber connector and generating a detector signal representative of the intensity of the reflected IR beam, wherein the intensity of the reflected IR beam is representative of the presence and type of the optical fiber. This embodiment of the optical fiber can further comprise an IR filter for filtering non-IR wavelengths from the reflected IR beam before the IR beam is received at the IR detector and signal processing and control means, for receiving and processing the detector signal to provide display, control or monitoring functions. The receptacle can be part of an illuminator system enclosure housing a light source, wherein the receptacle is further operable to position the connector such that the optical fiber is optically coupled to the light source. The infra-red source can comprise an IR light emitting diode ("LED") and the IR detector can comprise a photodiode operable to detect IR wavelengths. The intensity of the reflected IR beam can vary, and is inversely proportional to the ratio of the area of cross-sectional face of the optical fiber reflecting the incident IR beam to the area of cross-sectional optical fiber connector reflecting the incident IR beam. Embodiments of this invention can be implemented within any fiber-optic illuminator machine or system for use in ophthalmic or other surgery. Further, it is contemplated that the optical fiber detector of this invention can be implemented or incorporated in any machine or system requiring connection of an optical fiber to a light source. Other uses for an optical fiber detection method and system designed in accordance with the teachings of this invention will be apparent to those familiar with the art.