Optical sequence time domain reflectometry

An optical sequence time domain reflectometry system comprising:

• a sequence signal source configured to provide a sequence signal;
• an optical transmit system configured to:
• receive the sequence signal from the sequence signal source;
• convert the sequence signal to an optical signal;
• transmit the optical signal through an optical fiber;
• an optical receive system configured to receive an optical reflection signal and convert the optical reflection signal to an electrical reflection signal;
• and
• a correlator configured to receive the electrical reflection signal and correlate the electrical reflection signal with the sequence signal.

A method for determining the location of a line anomaly in an optical channel comprising:

• obtaining a sequence signal;
• converting the sequence signal into a light signal;
• transmitting the light signal through an optical channel;
• receiving and directing a reflected light signal to an optical detector;
• converting the reflected light signal to a reflection sequence in electronic form;
• correlating the reflection sequence with the sequence signal to obtain a correlated signal;
• analyzing the correlated signal to determine a point of correlation;
• calculating a duration of propagation of the sequence signal through the optical channel;
• and
• calculating a location of a line anomaly based on the duration of propagation and a rate of propagation.

A method for analyzing an optical fiber comprising:

• transmitting a sequence signal through an optical fiber;
• receiving a reflection signal from the optical fiber;
• correlating the reflection signal to create a correlated signal;
• and
• processing the correlated signal.

A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for optical fiber analysis, comprising:

• computer program code logic configured to generate a sequence signal;
• an optical generator configured to transmit the sequence signal, in optical form, over an optical fiber;
• an optical receiver configured to detect an optical reflection and convert the optical reflection to an reflection signal in electrical format;
• computer program code logic configured to correlate the reflection signal with the sequence signal to create a correlated signal;
• computer program code logic configured to analyze the correlated signal to determine a portion of the correlated signal having a maximum magnitude;
• computer program code logic configured to determine a distance to a line anomaly based on a time of receipt of the portion of the correlated signal having a maximum magnitude.

A method for processing a reflection signal to obtain information about an optical fiber comprising:

• monitoring for a reflection signal received over an optic fiber, the reflection signal generated by transmission of an original signal;
• correlating the reflection signal with the original signal to generate a correlated signal;
• and
• analyzing the correlated signal for points of correlation to determine if line anomalies are present in the optical fiber.