Microwave photonic frequency domain reflectometer
AssigneeArtisan Laboratories Corp.
InventorArthur C. Paolella
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A plurality of microwave signals are converted into optical signals which are directed against an optically reflective surface, whereby the optical signals reflected off of the optically reflective surface are received and converted into microwave signals, which are passed through a Fourier Transformer for extracting information of interest.
Claims26
A method for providing a reflectometer system for detecting the location of a fault or break in an optical fiber, and/or quality of a optical fiber connector interfaces, and/or insertion loss of an optical fiber, and/or the insertion loss of a complete optical system, comprising the steps of:
- successively generating a first plurality of microwave signals each having a different frequency ranging f1, f2, f3 . . . fn, respectively, where n=1, 2, 3, . . . ∞;
- modulating an optical carrier beam with said first plurality of microwave signals for converting the latter into a plurality of optical signals each having a different frequency;
- successively directing said plurality of optical signals against an optically reflective surface of interest;
- successively receiving successive ones of said plurality of optical signals reflected from said optically reflective surface;
- successively converting the received reflected said plurality of optical signals into a plurality of second microwave signals;
- successively performing a fast Fourier transform on said plurality of second microwave signals to convert them from the frequency domain to the time domain;
- and
- successively processing the time domain based plurality of second microwave signals to extract information of interest relative to said optically reflective surface.
A reflectometer for detecting the location of a fault or break in an optical fiber, and/or quality of a optical fiber connector interfaces, and/or insertion loss of an optical fiber, and/or the insertion loss of a complete optical system, comprising:
- microwave transceiver means for selectively successively transmitting and receiving a plurality of first microwave signals having frequencies ranging f1, f2, f3 . . . fn, where n=1, 2, 3, . . . ∞;
- conversion means for receiving said plurality of microwave signals from said transceiver means to convert said signals into a plurality of optical signals;
- directing means receptive of said plurality of optical signals for causing these signals to be directed against an optically reflective surface of interest, whereby reflected ones of said plurality of optical signals are returned to said directing means;
- an optical receiver connected to said directing means for receiving therefrom the reflected optical signals, for converting the latter into reflected microwave signals;
- said microwave transceiver means being coupled to said optical receiver for receiving said reflected microwave signals;
- and
- fast Fourier transformer means connected to said swept frequency transmitter/receiver, for first storing, and later transforming said reflected microwave signals from the frequency domain to the time domain, for processing to extract information of interest relative to said optically reflective surface.
A reflectometer system for detecting the location of a fault or break in an optical fiber, comprising:
- a microwave swept frequency transmitter/receiver operable for selectively transmitting and receiving a plurality of signals having frequencies ranging f1, f2, f3 . . . fn, where n=1, 2, 3, . . . ∞;
- an optical transmitter for receiving microwave signals from said microwave swept frequency transmitter/receiver for modulating an optical carrier to provide a plurality of optical signals;
- means receptive of said plurality of optical signals for causing these signals to be directed against an optically reflective surface associated with a fault or break in an optical fiber, whereby reflected optical signals are returned to said receptive means;
- an optical receiver connected to said receptive means for receiving therefrom the reflected optical signals, for converting the latter back into microwave signals;
- said microwave swept frequency transmitter/receiver being coupled to said optical receiver for receiving said reflected microwave signals;
- fast Fourier transformer means connected to said swept frequency transmitter/receiver, for first storing, and later transforming said reflected microwave signals from the frequency domain to the time domain, for processing;
- and
- display means connected to said fast Fourier transformer means for receiving and processing the time domain based reflected microwave signals to display the location of the fault or break in the optical fiber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.