Fibre monitoring in optical networks
AssigneeTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
InventorsCarlo Campanelli, Roberto Magri
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of monitoring (200) an optical fibre comprises modulating (210) an optical signal with a traffic signal; modulating (220) the optical signal with an incoherent optical frequency domain reflectometry, IOFDR, test signal; transmitting (230) the doubly modulated optical signal onto an optical fibre at a first end of the fibre; detecting (240) scattered radiation output from the first end of the fibre; and analysing (250) the detected scattered radiation using incoherent optical frequency domain reflectometry to determine a distance to a break in the optical fibre. Apparatus suitable for carrying out the method is also described, as well as an optical communications network employing the method.
Claims26
A method of monitoring an optical fibre comprising:
- modulating an optical signal with a traffic signal;
- modulating the optical signal with an incoherent optical frequency domain reflectometry, IOFDR, test signal;
- transmitting the doubly modulated optical signal onto an optical fibre at a first end of the fibre;
- detecting scattered radiation output from the first end of the fibre;
- and
- analysing the detected scattered radiation using incoherent optical frequency domain reflectometry to determine a distance to a break in the optical fibre.
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-17. (canceled)
An amplifier for an optical communications network operable to amplify an optical signal modulated with a traffic signal received from an output of a first optical fibre, and to retransmit the amplified signal into a first end of a second optical fibre, the amplifier comprising a modulator operable to further modulate the optical signal with an incoherent optical frequency domain reflectometry, IOFDR, test signal, and a first detector operable to detect scattered radiation received from at least one of the first end of the second optical fibre or the output of the first optical fibre.
-20. (canceled)
-26. (canceled)
A transmitter for an optical communications network comprising an optical source operable to generate an optical signal for transmission into a first end of an optical fibre, a first modulator operable to modulate the optical signal with an incoherent optical frequency domain reflectometry, IOFDR, test signal, a second modulator operable to further modulate the optical signal with a traffic signal, and a detector operable to detect scattered radiation received from the first end of the optical fibre.
An amplifier for an optical communications network, the amplifier comprising a pump laser operable in use to pump a gain medium of the amplifier, a microprocessor for controlling the operation of the amplifier, and an input connector for receiving an optical signal to be amplified, wherein the microprocessor is operable to modulate an output of the pump laser with an incoherent optical frequency domain reflectometry, IOFDR, test signal, and wherein the amplifier further comprises a detector operable to detect scattered radiation received at the input connector, which radiation has been modulated with the IOFDR test signal.
-30. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.