Method of detecting and characterizing anomalies in a propagative medium

The method of examining an optical fiber as recited in claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

• (a) transmitting optical pulses having an optimum pulse width for detecting the presence of additional reflections within the reflective anomaly;
• (b) sampling the optical return signal to acquire data points over the reflective anomaly for detecting the additional reflections;
• and
• (c) repeating the steps of claim 16 for characterizing the additional reflections within the reflective anomaly.

A method of examining an optical fiber for an anomaly associated with a discontinuity in the optical fiber having a loss wherein optical pulses are transmitted into the optical fiber for producing an optical return signal from the optical fiber, the steps comprising:

• (a) sampling the optical return signal to acquire a minimum number of data points having magnitude values representative of the optical return signal for defining an interval for detecting the presence of the anomaly;
• (b) comparing the difference in the magnitude values of the data points over the interval to a preselected value for detecting the presence of the anomaly;
• (c) dividing the interval into two regions when an anomaly is detected by sampling the optical return signal to acquire a data point within the interval and comparing the difference in the magnitude values of the data points defining each of the regions to the preselected value to detect the presence of the anomaly within one of the regions;
• (d) dividing the regions containing the anomaly into two sub-regions by sampling the optical return signal to acquire a data point within the region and comparing the difference in the magnitude values of the data points defining each of the sub-regions to the preselected value to detect the presence of the anomaly within one of the sub-regions;
• (e) repeating step (d) to decrease the sub-region containing the anomaly while preselected conditions are met;
• (f) transmitting optical pulses having an optimum pulse width for producing an adequately strong optical return signal over the sub-region containing the anomaly;
• (g) sampling the optical return signal to acquire data points over the sub-region containing the anomaly for characterizing the detected anomaly;
• and
• (h) displaying the characteristics of the detected anomaly.

A method of examining an optical fiber for an anomaly associated with a discontinuity in the optical fiber having a loss wherein optical pulses are transmitted into the optical fiber for producing an optical return signal from the optical fiber, the steps comprising:

• (a) sampling the optical return signal to acquire a first data point having a magnitude value representative of the optical return signal;
• (b) predicting a magnitude value for a second data point;
• (c) sampling the optical return signal to acquire the second data point for defining an interval for determining the presence of the anomaly and comparing the predicted magnitude value to the magnitude value of the second data point to determine the presence of the anomaly within the interval;
• (d) dividing the interval into two regions when an anomaly is detected by predicting the magnitude value of a data point within the interval and sampling the optical return signal to acquire the data point within the interval and comparing the predicted magnitude value to the magnitude value of the data point within the interval to detect the presence of the anomaly within one of the regions;
• (e) dividing the region containing the anomaly into two sub-regions by predicting a magnitude value for a data point within the region containing the anomaly and sampling the optical return signal to acquire the data point within the region and comparing the predicted magnitude value with the magnitude value of the data point with the region to detect the presence of the anomaly within one of the sub-regions;
• (f) repeating step (e) to decrease the sub-region containing the anomaly while preselected conditions are met;
• (g) transmitting optical pulses having an optimum pulse width for producing an adequately strong optical return signal over the sub-region containing the anomaly;
• (h) sampling the optical return signal to acquire data points over the sub-region containing the anomaly for characterizing the detected anomaly;
• and
• (i) displaying the characteristics of the detected anomaly.

A method of examining an optical fiber for an anomaly associated with a discontinuity in the optical fiber wherein optical pulses are transmitted into the optical fiber for producing an optical return signal from the optical fiber, the steps comprising:

• (a) establishing a minimum threshold value for detecting the anomaly;
• (b) determining a minimum number of samples required for each data point of acquired data for maintaining a minimum signal to noise ratio for detecting the anomaly at the minimum threshold value;
• (c) sampling the optical return signal to acquire a minimum number of data points along the optical fiber having magnitude values representative of the optical return signal for defining an interval for detecting the presence and type of anomaly;
• (d) comparing the difference in the magnitude values of the data points over the interval to a predicted value for the interval to detect the presence and type of anomaly;
• (e) transmitting optical pulses having an optimum pulse width for producing an adequately strong optical return signal over the interval containing the anomaly;
• (f) sampling the optical return signal to acquire data point over the interval containing the anomaly for characterizing the detected anomaly;
• (e) storing the characteristics of the detected anomaly;
• (f) repeating steps (c) through (e) for establishing additional interval by acquiring additional data points, each additional interval overlapping a portion of an adjacent interval, the establishing of additional intervals continuing while preselected conditions are met;
• and
• (g) displaying the stored characteristics of the detected anomalies.

A method of examining an optical fiber for an anomaly associated with a discontinuity in the optical fiber wherein optical pulses are transmitted into the optical fiber for producing an optical return signal from the optical fiber, the steps comprising:

• (a) sampling the optical return signal to acquire data points along the optical fiber having magnitude values representative of the optical return signal;
• (b) detecting the presence and type of anomaly in the optical return signal as a function of the magnitude values of the acquired data points over an interval;
• (c) transmitting optical pulses having an optimum pulse width for producing an adequately strong optical return signal over a region including the interval containing the anomaly;
• (d) sampling the optical return signal to acquire data points over the region including the interval containing the anomaly for characterizing the detected anomaly;
• and
• (e) displaying the characteristics of the detected anomaly.