Identification of transmission characteristic
AssigneeAT&T Bell Laboratories
InventorGary J. Grimes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus to determine characteristics of an optical communication path by utilizing electrical devices in an electrical path in parallel with the optical communication path. Each electrical device is physically located with a passive or active optical device and specifies the attenuation and delay of the optical device. A receiver measures the electrical qualities of each electrical device in the electrical path which is parallel to the optical path from the optical transmitter. The electrical measurements allow the receiver to automatically adjust its optical receiver to the attenuation and delay introduced by the optical devices in the optical path.
Claims38
A transmission link having a communication path with a plurality of components each effecting performance characteristics of the communication path, comprising:
- another communication path in conjunction with the communication path and physically distinct from the communication path;
- the another communication path having another plurality of components each corresponding to one of the plurality of components of the communication path;
- and
- each of the another plurality of components identifying one or more characteristics of the corresponding component of the plurality of components.
An apparatus for measuring performance characteristics of a communication path in a transmission link, and the communication path having a plurality of components each effecting the performance characteristics of the communication path, comprising:
- first means connected to the communication path for transmitting signals on the communication path;
- means connected to the communication path for receiving signals from the communication path;
- another plurality of components in another communication path in conjunction with the communication path, and each of the another plurality of components corresponding to one of the plurality of components of the communication path;
- second means connected to the another communication path for transmitting signals through the another communication path;
- each of the another plurality of components responsive to the signals for identifying one or more performance characteristics of the corresponding component of the plurality of components by modifying the signals;
- means connected to the another communication path for determining the performance characteristics of the communication path in response to the signals received from the another communication path;
- and
- the receiving means connected to the determining means is responsive to the performance characteristics for adjusting to match the performance characteristics.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.