# US 5,703,682 A · Method for monitoring fiber optic cable

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- Number: US 5,703,682 A
- Document ID: US5703682A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/738,371
- Filed: 1996-10-25
- Granted: 1997-12-30
- Earliest claimed: 1996-10-25
- Inventors: Hossein Eslambolchi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5703682A

## CPC

- H04B 10/079: using measurements of the data signal
- H04B: TRANSMISSION

## Abstract

Possible microbending of individual fibers (14.sub.1 and 142.sub.2) within a fiber optic cable (12) is detected by monitoring each fiber as well as each piece of equipment (16.sub.1, 16.sub.2, 18.sub.1 and 18.sub.2) connected to it. Should there exist multiple failed fibers under the condition that the equipment pieces associated with each failed fiber are operational; then a possible microbending condition is signaled.

## Claims

### Claim 1

Within a system comprising at a plurality of pairs of first and second pieces of equipment, each pair of pieces of equipment coupled by one of a plurality of fibers in at least one fiber optic cable, a method for monitoring said cable, the method comprising the steps of:
detecting if each of the first and second pieces of equipment of each pair is operational, and if not setting an indicator to designate the inoperability of said piece of equipment;
simultaneously monitoring each fiber in each cable associated with a pair of first and second pieces of equipment;
determining whether multiple fibers in one of cables has failed under the condition when no indicator is designated for either of the first and second pieces of equipment of the pair associated with one of said multiple failed fibers, and if so
generating an alarm condition indicating possible stress to the fiber optic cable associated with microbending.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 wherein each fiber is monitored by detecting optically formatted information present at one end of the fiber.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 Wherein each fiber is monitored by detecting optically formatted information present at both ends of the fiber.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 wherein the location of the cable is considered in connection with generating the alarm condition.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 wherein the time of year is considered in connection with generating the alarm condition.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 further including the step of dispatching a technician upon the occurrence of an alarm condition.