Method and apparatus for improved testing of optical circuit modules

Apparatus for testing a plurality of optical circuit modules, said apparatus comprising:

• a test pack including an-optical signal generator adapted to simultaneously apply an optical signal to an input of each of the plurality of optical circuit modules so as to allow each of the optical circuit modules to simultaneously undergo its own testing;
• the test pack coupled to the output of each of the plurality of optical circuit modules and further operative to serially query each of the optical circuit modules to obtain test results, wherein the test pack is adapted to provide a feedback signal to at least one of the plurality of optical circuit modules based upon the test results obtained by the test pack corresponding to the particular optical circuit modules;
• wherein the test pack is adapted to step through a range of different wavelengths and, for each wavelength, step through a range of different power levels, with each particular combination of wavelength and power level being applied simultaneously, in parallel, to each of the optical circuit modules;
• wherein the pack is adapted to serially query each of the optical circuit modules, for a given set of input test conditions, before advancing to the next set of input conditions;
• wherein a set of input test conditions comprises a wavelength and a power level;
• and
• the test pack further comprising an environmental enclosure, and further wherein all of the optical circuit modules simultaneously undergo testing on the test pack are housed in that environment enclosure.

A method for testing a plurality of optical circuit modules, said method comprising:

• generating an optical signal;
• simultaneously applying the optical signal to each of the plurality of optical circuit modules so as to allow each of the optical circuit modules to simultaneously undergo its own testing;
• and
• serially querying each of the optical circuit modules to obtain test results.

A method for testing a plurality of optical circuit modules, said method comprising:

• generating an optical signal;
• simultaneously applying the optical signal to each of a plurality of optical circuit modules so as to allow each of the optical circuit modules to simultaneously undergo its own testing;
• and serially querying each of the optical circuit modules to obtain test results
• wherein the optical signal is stepped through a range of different wavelengths and, for each wavelength, stepped through a range of different power levels, with each particular combination of wavelength and power level being applied simultaneously, in parallel, to each of the optical circuit modules;
• wherein each of the optical circuit modules is queried for a given combination of wavelength and power level, before advancing to the next combination of wavelength and power level;
• wherein all of the optical circuit modules simultaneously undergoing testing on the test pack are housed in a single environmental enclosure.