Fault isolation technique for optical networks
OwnerRoss Saundersinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method is provided for isolating faults in an optical network having a plurality of partial regenerators. The method includes: transmitting an optical signal through the optical network; determining an error rate for the optical signal at an egress point of the optical network; sequentially introducing a dither control signal into the optical signal at each of the plurality of partial regenerators; and monitoring the error rate for the optical signal at the egress point of the optical network; thereby isolating where a fault occurs in the optical network.
Claims12
A method for isolating faults in an optical path of an optical network having a plurality of partial regenerators, comprising:
- transmitting an optical signal through the optical network, the optical signal having error detection data embedded therein;
- determining an error rate for the optical signal at an egress point of the optical network, where the error rate is based on the error detection data embedded in the optical signal;
- dithering the optical signal distinctly at two or more of the plurality of partial regenerators subsequent to determining an error rate at an egress point, where the optical signal is dithered by varying an amplitude of the optical signal using the partial regenerators;
- and
- monitoring the error rate for the dithered optical signal at the egress point of the optical network in order to isolate where a fault occurs in the optical network.
A method for isolating faults in an optical path of an optical network having a plurality of partial regenerators, comprising:
- transmitting an optical signal through the optical network;
- determining a baseline error rate for the optical signal at an egress point of the optical network;
- dithering the optical signal by varying an amplitude of the optical signal using a first partial regenerator after determining a baseline error rate;
- determining a first error rate for the dithered optical signal at the egress point of the optical network;
- and
- evaluating the first error rate in relation to the baseline error rate to assess if a fault exists downstream from the first partial regenerator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.