US 7,257,325 B1 · Method and system for monitoring multiple optical communications lines

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system for monitoring composite optical signals carried over plural fiber-optic lines within an optical network. Methods and systems in accordance with the present invention each utilize a single OPM to monitor each one of a set of sample proportions of composite signals split off from respective fiber-optic lines. In one embodiment, an optical performance monitoring system comprises a plurality of fiber-optic lines, each fiber-optic line carrying a respective composite optical signal, a plurality of optical taps, each optical tap being optically coupled to a respective one of the fiber-optic lines and splitting a portion of the composite optical signal thereof, a plurality of optical switches, each optical switch being optically coupled to a respective one of the optical taps and comprising either an Open configuration and a Closed configuration, an optical coupler, and an Optical Performance Monitor (OPM).

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system for monitoring multiple optical communications lines, comprising:

an optical performance monitor having an input;
an optical coupler having an input and an output, the output of the optical coupler directly coupled to the input of the optical performance monitor via an optical line;
a first optical switch having an input for receiving a first composite optical signal and an output directly coupled to the optical coupler via a first optical line, the first optical switch having an OPEN position and a CLOSED position;
a second optical switch having an input for receiving a second composite optical signal and an output directly coupled to the optical coupler via a second optical line, the second optical switch having an OPEN position and a CLOSED position, wherein one of the optical switches, either the first optical switch or the second optical switch, is in the CLOSED position at any one time;
a first optical tap directly coupled to the first optical switch for receiving the first composite optical signal and splitting a portion of the first composite optical signal to the first optical switch;
and
a second optical tap directly coupled to the second optical switch for receiving the second composite optical signal and splitting a portion of the second composite optical signal to the second optical switch.

4 more elements

A system for monitoring multiple optical communications lines,

comprising:
an optical performance monitor having an input;
an optical coupler having an input and an output, the output of the optical coupler directly coupled to the input of the optical performance monitor via an optical line;
a first variable optical attenuator having an input for receiving a first composite optical signal and an output directly coupled to the optical coupler via a first optical line, the first variable optical attenuator being cycled between a maximum attenuation and a minimum attenuation;
a second variable optical attenuator having an input for receiving a second composite optical signal and an output directly coupled to the optical coupler via a second optical line, the second variable optical attenuator being cycled between a maximum attenuation and a minimum attenuation wherein one of the variable optical attenuators, either the first variable optical attenuator or the second variable optical attenuator, is at its minimum attenuation setting at any one time;
a first optical tap directly coupled to the first variable optical attenuator for receiving the first composite optical signal and splitting a portion of the first composite optical signal to the first variable optical attenuator;
and
a second optical tap directly coupled to the second variable optical attenuator for receiving the second composite optical signal and splitting a portion of the second composite optical signal to the second variable optical attenuator.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and system for monitoring multiple optical communications lines

Life of this patent

Method and system for monitoring multiple optical communications lines

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20