In-band optical frequency division reflectometry
AssigneeFuturewei Technologies, Inc.
InventorFrank J. Effenberger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus comprising an optical transmitter coupled to an optical fiber, and an optical receiver coupled to the optical fiber, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit a test signal data pattern and user data into the optical fiber, and wherein the receiver is configured to receive a reflection of the test signal data pattern. Also disclosed is a network component comprising a processor configured to implement a method comprising promoting the transmission of an optical test signal data pattern into an optical fiber, wherein the test signal data pattern creates a radio frequency (RF) tone, and detecting a reflection of the RF tone in the optical fiber.
Claims21
A method comprising:
- receiving a user data frame comprising user data from an upstream node;
- intentionally creating line patterns with significant single frequency tones used to implement an optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) system, wherein the line patterns with significant single frequency tones are used as a test signal data pattern;
- encapsulating the test signal data pattern in a test signal data frame that does not comprise the user data, and
- transmitting the test signal data frame and the user data frame into an optical fiber toward a downstream node using time division multiplexing (TDM),
- wherein a transmitter is used as a delta-sigma modulator and a digital waveform is generated for use as the test signal data pattern by modulating fractions of 0's and 1's sent in a certain period, and
- wherein a sinusoidal function is approximated by the sequence of 0's and 1's.
An optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) system comprising:
- a Media Access Control (MAC) unit configured to:
- intentionally create line patterns with significant single frequency tones for use as a test signal pattern by employing a series of bits;
- insert a bit transition in the test signal pattern;
- encapsulate the test signal pattern in a test signal frame comprising a header;
- act as a delta-sigma modulator;
- and
- generate a digital waveform to act as the test signal pattern by modulating fractions of 0's and 1's for transmission in a certain period, wherein a sinusoidal function is approximated by the sequence of 0's and 1's;
- and
- a transmitter coupled to the MAC unit and configured to:
- transmit signals received from the MAC unit;
- and
- transmit the test signal frame and a data frame across an optical network using time division multiplexing (TDM).
An apparatus comprising:
- a receiver configured to receive a user data frame comprising user data from an upstream node;
- an optical transmitter coupled to an optical fiber;
- and
- an optical receiver coupled to the optical fiber,
- wherein the optical transmitter is configured to:
- encapsulate a test signal data pattern in a test signal data frame that does not comprise the user data;
- and
- transmit the test signal data frame and the user data frame into the optical fiber using time division multiplexing (TDM),
- wherein the optical receiver is configured to receive a reflection of the test signal data pattern, and
- wherein the test signal data pattern is a digital signal comprising an approximation of a sinusoidal function.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.