Monitoring eDC polarization inverse filter coefficients to identify real-time physical intrusion into a core or metro optical network

Abstract

A fiber network is monitored in order to detect physical intrusion. The state of polarization of an optical fiber is monitored. A fiber tap is determined to have occurred if the state of polarization of the fiber changes beyond a predetermined amount found to be associated with all types of fiber taps. Alternately, it may be determined that a fiber tap has occurred if the state of polarization changes beyond a second predetermined amount and in a predetermined direction. Monitoring of the state of polarization occurs before and after a time period chosen to be less than a time during which the state of polarization of the optical fiber is expected to drift. This step eliminates false positives due to natural fiber PMD drift.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.