System and method for performing in-service optical network certification
OwnerAlexander Ivan Soto, Walter Glen Sotoinventors
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Abstract
A system and method for performing an in-service optical time domain reflectometry test, an in-service insertion loss test, and an in-service optical frequency domain reflectometry test using a same wavelength as the network communications for point-to-point or point-to-multipoint optical fiber networks while maintaining continuity of network communications are disclosed.
Claims21
A method for performing optical measurements on one or more wavelengths of one or more optical fibers by a network terminal for use in an optical fiber network, wherein the network terminal is disposed to using frames of a network protocol for data communications on the one or more optical wavelengths, the method for performing optical measurements on the one or more wavelengths of the one or more optical fibers by the network terminal comprising:
- scheduling a test interval in synchrony with the frames of the network protocol, the test interval comprising a first time interval for transmitting an optical test signal followed by a second time interval for turning off an optical transmitter followed by a third time interval for measuring the optical test signal;
- during the first time interval of the test interval, using the optical transmitter for transmitting the optical test signal on one of the one or more wavelengths used for data communications onto one of the one or more optical fibers;
- during the second time interval of the test interval, turning off the optical transmitter resulting in no further light transmissions by the optical transmitter for the duration of the second time interval;
- setting the bias voltage of an avalanche photo diode responsive to the turning off the optical transmitter;
- during the third time interval of the test interval, measuring a portion of the optical test signal using the avalanche photo diode, and
- turning on the optical transmitter after the test interval.
A network terminal for use in an optical fiber network, comprising:
- at least one optical receiver adapted to receive optical signals on a wavelength used for data communications;
- at least one optical transmitter adapted to transmit optical signals on a wavelength used for data communications;
- at least one measurement circuit electrically coupled to the at least one optical receiver and adapted for producing a digital measurement using an avalanche photo diode of at least one optical signal received by the at least one optical receiver;
- and
- a controller electrically coupled to the at least one optical receiver and electrically coupled to the at least one optical transmitter and electrically coupled to the at least one measurement circuit and the controller is configured for communicating across the optical fiber network using a network protocol using frames for data communications and the controller is adapted to perform an optical measurement of one or more optical fiber links within a test interval using frames of the network protocol and the test interval includes:
- a first time interval wherein the controller signals one of the at least one optical transmitter to produce an optical test signal on a wavelength used for communications;
- a second time interval following the first time interval wherein the controller signals one of the at least one optical transmitter to turn off resulting in no further light transmissions and the controller signals to set the bias voltage of the avalanche photo diode, and
- a third time interval following the second time interval wherein one of the at least one measurement circuit measures a portion of the optical test signal received by one of the at least one optical receiver.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.