Optical time domain reflectometer using a tunable optical source
US5179420A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 7, 1991 |
| Grant date | Jan 12, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 7, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01M11/3127
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
In an optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR), an optical signal is coupled to an optical fiber path to be tested, and back-scattered and reflected light from the optical fiber path is detected and used to determine loss-distance characteristics of the path. A control unit varies the wavelength of the optical signal by varying the temperature of a semiconductor laser constituting the optical source, so that the loss-distance characteristics for a plurality of different wavelengths are determined and can be displayed to show any wavelength dependent loss of the optical fiber path, which loss may be due to modal interference associated with closely spaced discontinuities in the path.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.