Testing an optical cable having multiple fibers by the application of a light pulse to all fibers through optical jumpers of incrementally varying lengths
US5767957A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 4, 1996 |
| Grant date | Jun 16, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 4, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01M11/3136
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A device for testing multi-fiber optical cables includes a number of test stations into which an end of a cable under test is plugged. Some to the test stations provide for the attachment of an array connector, while others provide for the attachment of a number of discrete connectors. The optical input/output port of an OTDR unit is connected to each of the test stations through an optical switch, which connects this port with only one such station at a time. Within each station, signals from the optical switch are divided among a number of light paths by a splitter, which also returns signals from these light paths to the OTDR through the optical switch. The various light paths within each station include fiber optic jumpers which vary in length, so that a single test pulse from the OTDR is reflected back from a number of interfaces in the cable under test as a train of pulses.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.