Patent · US Expired

Methods and apparatus for detecting a faulty component location along an optical path in an optical network

US7139069B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by
3References
50Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 25, 2005
Grant dateNov 21, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 3, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04B10/07955
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A multi-stage method and apparatus for determining a faulty component location along an optical path through an optical fiber in an optical network are disclosed. A total power of the optical fiber, and a total wavelength power as a sum of powers of the individual wavelengths at a plurality of local detection points are measured and compared at the local detection points, followed by determining whether or not a faulty detection point exists along the optical path. If a fault is identified, the method provides a multi-stage fault detection procedure, including measuring a total wavelength power loss between a local detection point and an adjacent detection point, between the local detection point and multiple non-adjacent detection points, and a correlation of the measured total wavelength power losses between the various detection points. A corresponding apparatus for determining the faulty component location in the optical network is also provided.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.