Polarization optical time domain reflectometer and method of determining PMD
US7920253B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 29, 2006 |
| Grant date | Apr 5, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 30, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01M11/3181
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
In a method of measuring cumulative polarization mode dispersion (PMD) along the length of a fiber-under-test (FUT), a polarization-sensitive optical time domain reflectometer (POTDR) is used to inject into the FUT plural series of light pulses arranged in several groups. Each group comprises at least two series having closely-spaced wavelengths and the same state of polarization (SOP). At least two of such groups are injected and corresponding OTDR traces obtained for each series by averaging the impulse-response signals of the several series in the group. The process is repeated for a number of groups. The PMD is obtained by normalizing the OTDR traces of all of the groups, then computing the difference between each normalized OTDR trace in one group and the corresponding normalized OTDR trace in another group, followed by the mean-square value of the differences. Finally, the PMD is computed as a predetermined function of the mean-square difference.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.