Optical time-domain reflectometer interoperable trunk switch

• US 10,250,324 B1
• Filed: 09/22/2017
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ciena Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ciena Corporation
• Inventors: Chedore, Paul, Archambault, Jean-Luc
• Primary Examiner(s): Pascal, Leslie C
• Application Number:
  US15/712,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20190097719A1
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 11/3109 Reflectometers detecting the back-scattered light in the time-domain, e.g. OTDR
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/071 using a reflected signal, e.g. using optical time domain reflectometers [OTDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/00 Selecting arrangements for multiplex systems multiplex systems H04J
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0001 using optical switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0005 Switch and router aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0062 Network aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0015 using splitting combining
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0083 Testing; Monitoring

Abstract

An optical trunk switch supporting an Optical Time-Domain Reflectometer (OTDR) includes a transmit switch configured to provide an input signal to one or more of a primary fiber path and a standby fiber path; a receive switch configured to provide an output signal from one of the primary fiber path and the standby fiber path; and an OTDR connection configured to provide one or more OTDR signals to monitor an inactive path of the primary fiber path and the standby fiber.

Claims

1. An optical trunk switch supporting an Optical Time-Domain Reflectometer (OTDR), the optical trunk switch comprising:

a transmit switch configured to provide an input signal to one or more of a primary fiber path and a standby fiber path;

a receive switch configured to provide an output signal from one of the primary fiber path and the standby fiber path; and

an integrated OTDR system in a same housing as the transmit switch and the receive switch, wherein the integrated OTDR system has an OTDR connection to one or more of the transmit switch and the receive switch, wherein the integrated OTDR system is configured to provide one or more OTDR signals to monitor an inactive path of the primary fiber path and the standby fiber, based on configuration of the transmit switch and the receive switch.

2. The optical trunk switch of claim 1, wherein the transmit switch and the receive switch each comprise a 2×

2 switch.

3. The optical trunk switch of claim 2, wherein the integrated OTDR system is connected separately to each of the transmit switch and the receive switch to provide a co-propagating OTDR signal on the inactive path in a transmit direction and a counter-propagating OTDR signal on the inactive path in a receive direction.

4. The optical trunk switch of claim 1, wherein the one or more OTDR signals comprise a co-propagating OTDR signal to monitor a transmit direction of the inactive path and a counter-propagating OTDR signal to monitor a receive direction of the inactive path.

5. The optical trunk switch of claim 1, wherein the OTDR connection includes one or more combiners configured to add the one or more OTDR signals to an active path of the primary fiber path and the standby fiber.

6. The optical trunk switch of claim 1, wherein the transmit switch and the receive switch each comprise a 2×

2 switch with

a first input including a signal and a combiner which adds the one or more OTDR signals to the signal for an active path of the primary fiber path and the standby fiber, and

a second input which directly adds the one or more OTDR signals to the inactive path.

7. The optical trunk switch of claim 1, wherein the transmit 2×

2 switch and the receive 2×

2 switch each comprise a

a first input including a signal and a combiner which an OTDR signal to the signal for an active path of the primary fiber path and the standby fiber, and

a second input which directly adds the OTDR signal to the inactive path.

8. An optical trunk switch supporting an Optical Time-Domain Reflectometer (OTDR), the optical trunk switch comprising:

a transmit 2×

2 switch configured to provide an input signal to an active path and to provide a co-propagating OTDR signal to an inactive path;

a receive 2×

2 switch configured to provide an output signal from the active path and to provide a counter-propagating OTDR signal to the inactive path; and

an integrated OTDR system in a same housing as the transmit switch and the receive switch, wherein the integrated OTDR system has an OTDR connection to the transmit 2×

2 switch and the receive 2×

2 switch, wherein the integrated OTDR system is configured to provide the co-propagating OTDR signal and the counter-propagating OTDR signal, based on configuration of the transmit 2×

2 switch and the receive 2×

2 switch.

9. The optical trunk switch of claim 8, wherein the is integrated OTDR system connected separately to each of the transmit switch and the receive switch to provide the co-propagating OTDR signal on the inactive path in a transmit direction and the counter-propagating OTDR signal on the inactive path in a receive direction.

10. The optical trunk switch of claim 8, wherein the OTDR connection includes one or more combiners configured to add the one or more OTDR signals to an active path of the primary fiber path and the standby fiber.

11. A method for providing an optical trunk switch supporting an Optical Time-Domain Reflectometer (OTDR), the method comprising:

providing a transmit switch configured to provide an input signal to one or more of a primary fiber path and a standby fiber path;

providing a receive switch configured to provide an output signal from one of the primary fiber path and the standby fiber path; and

providing an integrated OTDR system in a same housing as the transmit switch and the receive switch, wherein the integrated OTDR system has an OTDR connection to one or more of the transmit switch and the receive switch, wherein the integrated OTDR system is configured to provide one or more OTDR signals to monitor an inactive path of the primary fiber path and the standby fiber, based on configuration of the transmit switch and the receive switch.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the transmit switch and the receive switch each comprise a 2×

2 switch.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more OTDR signals comprise a co-propagating OTDR signal to monitor a transmit direction of the inactive path and a counter-propagating OTDR signal to monitor a receive direction of the inactive path.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the OTDR connection includes one or more combiners configured to add the one or more OTDR signals to an active path of the primary fiber path and the standby fiber.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the transmit switch and the receive switch each comprise a 2×

2 switch with

a first input including a signal and a combiner which adds the one or more OTDR signals to the signal for an active path of the primary fiber path and the standby fiber, and

a second input which directly adds the one or more OTDR signals to the inactive path.