Fiber Optic Cable Diagnostics Using Digital Modulation

• US 20100080554A1
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Aguren, Jerry G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,233,804 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/073 using an out-of-service signal H04B10/071 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/2575 Radio-over-fibre, e.g. radio frequency signal modulated onto an optical carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2210/074 using a superposed, over-modulated signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13095 PIN / Access code, authentication

Abstract

Embodiments are directed to fiber optic cable diagnostics using digital modulation. A contact of a RFID (radio frequency identification) device located in a cable is connected with a contact of an optical transceiver. Data through the cable is using digital modulation and monitored to determine if the fiber optic cable and the optical transceiver are properly functioning.

Claims

1. ) A method, comprising:

coupling a cable to an optical transceiver so an electrical contact of a RFID (radio frequency identification) device on the cable physically contacts an electrical contact of the optical transceiver; and

transmitting data using digital modulation from the optical transceiver and the RFID device to determine an operational status of the cable.

2. ) The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical contact of the RFID device is located on an exterior surface of a housing of the cable.

3. ) The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical contact of the optical transceiver is completely embedded inside a housing of the optical transceiver.

4. ) The method of claim 1, wherein the operational status includes a degraded cable condition and a failed cable condition.

5. ) The method of claim 1 further comprising, using the data to determine when the cable is not fully inserted into the optical transceiver.

6. ) The method of claim 1 further comprising, monitoring the cable to receive the data while fiber optic transmissions are occurring through the cable and the optical transceiver.

7. ) The method of claim 1 further comprising, periodically polling the cable to receive new data from the optical transceiver and the RFID device.

8. ) A computer readable medium having instructions for causing a computer to execute a method, comprising:

monitoring a fiber optic cable that receives data transmitted using digital modulation from an optical transceiver, wherein a contact of a RFID (radio frequency identification) device located in the fiber optic cable connects to the optical transceiver to transmit the data; and

diagnosing the data to determine if the fiber optic cable and the optical transceiver are properly functioning.

9. ) The computer readable medium of claim 8 further comprising, using the data to diagnose an optical network physical layer.

10. ) The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the data includes a serial number and operating temperature of the optical transceiver.

11. ) The computer readable medium of claim 8 further comprising, providing the data from the optical transceiver over a standard protocol that includes one of SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) and SMI-S (Storage Management Initiative-Specification).

12. ) The computer readable medium of claim 8 further comprising, collecting a first portion of the data from a first end of the fiber optic cable and a second portion of the data from a second end of the fiber optic cable.

13. ) The computer readable medium of claim 8 further comprising, storing the data at each of two optical transceivers.

14. ) The computer readable medium of claim 8 further comprising, obtaining the data from a first RFID device located on an exterior housing at one end of the cable and a second RFID device located on an exterior housing at another end of the cable.

15. ) The computer readable medium of claim 8 further comprising, using the data to determine if the cable is operating in a degraded condition.

16. ) A computer system, comprising:

a memory storing an algorithm; and

a processor executing the algorithm to;

receive data using digital modulation through a first contact of an optical transceiver connected to a second contact of a RFID (radio frequency identification) device located in a cable; and

use the data from the optical transceiver and the RFID device to determine if the cable is properly operating.

17. ) The computer system of claim 16, wherein the second contact is located on an exterior surface of the cable.

18. ) The computer system of claim 16, wherein the first contact of the optical transceiver is completely embedded inside a housing of the optical transceiver.

19. ) The computer system of claim 16, wherein the processor further executes the algorithm to use the data to determine when the cable is not fully inserted into the optical transceiver.

20. ) The computer system of claim 16, wherein the processor further executes the algorithm to use the data to determine when the cable includes a broken or damaged optical fiber.