Passive optical network (PON) in-band optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR)
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- (a) a network equipment including;
(i) an optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR) transmitter operationally connected to a link and configured to transmit an OTDR signal at a first wavelength, and(ii) an OTDR receiver operationally connected to the link, configured to receive said OTDR signal at said first wavelength;
(b) a network device operationally connected to the link, said network device configured to transmit data signals at a second wavelength and receive data signals at said first wavelength, said network device configured to actuate said OTDR transmitter to transmit said OTDR signal on the link during a determined test time, said determined test time based on a communications protocol of the link, wherein during said determined test time data signals are not transmitted to said network device at said first wavelength, and wherein said network device is allowed to transmit said data signals during said determined test time at said second wavelength; and
(c) a processing system operationally connected to said OTDR receiver, said processing system being configured to process said OTDR signal to provide OTDR test results.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An in-band OTDR uses a network'"'"'s communication protocols to perform OTDR testing on a link. Because the OTDR signal (probe pulse) is handled like a data signal, the time required for OTDR testing is typically about the same as the time required for other global network events, and is not considered an interruption of service to users. A network equipment includes an optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR) transmitter and receiver, each operationally connected to a link to transmit and receive, respectively, an OTDR signal. When an OTDR is to be performed, a network device operationally connected to the link actuates the OTDR transmitter to transmit the OTDR signal on the link during a determined test time based on a communications protocol of the link, during which data signals are not transmitted to the network equipment. A processing system processes the OTDR signal to provide OTDR test results.
34 Citations
50 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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(a) a network equipment including; (i) an optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR) transmitter operationally connected to a link and configured to transmit an OTDR signal at a first wavelength, and (ii) an OTDR receiver operationally connected to the link, configured to receive said OTDR signal at said first wavelength; (b) a network device operationally connected to the link, said network device configured to transmit data signals at a second wavelength and receive data signals at said first wavelength, said network device configured to actuate said OTDR transmitter to transmit said OTDR signal on the link during a determined test time, said determined test time based on a communications protocol of the link, wherein during said determined test time data signals are not transmitted to said network device at said first wavelength, and wherein said network device is allowed to transmit said data signals during said determined test time at said second wavelength; and (c) a processing system operationally connected to said OTDR receiver, said processing system being configured to process said OTDR signal to provide OTDR test results. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system comprising:
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(a) a network equipment including; (i) an optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR) transmitter operationally connected to a link and configured to transmit an OTDR signal at a first wavelength, and (ii) an OTDR receiver operationally connected to the link, configured to receive said OTDR signal at said first wavelength; (b) a network device operationally connected to the link, said network device configured to transmit data signals at a second wavelength and receive data signals at said first wavelength, said network device configured to actuate said OTDR transmitter to transmit said OTDR signal on the link during a determined test time, said determined test time based on a communications protocol of the link, wherein during said determined test time data signals are not transmitted to said network equipment at said first wavelength, and wherein said network device is allowed to transmit said data signals during said determined test time at said second wavelength; (c) at least one user device configured to transmit said data signals at said second wavelength and receive data signals at said first wavelength, said at least one user device is allowed to transmit data signals at said second wavelength during said determined test time, said at least one user device operationally connected to the link; and (d) a processing system operationally connected to said OTDR receiver, said processing system being configured to process said OTDR signal to provide OTDR test results.
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21. A method comprising the steps of:
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(a) actuating an optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR) transmitter in a network equipment to transmit an OTDR signal at a first wavelength during a determined test time on a link operationally connected to said OTDR transmitter, said determined test time based on a communications protocol of the link, wherein during said determined test time data signals are not transmitted to said network equipment at said first wavelength, and wherein a network device operationally connected to the link is configured to transmit data signals at a second wavelength and received data signals at said first wavelength, and wherein said network device is allowed to transmit said data signals at said second wavelength during said determined test time; (b) receiving said OTDR signal at said first wavelength with an OTDR receiver in said network equipment, said OTDR receiver operationally connected to the link; and (c) processing the received OTDR signal with a processing system operationally connected to said OTDR receiver to provide OTDR test results. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method comprising the steps of:
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(a) actuating an optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR) transmitter in a network equipment to transmit an OTDR signal at a first wavelength during a determined test time on a link operationally connected to said OTDR transmitter, said determined test time based on a communications protocol of the link, wherein during said determined test time data signals are not transmitted to said network equipment at said first wavelength, wherein at least one user device is configured to transmit data signals at a second wavelength and receive data signals at said first wavelength, and wherein said at least one user device is allowed to transmit said data signals at said second wavelength during said determined test time, said at least one user device operationally connected to the link; (b) receiving said OTDR signal with an OTDR receiver in said network equipment, said OTDR receiver operationally connected to the link; and (c) processing the received OTDR signal with a processing system operationally connected to said OTDR receiver to provide OTDR test results.
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41. A system comprising:
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(a) at least one user device; (b) a link operationally connected to said at least one user device; (c) a network device operationally connected to said link, said network device including; (i) an optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR) transmitter operationally connected to said link and configured to transmit an OTDR signal at a first wavelength, and (ii) an OTDR receiver operationally connected to the link, configured to receive said OTDR signal at said first wavelength; said network device configured to actuate said OTDR transmitter to transmit said OTDR signal at said first wavelength on said link during a determined test time, said determined test time based on said network device withholding permission-to-transmit data signals at said first wavelength from said at least one user device to said network device, and wherein said network device is allowed to transmit said data signals during said determined test time at a second wavelength; and (d) a processing system operationally connected to said OTDR receiver, said processing system being configured to process said OTDR signal to provide OTDR test results. - View Dependent Claims (42)
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43. A method comprising the steps of:
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(a) actuating an optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR) transmitter in a network device to transmit an OTDR signal at a first wavelength during a determined test time on a link operationally connected to said OTDR transmitter, said determined test time based on withholding permission-to-transmit data signals at said first wavelength from at least one user device to said network device, wherein said user device is operationally connected to the link and said user device is configured to transmit data signals at said first wavelength and received data signals at a second wavelength, and wherein said network device is allowed to transmit said data signals at said second wavelength during said determined test time; (b) receiving said OTDR signal at said first wavelength with an OTDR receiver in said network device, said OTDR receiver operationally connected to the link; and (c) processing the received OTDR signal with a processing system operationally connected to said OTDR receiver to provide OTDR test results. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification