Apparatus, system and method for network monitoring

• US 8,417,114 B1
• Filed: 08/21/2012
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Waters, John F. Jr., Dugan, Andrew, Ratterree, Gary, Storey, Jeffrey Kendall, Paredes, Salvador
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hanh
• Application Number:
  US13/590,922
• Time in Patent Office: 231 Days
• Field of Search: 398/33, 398/38, 398/177, 398/181, 398/180, 398/25, 398/26, 398/27, 398/16, 398/19, 398/10, 398/17, 398/20, 398/28, 398/30, 398/31, 356/73.1
• US Class Current: 398/16
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/29361 Interference filters, e.g. multilayer coatings, thin film filters, dichroic splitters or mirrors based on multilayers, WDM filters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/035 using loopbacks
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/0773 Network aspects, e.g. central monitoring of transmission parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/0791 Fault location on the transmission path
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/02 Wavelength-division multiplex systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0062 Network aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0066 Provisions for optical burst or packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0081 Fault tolerance; Redundancy; Recovery; Reconfigurability
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0083 Testing; Monitoring

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices are disclosed for monitoring optical communications between a managed location and a remote location. In particular, an optical signal is transmitted over an optical fiber and passed-through a test device. A portion of the optical signal is filtered from the original optical signal and passed to a monitoring unit. The monitoring unit may instruct one or more switches in the test device to loop the optical signal back toward the managed location. Subsequently, testing and monitoring may be performed at the managed location. The device may provide a test output or may transmit the information to the managed location.

Claims

1. An optical test device comprising:

at least one optical filter coupled with a first optical fiber, the at least one optical filter configured to allow an optical signal on the first optical fiber to pass from the first optical fiber to a second optical fiber;

at least one monitoring device coupled with the at least one optical filter, the at least one monitoring device configured to receive a portion of the optical signal to test the optical signal; and

a first switch in communication with the first optical fiber, the first switch configured to switch the optical signal on the first optical fiber to a third optical fiber for loop-back testing; and

the optical test device includes an optical device to provide the signal to the optical test device;

wherein the optical device is a provider test device comprising;

at least one optical switch coupled to the first optical fiber to transmit the signal to the optical test device;

a test laser coupled to the at least one optical switch to provide the signal to the at least one optical switch; and

a control interface communicatively connected to the test laser to initiate when the signal is provided to the at least one optical switch.

2. The optical device of claim 1, wherein the first switch is interposed between the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber and allows the optical signal to pass from the first optical fiber to the second optical fiber in a first state and switches the optical signal to the third optical fiber for loop-back testing.

3. The optical test device of claim 1, further comprising a second switch interposed between a fourth optical fiber and the third optical fiber, the second optical switch further configured to receive the optical signal from the first switch and couple the optical signal with the third optical fiber for loop-back testing.

4. The optical test device of claim 3, wherein the first optical fiber and the third optical fiber are coupled with a network provider device, and wherein the second optical fiber and the fourth optical fiber are coupled with a customer network device.

5. The optical test device of claim 1, wherein the monitoring device is further configured to detect a signal and toggle the first switch to switch the optical signal on the first optical fiber to the third optical fiber when the signal is detected.

6. The optical test device of claim 5, further comprising a manual loop-back button and wherein the manual loop-back button is configured to provide the signal.

7. The optical test device of claim 5, wherein the signal is an encoded signal in the optical signal.

8. The optical test device of claim 7, wherein the encoded signal is a predetermined series of bits.

9. The optical test device of claim 1, wherein the at least one monitoring device is configured to detect a power level of the portion of the optical signal and compare the detected power level of the portion of the optical signal with a threshold power level.

10. An optical filter test system comprising:

an optical test device comprising;

at least one optical filter coupled with a first optical fiber, the at least one optical filter configured to allow an optical signal on the first optical fiber to pass from the first optical fiber to a second optical fiber;

at least one monitoring device coupled with the at least one optical filter, the at least one monitoring device configured to detect a signal;

a first switch in communication with the first optical fiber, the first switch configured to switch the optical signal on the first optical fiber to a third optical fiber for loop-back testing when the signal is detected; and

an optical device to provide the signal to the optical test device;

wherein the optical device is a provider test device comprising;

at least one optical switch coupled to the first optical fiber to transmit the signal to the optical test device;

a test laser coupled to the at least one optical switch to provide the signal to the at least one optical switch; and

a control interface communicatively connected to the test laser to initiate when the signal is provided to the at least one optical switch.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first switch is interposed between the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber and allows the optical signal to pass from the first optical fiber to the second optical fiber in a first state and switches the optical signal to the third optical fiber for loop-back testing.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the optical test device further comprises a second switch interposed between a fourth optical fiber and the third optical fiber, the second optical switch further configured to receive the optical signal from the first switch and couple the optical signal with the third optical fiber for loop-back testing.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the first optical fiber and the third optical fiber are coupled with a network provider device, and wherein the second optical fiber and the fourth optical fiber are coupled with a customer network device.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the signal is an encoded signal in the portion of the optical signal.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the encoded signal is a predetermined series of bits.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the optical device is a customer device.

17. An optical system comprising:

an optical test device including a first optical filter coupled with a first optical fiber, the first optical fiber carrying a test signal on at least one wavelength carried by the first optical fiber, the first optical filter configured to allow the test signal to pass from the first optical fiber to a second optical filter of the optical test device, the second optical filter configured to place the test signal on a second optical fiber;

a network device coupled with the second optical fiber, the network device including a third filter configured to receive the test signal if it is present on the second optical fiber, and determine a characteristic of at least one of the first optical fiber or the second fiber; and

an optical device to provide the signal to the optical test device;

wherein the optical device is a provider test device comprising;

at least one optical switch coupled to the first optical fiber to transmit the signal to the optical test device;

a test laser coupled to the at least one optical switch to provide the signal to the at least one optical switch; and

a control interface communicatively connected to the test laser to initiate when the signal is provided to the at least one optical switch.

18. The optical system of claim 17 wherein the optical test device further comprises a monitor configured to receive the optical test signal from the first optical filter, the monitor configured to determine at least one characteristic of the first optical fiber.

19. The optical system of claim 18 wherein the monitor includes an interface configured to transmit a data signal representative of the at least one characteristic of first optical fiber.

20. The optical system of claim 18 wherein the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber are a bi-directional fiber.

21. The optical system of claim 18 wherein the monitor is configured to transmit at least one data packet to the network device on the at least one wavelength used for the test signal, the data packet representing the at least one characteristic of the first optical fiber.

22. The optical test system of claim 21 wherein the network device includes a second monitor configured to receive the at least one data packet.

23. The optical system of claim 17 wherein the network device further comprises a switch coupled with a plurality of return fibers including the second optical fiber, each of the return fibers carrying a respective test signal on a respective wavelength, the switch configured to select one of the respective test signals from the respective wavelength and provide the test signal to a probe configured to determine at least one characteristic of the selected return fiber.