Method and apparatus for determining the dynamic range of an optical link in an HFC network
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for measuring a network comprising:
- a controller configured to instruct a first network element to transmit a first signal at a first frequency f1 and a second network element to transmit a second signal at a second frequency f2 so that the first signal and the second signal are received by a common node at the same time;
a receiver configured to receive communications on a third frequency f3 based on the first signal from the first network element and the second signal from the second network element, whereby the third frequency f3 is a combination of the first signal from the first network element at the first frequency f1 and the second signal from the second network element at the second frequency f2; and
a power monitoring unit which is configured to measure power levels in an RF band comprising the third frequency while receiving signals on the third frequency,wherein the controller is configured to determine a dynamic range of an optical link based on the measured power levels in the RF band comprising the third frequency.
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Abstract
The dynamic range of an optical link in a network is determined by simultaneously transmitting signals from two network elements at first and second frequencies, which create a combined signal at a third frequency. The transmission power levels of selected network elements is successively increased until the measured power from the third frequency no longer changes in a predictable manner, at which point the upper limit of the dynamic range of the optical link is determined.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. An apparatus for measuring a network comprising:
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a controller configured to instruct a first network element to transmit a first signal at a first frequency f1 and a second network element to transmit a second signal at a second frequency f2 so that the first signal and the second signal are received by a common node at the same time; a receiver configured to receive communications on a third frequency f3 based on the first signal from the first network element and the second signal from the second network element, whereby the third frequency f3 is a combination of the first signal from the first network element at the first frequency f1 and the second signal from the second network element at the second frequency f2; and a power monitoring unit which is configured to measure power levels in an RF band comprising the third frequency while receiving signals on the third frequency, wherein the controller is configured to determine a dynamic range of an optical link based on the measured power levels in the RF band comprising the third frequency. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for determining a dynamic range of an optical link in a network comprising the steps of:
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selecting, by a microprocessor, a first network element to transmit a first signal at a first frequency f1 and a second network element to transmit a second signal at a second frequency f2 so that the first signal and the second signal are received by a common node at the same time; receiving communications, by a receiver, on a third frequency f3, whereby the third frequency f3 is a combination of the first signal from the first network element at the first frequency f1 and the second signal from the second network element at the second frequency f2; measuring power in signals contained in the third frequency; and determining a dynamic range of the optical link based on the measured power levels in the RF band comprising the third frequency. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising stored instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of a computer, cause the computer to perform steps of a method for determining a dynamic range of an optical link in a network comprising:
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selecting a first network element to transmit a first signal at a first frequency f1 and a second network element to transmit a second signal at a second frequency f2 so that the first signal and the second signal are received by a common node at the same time; receiving communications on a third frequency f3, whereby the third frequency f3 is a combination of the first signal from the first network element at the first frequency f1 and the second signal from the second network element at the second frequency f2; measuring power in signals contained in the third frequency; and determining a dynamic range of the optical link based on the measured power levels in the RF band comprising the third frequency. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification