Optical test device and systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10084539-B2
Application number	US-201715615808-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 6, 2017
Priority date	Nov 18, 2011
Publication date	Sep 25, 2018
Grant date	Sep 25, 2018

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical test device comprising:
at least one optical filter coupled with a first optical fiber, the at least one first 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 by measuring power of the portion of the optical signal and determining whether the power is above a first threshold and below a second threshold;
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
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.

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 , further comprising a manual loop-back button and wherein the manual loop-back button is configured to provide the signal.

6. The optical test device of claim 1 , wherein the signal is an encoded signal in the optical signal.

7. The optical test device of claim 6 , wherein the encoded signal is a predetermined series of bits.

8. 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 first 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 measure power of a portion of the optical signal and determine whether the power is above a first threshold and below a second threshold and 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.

9. The system of claim 8 , 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.

10. The system of claim 8 , 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.

11. The system of claim 8 , 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.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the signal is an encoded signal in the portion of the optical signal.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the encoded signal is a predetermined series of bits.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the optical device is a customer device.

Assignees

• Level 3 Communications Llc

Inventors

• Storey Jeffrey K
• Waters John F
• Dugan Andrew
• Parades Salvador
• Ratterree Gary

Classifications

• H04B10/0773 Primary

  Network aspects, e.g. central monitoring of transmission parameters · CPC title

• H04Q2011/0083

  Testing; Monitoring · CPC title

• H04B10/035

  using loopbacks · CPC title

• H04B10/0791 Primary

  Fault location on the transmission path · CPC title

• G02B6/29361

  Interference filters, e.g. multilayer coatings, thin film filters, dichroic splitters or mirrors based on multilayers, WDM filters · CPC title