Methods and systems for monitoring optical networks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12355486-B2
Application number	US-202217836730-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 9, 2022
Priority date	Jan 30, 2019
Publication date	Jul 8, 2025
Grant date	Jul 8, 2025

Abstract

Methods and systems for monitoring an optical network are described. An optical device may receive a data signal. The optical device may send the data signal to a test port. A measuring device may measure characteristics associated with the data signal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
sending, by a computing device, at a first power level, one or more payload signals and a test signal;
receiving, at a second power level, one or more response signals associated with the one or more payload signals;
determining, based on the one or more response signals, a difference between the first power level and the second power level,
determining, based on the difference between the first power level and the second power level, a network condition;
receiving a reflection of the test signal; and
updating, based on the reflection of the test signal, the network condition.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network condition indicates a malfunction of one or more optical devices.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein updating the network condition comprises determining the network condition indicates a malfunction of one or more transmission lines.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein sending the one or more payload signals comprises sending one or more optical signals.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising splitting the one or more payload signals into a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion comprises between 90 and 99 percent of an optical power of the one or more payload signals, and wherein the second portion of the one or more payload signals comprises between 1 and 10 percent of the optical power of the one or more payload signals.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
dropping, via an add-drop multiplexer, a first payload signal from the one or more payload signals; and
adding, via the add-drop multiplexer, the first payload signal back to the one or more payload signals.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more payload signals comprise a maximum wavelength of 1600 nm, and wherein the test signal comprises wavelength of light greater than 1600 nm.

8. An apparatus, comprising:
one or more processors; and
a memory storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:
send, by a computing device, at a first power level, one or more payload signals and a test signal;
receive, at a second power level, one or more response signals associated with the one or more payload signals;
determine, based on the one or more response signals, a difference between the first power level and the second power level,
determine, based on the difference between the first power level and the second power level, a network condition;
receive a reflection of the test signal; and
update, based on the reflection of the test signal, the network condition.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the network condition indicates a malfunction of one or more optical devices.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to update the network condition further cause the apparatus to determine the network condition indicates a malfunction of one or more transmission lines.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to send the one or more payload signals further cause the apparatus to send one or more optical signals.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to split the one or more payload signals into a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion comprises between 90 and 99 percent of an optical power of the one or more payload signals, and wherein the second portion of the one or more payload signals comprises between 1 and 10 percent of the optical power of the one or more payload signals.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to:
drop, via an add-drop multiplexer, a first payload signal from the one or more payload signals; and
add, via the add-drop multiplexer, the first payload signal back to the one or more payload signals.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the one or more payload signals comprise a maximum wavelength of 1600 nm, and wherein the test signal comprises wavelength of light greater than 1600 nm.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing processor executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
send, by a computing device, at a first power level, one or more payload signals and a test signal;
receive, at a second power level, one or more response signals associated with the one or more payload signals;
determine, based on the one or more response signals, a difference between the first power level and the second power level,
determine, based on the difference between the first power level and the second power level, a network condition;
receive a reflection of the test signal; and
update, based on the reflection of the test signal, the network condition.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the network condition indicates a malfunction of one or more optical devices.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the processor executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to update the network condition further cause the at least one processor to determine the network condition indicates a malfunction of one or more transmission lines.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the processor executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to send the one or more payload signals further cause the at least one processor to send one or more optical signals.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the processor executable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to split the one or more payload signals into a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion comprises between 90 and 99 percent of an optical power of the one or more payload signals, and wherein the second portion of the one or more payload signals comprises between 1 and 10 percent of the optical power of the one or more payload signals.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the processor executable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to:
drop, via an add-drop multiplexer, a first payload signal from the one or more payload signals; and
add, via the add-drop multiplexer, the first payload signal back to the one or more payload signals.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the one or more payload signals comprise a maximum wavelength of 1600 nm, and wherein the test signal comprises wavelength of light greater than 1600 nm.

22. A system comprising:
a computing device configured to:
send, at a first power level, one or more payload signals and a test signal;
receive, at a second power level, one or more response signals associated with the one or more payload signals;
determine, based on the one or more response signals, a difference between the first power level and the second power leve

Assignees

• Comcast Cable Comm Llc

Inventors

• Mutalik Venk
• Rice Daniel
• Fioroni John Paul

Classifications

• H04J14/0201

  Add-and-drop multiplexing · CPC title

• H04B10/07957

  Monitoring or measuring wavelength · CPC title

• H04B10/07955

  Monitoring or measuring power · CPC title

• H04B10/07

  Arrangements for monitoring or testing transmission systems; Arrangements for fault measurement of transmission systems · CPC title

• H04B10/071 Primary

  using a reflected signal, e.g. using optical time domain reflectometers [OTDR] · CPC title