Automated node level fibre audit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9660755-B2
Application number	US-201213654954-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 18, 2012
Priority date	Oct 18, 2012
Publication date	May 23, 2017
Grant date	May 23, 2017

Abstract

A method of automated testing and evaluation of a node of a communications network, the method comprising: a management computer interacting with the node to discover fiber trails within the node that can be safely tested; and the management computer interacting with the node to test at least continuity of each identified fiber trail that can be safely tested.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method of automated testing and evaluation of a node of a communications network, the method comprising:
a management computer querying the node to discover pre-existing fibre trails within the node that can be safely tested, wherein the querying comprises obtaining a listing of one or more equipment associated with the node, wherein the listing is stored in a database associated with the node, and the listing identifies port layer and addresses, photodiode locations and addresses and Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) sources of the one or more equipment; and
the management computer interacting with the node to test, by adding a light source at the node that does not impact other in service wavelengths, at least continuity of each identified pre-existing fibre trail that can be safely tested.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is performed in response to a request.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is performed in accordance with a predetermined schedule.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein discovering pre-existing fibre trails within the node that can be safely tested comprises deriving a map of preexisting fibre trails within the node that are not in use carrying active wavelengths.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein deriving a map of pre-existing fibre trails within the node that are not in use carrying active wavelengths comprises:
obtaining information identifying each piece of equipment installed in the node;
for each identified piece of equipment, obtaining information identifying respective ports, photodiodes and Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) sources;
identifying port trails of active wavelengths;
identifying dark photodiodes;
identifying ASE sources upstream of identified dark photodiodes; and
identifying, from among the ASE sources upstream of dark photodiodes, those ASE sources that can be safely turned on.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein dark photodiodes include any one or both of receivers and Optical Performance Monitoring (OPM) devices of the node that are not receiving light of an active wavelength.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein testing at least continuity of each identified pre-existing fibre trail that can be safely tested comprises:
turning on a selected ASE source in an identified pre-existing fibre trail, and
detecting light from the ASE source at a dark photodetector downstream of the selected ASE source.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising software instructions implementing an automated testing and evaluation of a node of a communications network, the software instructions comprising:
instructions for controlling a management computer to query the node to discover preexisting fibre trails within the node that can be safely tested, wherein the querying comprises obtaining a listing of one or more equipment associated with the node, wherein the listing is stored in a database associated with the node, and the listing identifies port layer and addresses, photodiode locations and addresses and Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) sources of the one or more equipment; and
instructions for controlling the management computer to interact with the node to test, by adding a light source at the node that does not impact other in service wavelengths, at least continuity of each identified pre-existing fibre trail that can be safely.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the software instructions for discovering pre-existing fibre trails within the node that can be safely tested comprises software instructions configured to derive a map of pre-existing fibre trails within the node that are not in use carrying active wavelengths.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the software instructions configured to derive a map of pre-existing fibre trails within the node that are not in use carrying active wavelengths comprises instructions configured to control the management computer to:
obtain information identifying each piece of equipment installed in the node;
for each identified piece of equipment, obtain information identifying respective ports, photodiodes and Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) sources;
identify port trails of active wavelengths;
identify dark photodiodes;
identify ASE sources upstream of identified dark photodiodes; and
identify, from among the ASE sources upstream of dark photodiodes, those ASE sources that can be safely turned on.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein dark photodiodes include any one or both of receivers and Optical Performance Monitoring (OPM) devices of the node that are not receiving light of an active wavelength.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein testing at least continuity of each identified fibre trail that can be safely tested comprises turning on a selected ASE source in an identified fibre trail, and detecting light from the ASE source at a dark photodetector downstream of the selected ASE source.

13. A management computer configured to implement automated testing and evaluation of a node of a communications network, the management computer being configured to:
query the node to discover pre-existing fibre trails within the node that can be safely tested, wherein the query comprises obtaining a listing of one or more equipment associated with the node, wherein the listing is stored in a database associated with the node, and the listing identifies port layer and addresses, photodiode locations and addresses and Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) sources of the one or more equipment; and
interact with the node to test, by adding a light source at the node that does not impact other in service wavelengths, at least continuity of each identified pre-existing fibre trail that can be safely tested.

14. The management computer of claim 13 , wherein the management computer is a central management computer remote from the network node.

15. The management computer of claim 13 , wherein the management computer is a management computer of the network node.

16. The management computer of claim 13 , wherein the management computer is configured to discover pre-existing fibre trails within the node that can be safely tested by deriving a map of pre-existing fibre trails within the node that are not in use carrying active wavelengths.

17. The management computer of claim 16 , wherein deriving a map of pre-existing fibre trails within the node that are not in use carrying active wavelengths comprises:
obtaining information identifying each piece of equipment installed in the node;
for each identified piece of equipment, obtaining information identifying respective ports, photodiodes and Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) sources;
identifying port trails of active wavelengths;
identifying dark photodiodes;
identifying ASE sources upstream of identified dark photodiodes; and
identifying, from among the ASE sources upstream of dark photodiodes, those ASE sources that can be safely turned on.

18. The management computer of claim 17 , wherein dark photodiodes include any one or both of receivers and Optical Performance Monitoring (OPM) devices of the node that are not receiving light of an active wavelength.

19. The management computer of claim 13 , wherein the management computer is configured to test at least continuity of each identified preexisting fibre trail that can be safely tested by turning on a selected ASE source in

Assignees

• Ciena Corp

Inventors

• Hurley Dane
• Kohlert Scott

Classifications

• H04J14/0217

  Multi-degree architectures, e.g. having a connection degree greater than two · CPC title

• H04B10/0731 Primary

  Testing or characterisation of optical devices, e.g. amplifiers · CPC title

• H04B10/07

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

• H04J14/0219

  Modular or upgradable architectures · CPC title

• H04J14/0227 Primary

  Operation, administration, maintenance or provisioning [OAMP] of WDM networks, e.g. media access, routing or wavelength allocation · CPC title