Optical fiber fault locator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9897515-B2
Application number	US-201514947676-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 20, 2015
Priority date	Mar 15, 2011
Publication date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Feb 20, 2018

Abstract

A device includes a processor, a light emitter coupled to the processor, and a memory. The light emitter is configured to generate a first light to be provided to an optical fiber at a first time when a portion of the optical fiber has a first physical configuration and to generate a second light to be provided to the optical fiber at a second time when the portion of the optical fiber has a second physical configuration. The memory stores instructions executable by the processor to determine a first estimated distance associated with a first location of the optical fiber based on the first light, determine a second estimated distance associated with a second location of the optical fiber based on the second light, determine a third estimated distance associated with a third location of the optical fiber based on the first estimated distance and the second estimated distance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device comprising:
a processor;
a light emitter coupled to the processor, the light emitter configured to generate a first light to be provided to an optical fiber at a first time when a portion of the optical fiber has a first physical configuration and to generate a second light to be provided to the optical fiber at a second time when the portion of the optical fiber has a second physical configuration; and
a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to determine a first estimated distance associated with a first location of the optical fiber based on the first light, determine a second estimated distance associated with a second location of the optical fiber based on the second light, and determine a third estimated distance associated with a third location of the optical fiber based on the first estimated distance and the second estimated distance, wherein the third location is associated with a fault in the optical fiber.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first physical configuration is a different physical configuration than the second physical configuration.

3. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a connector configured to couple the light emitter to the optical fiber; and
an oscillator coupled to the light emitter, the oscillator configured to cause the light emitter to send pulsed light to the optical fiber via the connector.

4. The device of claim 3 , further comprising a pulse selector to set a pulse rate of the pulsed light.

5. The device of claim 4 , further comprising a mode selector configured to select an operating mode from a plurality of operating mode, the plurality of operating modes including a first operating mode associated with generation of the first light and a second operating mode associated with generation of the second light.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the pulse selector is configured, when the operating mode is the first operating mode, to set a first pulse rate of the oscillator, wherein the pulse selector is configured, when the operating mode is the second operating mode, to set a second pulse rate of the oscillator, and wherein the first pulse rate is different than the second pulse rate.

7. The device of claim 5 , wherein the light emitter is configured, when the operating mode is the first operating mode, to generate a non-visible light to be provided to the optical fiber, and wherein the light emitter is configured, when the operating mode is the second operating mode, to generate a visible light to be provided to the optical fiber.

8. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor coupled to the optical fiber via a connector and communicatively coupled to the processor.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to detect, via the sensor, the first light at the first time.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to detect, via the sensor, the second light at the second time.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the second physical configuration is associated with a bend in the portion of the optical fiber.

12. A method comprising:
generating, via a light emitter, a first light to be provided to an optical fiber at a first time when a portion of the optical fiber has a first physical configuration;
generating, via the light emitter, a second light to be provided to the optical fiber at a second time when the portion of the optical fiber has a second physical configuration;
determining a first estimated distance associated with a first location of the optical fiber based on the first light;
determining a second estimated distance associated with a second location of the optical fiber based on the second light; and
determining a third estimated distance associated with a third location of the optical fiber based on the first light and the second light, wherein the third location is associated with a fault in the optical fiber.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising receiving a wireless communication from a remote device.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising transmitting information associated with the third estimated distance to the remote device.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising detecting, via a sensor, the first light at the first time.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising detecting, via the sensor, the second light at the second time.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
determining the first estimated distance while the light emitter is configured in a first operating mode;
switching the light emitter to a second operating mode after determining the first estimated distance; and
switching the light emitter to the first operating mode, subsequent to switching to the second operating mode, to determine the second estimated distance.

18. A computer-readable storage device comprising instructions executable by a processor to perform operations comprising:
initiating generation of a first light to be provided to an optical fiber by a light emitter at a first time when a portion of the optical fiber has a first physical configuration;
initiating generation of a second light to be provided to the optical fiber by the light emitter at a second time when the portion of the optical fiber has a second physical configuration;
determining a first estimated distance associated with a first location of the optical fiber based on the first light;
determining a second estimated distance associated with a second location of the optical fiber based on the second light; and
determining a third estimated distance associated with a third location of the optical fiber based on the first light and the second light, wherein the third location is associated with a fault in the optical fiber.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 18 , wherein the second physical configuration is associated with a bend in the portion of the optical fiber.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 18 , wherein the operations further comprise initiating a transmission of information indicating the third estimated distance to a remote device.

Assignees

• At & T Ip I Lp

Inventors

• Smith Bryan

Classifications

• H04B10/07

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

• G01M11/3136

  for testing of multiple fibers · CPC title

• G01M11/3154

  Details of the opto-mechanical connection, e.g. connector or repeater · CPC title

• G01M11/31

  with a light emitter and a light receiver being disposed at the same side of a fibre or waveguide end-face, e.g. reflectometers · CPC title

• G01M11/3127 Primary

  using multiple or wavelength variable input source · CPC title