Patent ID: 9641243
Date: 2017-05-02
CPC Classifications: H04B

Claim:
1. A safe-mode OTDR method for characterizing an optical fiber link having a proximal end and a distal end, a communication device being connected at the distal end of the optical fiber link, the method comprising the steps of: a) obtaining initial OTDR acquisition conditions that are safe for the communication device; b) performing an OTDR acquisition along the fiber link using an OTDR apparatus connected at the proximal end of the optical fiber link and operating under said OTDR acquisition conditions, thereby obtaining at least one reflectometric trace representing a proximal portion of the optical fiber link; c) determining a partial-link loss value associated with the proximal portion of the optical fiber based on the OTDR acquisition performed at step b); d) if the reflectometric trace extends to the distal end of the optical fiber link or to a break in said optical fiber link, determining modified OTDR acquisition conditions that are safe for the communication device based on the partial-link loss value determined at step c) and on maximum rating parameters for the communication device, and repeating steps b), c) and d) using said modified OTDR acquisition conditions.