Patent ID: 7925158
Filing Date: 2011-04-12
Classification: H04B,H04J

Abstract:
1. A system for testing an optical link, while a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) signal with a plurality of wavelength channels is being transmitted, comprising: a probe signal generator for generating a probe signal; a first time division multiplexing (TDM) optical switch for time division multiplexing the probe signal with the WDM signal forming a TDM signal; a second TDM optical switch for separating the probe signal from the WDM signal after the TDM signal has traversed the optical link; an analyzer for receiving the probe signal from the second TDM switch, and for conducting tests on the probe signal; a gating signal generator connected to the second TDM switch for generating a gating signal indicative of a modulation frequency of the TDM signal for use in separating the probe signal from the WDM signal; a photo-detector connected to the gating signal generator for detecting the modulation frequency of the TDM signal; and a clock signal generator, independent of the gating signal generator, connected to the first TDM optical switch for generating a clock signal to set the modulation frequency of the TDM signal.