Patent ID: 7356228
Filing Date: 2008-04-08
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. A fiber optic cable fault detection method, comprising: obtaining a fiber optic cable suspected of having a fault, the fiber optic cable having a core for receiving laser light emitted from a light-emitting source as a testing diagnostic for the detection of faults in the fiber optic cable, a cladding disposed around the core, the cladding having an index of refraction differential with the core thereby allowing containment of light within the core by total internal reflection within the core, a buffer disposed around the cladding, the buffer capable of receiving LED emitted light as a testing diagnostic for the detection of faults in the fiber optic cable, a braiding layer disposed around the buffer and configured to allow LED-emitted light to transmit from the buffer, a jacket disposed around the braiding layer, the jacket having optical properties to receive LED-emitted light transmitted down the fiber cross-section in response to light emitted from the light-emitting source having been unsuccessfully transmitted down the core; optically coupling the fiber optic cable to the light-emitting source at a source end of the fiber optic cable; optically coupling a detector at a terminal end of the fiber optic cable; transmitting light emitted from the light-emitting source down the core of the fiber optic cable; detecting the light emitted from the light-emitting source in the detector; placing the light emitting source in a loss-of-light mode in response to unsuccessfully receiving the light emitted from the light-emitting source at the detector; transmitting LED-emitted light down the fiber cross-section; and detecting the LED-emitted light along the length of the cable.