Patent ID: 8655167
Filing Date: 2014-02-18
Classification: G01M,H04B,H04J,H04Q

Abstract:
1. A method for detecting a fiber fault in a point-to-point optical access network based on optical time domain reflectometry (“OTDR”) measurements, the method comprising: identifying loss of service between a central office (“CO”) and a given optical network unit (“ONU”) of a plurality of ONUs coupled to the CO via point-to-point fiber links to deliver communication services into customer premises, wherein the given ONU is coupled to the CO via a given point-to-point fiber link; in response to the identifying, configuring a test signal distribution unit to optically couple an OTDR unit to a selected subset of the point-to-point fiber links, the selected subset including the given point-to-point fiber link extending towards the given ONU; launching an optical test signal from the OTDR unit into the selected subset of the point-to-point fiber links via the test signal distribution unit; receiving test signal reflections from each of the point-to-point fiber links within the selected subset as a reflection signature; and analyzing the reflection signature to identify a location of the fiber fault, wherein receiving the test signal reflections from each of the point-to-point fiber links within the selected subset as the reflection signature comprises: