Patent Description:
This section introduces aspects that may be helpful to facilitating a better understanding of the inventions.

In modern submarine communication systems, a submarine communication cable comprises several fiber pairs.

During assembly process of the submarine communication cable in the factory, and during repairing process of the submarine communication cable when a cable cut or a default occurs, a major issue is to correctly identify each optical fiber inside the submarine communication cable.

In some conventional approaches, the individual optical fibers may be coated with a colored layer, e.g. a pigment layer on the fiber cladding, to aid in identifying a particular one of the fibers. However, coloring each optical fiber in a different color is costly and may increase optical attenuation of a transmitted optical signal in a colored optical fiber.

<CIT> discloses a submarine optical repeater assembly comprising a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber. Optical signals of the first optical fiber travels from a first terminal to a second terminal. Optical signals of the second optical fiber travels from the second terminal to the first terminal.

XP000621002 discloses an optical fiber identification system using fiber Braggs gratings.

The inventors disclose various apparatuses and methods that may be beneficially applied to transmission and reception of optical communications signals.

While such embodiments may be expected to provide improvements in performance and/or reduction of cost of such apparatuses and methods, no
particular result is a requirement of the present invention unless explicitly recited in a particular claim.

Aspects of the disclosure are based on the idea of making possible rapid and cost-effective identification of optical fibers in an optical cable, for example a submarine optical cable or a terrestrial optical cable, without the need for color-coding individual ones of the optical fibers.

The invention provides an optical cable for transmitting optical signals according to claim <NUM>. Further embodiments of the optical cable of the invention are found in the dependent claims.

The first and second optical reflectors enable the first and second optical fibers to be tagged. Thanks to these features, a tagged optical fiber can be identified at low cost. Moreover, the tagged optical fiber does not have a substantial additional attenuation of a transmitted optical signal compared to an optical fiber tagged by fiber coloring process. Therefore the tagged optical fiber of the optical cable offers a substantial gain of system performance that could be used to reduce the cost or increase the capacity and/or the distance of the transmission system.

Thanks to these features, the first optical fiber may be easily identified in a reparation process wherever an accidental cut has happened on the span of the first optical fiber.

According to embodiments, such an optical cable can comprise one or more of the features below.

In embodiments, the first optical reflector is optically coupled to the first optical fiber via a first optical splitter/coupler, and the second optical reflector is optically coupled to the second optical fiber via a second optical splitter/coupler.

In embodiments, the optical reflector is transparent to a Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) signal spectrum.

In embodiments, the optical fibers are configured to transmit WDM optical signals in the WDM signal spectrum.

In an embodiment, the DBG optical reflector or each respective DBG optical reflector is formed at the end of the respective optical fiber.

In embodiments, an additional optical reflector is further formed near the opposite end of one or more respective optical fibers, the additional reflector having the same properties as the optical reflector formed near the one end of the respective optical fiber.

In an example, one or more of the optical reflectors is a DBG optical reflector directly formed on a respective optical coupler, or the respective optical reflector is carried by the respective optical coupler in order to be arranged on the respective optical fiber. The optical coupler may synonymously be referred to as a splitter/coupler.

In an example, the respective optical reflector may be a DBG formed within the optical path of the optical coupler, which may be a planar optical device, or may be formed within a short optical fiber coupled to the optical coupler.

In embodiments, the optical fiber(s) may be selected from the list consisting of single mode optical fibers, multimode optical fibers, mono-core or multi-core optical fibers, and silica optical fibers.

In embodiments, the optical fibers of the pair of optical fibers are not color-coded. For example, the fibers all have a same-colored (or uncolored) jacket or cladding. Thus, fiber identification by color-coding is not possible.

In embodiments, the optical cable comprises a third optical fiber, wherein the number of optical reflectors is fewer than the number of optical fibers. In other words, in such an embodiment, no optical reflector is located near either end of at least one optical fiber of the span of optical cable.

In embodiments, one or more of the optical reflectors are tunable in reflection wavelength.

In embodiments, the first one of the pair of optical fibers is adapted to transmit first wavelength-multiplexed optical signals, and the second one of the pair of optical fibers is adapted to transmit second wavelength-multiplexed optical signals.

In embodiments, the optical reflector is adapted to transmit the first wavelength-multiplexed optical signals and the second optical reflector is adapted to transmit the second wavelength-multiplexed optical signals.

In embodiments, the optical cable further comprises a third optical reflector optically coupled to the first optical fiber near a second end of the span, and a fourth optical reflector optically coupled to the second optical fiber near the second end of the span.

The invention also provides a use of the optical cable at least partially submerged under water.

The number of other pairs of optical fibers in the submarine cable may be any number. In an embodiment, the number is equal to one. In embodiments not covered by the scope of the claims, the tagging wavelength(s) may be selected in the same wavelength band as the wavelengths of the wavelength-multiplexed optical signals, while in the claimed invention said tagging wavelengths lie in a different wavelength band. For example, the tagging wavelength(s) may be selected in the S band. For example, the wavelengths of the wavelength-multiplexed optical signals may be selected in the C or L bands. The S band is generally considered to be the wavelength band comprised between <NUM> and <NUM> The C band is generally considered to be the wavelength band comprised between <NUM> and <NUM> and the L band is the wavelength band comprised between <NUM> and <NUM>.

Various embodiments also provide a submarine cable comprising:.

According to embodiments, such a submarine cable can comprise one or more of the features below.

In embodiments, the submarine cable further comprises an electrical wire in the water and pressure resistant tube, e.g. to provide power to electrically-powered optical amplifiers located along the submarine cable.

In an embodiment, the submarine cable is further adapted to be connected to a submarine repeater for amplifying wavelength-multiplexed optical signals.

In an embodiment, the length of the submarine cable is longer than <NUM>.

In embodiments, the invention also provides an identifying device for identifying an optical fiber among a set of candidate optical fibers, the identifying device comprising:.

In embodiments, the optical tagging device comprises an optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR).

The invention also provides a method for identifying a tagged optical fiber to be selected in a set of candidate optical fibers according to claim <NUM>.

According to embodiments, such a method can comprise one or more of the features below.

In embodiments, the candidate optical fibers are not color-coded.

In embodiments, said candidate optical fibers are located within a submarine optical cable.

In the present invention, said candidate optical fibers are configured to carry optical communication signals in a first optical communication band, and said first tagging wavelength is located within a second different optical communication band.

In embodiments, the method further comprises rejecting the candidate optical fiber in response to not receiving a reflection of the optical tagging pulse.

These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter, by way of example, with reference to the drawings.

The description hereinbelow is directed to an optical communication cable in which one or more optical fibers are tagged for enabling the identification of the optical fibers. Although the example is directed to a submarine cable, the optical cable described below may be comprised in any kind of cable including, but not limited to, a terrestrial cable or a subsurface cable.

With reference to <FIG>, a communication cable <NUM>, e.g. a submarine cable, will be described according to various embodiments.

The optical communication cable <NUM> is a cable adapted to be laid on the sea bed between land-based stations to carry telecommunication signals across the sea between the land-based stations. For example, the land-based stations may be separated by an ocean. In such a case, the submarine communication cable is connected typically to optical submarine repeaters laid on the sea bed as well.

As represented, the optical communication cable <NUM> comprises an optical cable comprising two pairs of optical fibers <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>, <NUM>, the optical cable being arranged into a petroleum jelly inside an aluminum tube <NUM>. The optical communication cable <NUM> further comprises stranded steel wires <NUM> arranged all around the aluminum tube <NUM>. The stranded steel wires <NUM> are wrapped with electrical layer <NUM> of copper wires and the whole optical communication cable <NUM> further comprises a polyethylene sleeve <NUM> protecting against salted water and bumps.

The electrical layer <NUM> is adapted to transmit electrical power to submarine repeaters and/or electrical communication signals from one end to another.

The pairs of optical fibers <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>, <NUM> are adapted to transmit optical signals from one end to another.

A first optical fiber <NUM> of the pair of optical fibers <NUM>, <NUM> is adapted to transmit an optical signal in a direction from one end to another, e.g. east (W) to west (E), whereas a second optical fiber <NUM> of the pair of optical fiber <NUM>, <NUM> is adapted to transmit an optical signal in the opposite direction, e.g. E to W. The same applies to the pair of optical fibers <NUM>, <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, the optical fiber <NUM> will be further described, according to various embodiments.

The optical fiber <NUM> comprises two ends <NUM> and <NUM>. The optical fiber <NUM> includes a flexible silica fiber adapted to transmit an optical signal between the two ends <NUM> and <NUM>. The optical signal may be carried by any wavelength in a defined bandwidth spectrum. The loops represented on the optical fiber <NUM> schematically depicts that the span of the optical fiber <NUM> is typically very long, for example is about <NUM>. The optical fiber <NUM> may be a Conventional Single Mode Fiber (CSF fiber).

As represented, the first end <NUM> of the optical fiber <NUM> is equipped with a first optical reflector <NUM> and the second end <NUM> of the optical fiber <NUM> is equipped with a second optical reflector <NUM>. The first optical reflector <NUM> is located near the first end <NUM>. By "near", it is meant that the reflector <NUM> is physically coupled to a portion of the optical fiber <NUM> that is outside any surrounding protective layers of a cable of which the optical fiber <NUM> is a part. In the example embodiment of the cable <NUM> (<FIG>), the optical fibers <NUM>-<NUM> have been exposed by removal of the tube <NUM>, wires <NUM> and sleeve <NUM>. The first optical reflector <NUM> is located near the end of the fiber <NUM> when the reflector <NUM> is located in or coupled to a portion of the fiber <NUM> that is exposed after the removal of these layers. The reflectors <NUM>, <NUM> may be coupled to the fiber <NUM> by a respective splitter/coupler, or as described in greater detail below may be formed within the fiber <NUM>.

The first and the second optical reflectors <NUM> and <NUM> are adapted to reflect optical signals or part of optical signals carried by a tagging wavelength λ<NUM>.

Moreover, the optical reflectors <NUM> and <NUM> are adapted to transmit, or pass, optical signals or part of optical signals carried by one or more wavelengths of the defined bandwidth spectrum.

<FIG> illustrates in greater detail the relationship between an optical fiber, e.g. the fiber <NUM>, and an optical reflector, e.g. the reflector <NUM>. A splitter/coupler <NUM> diverts a portion of light received via the fiber <NUM> to the reflector <NUM>. The splitter/coupler <NUM> may be referred to for brevity as coupler <NUM> without loss of generality. Conversely, light reflected by the optical reflector <NUM> is coupled by the coupler <NUM> to the fiber <NUM>. Although not shown explicitly in <FIG> and in <FIG> below, the coupler <NUM> is presumed to be present unless otherwise described. The reflector <NUM> may be a distributed Bragg grating (DBG) formed in an optical fiber or in a planar waveguide. The reflector <NUM> is described in greater detail below with reference to <FIG>.

<FIG> is a schematic view of an optical communication cable <NUM> connected to an optical submarine repeater <NUM>, according to various embodiments.

As represented, the optical communication cable <NUM> comprises a plurality of bundled pairs of optical fibers extending from one end <NUM> of the optical communication cable <NUM>, e.g. west, to another end <NUM> of the optical communication cable <NUM>, e.g. east.

For the sake of simplicity, the optical fibers of a first pair <NUM> and a second pair <NUM> of optical fibers are similar to the optical fibers <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> described with reference to <FIG>. For the sake of simplicity, the optical fibers of the first pair <NUM> and of the second pair <NUM> are referenced by the same reference numbers as in <FIG>.

In general an optical communication cable may have n optical fibers arranged as pairs. In an embodiment a tagging wavelength is assigned to each optical fiber <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> to n. In the illustrated embodiment an instance of the optical reflector is coupled to each of the n optical fibers at only one end, e.g. east, of the optical communication cable <NUM>. In other embodiments, an optical reflector may also be coupled to the optical fibers at the other end, e.g. west, of the optical communication cable <NUM>, as described for the optical fiber <NUM> with reference to <FIG>. The optical reflector coupled to a particular optical fiber reflects only the tagging wavelength assigned to that fiber. Moreover, the optical reflector is transparent to the spectrum of wavelengths of optical communication signals carried by that fiber.

Thus, for example, an optical reflector <NUM><NUM> of the first optical fiber <NUM> is adapted to reflect a tagging wavelength λ<NUM>. As described in greater detail below, the tagging wavelength λ<NUM> may therefore be used as a tag for identifying the first optical fiber <NUM>.

Stated more generally, an optical reflector <NUM>i of an ith optical fiber is adapted to reflect a corresponding tagging wavelength λi, wherein none of the optical fibers share a same tagging wavelength. Therefore each tagging wavelength λi may be used to as a tag for identifying the corresponding ith optical fiber, wherein i is an integer from <NUM> to n.

The optical submarine repeater <NUM> comprises optical amplifiers <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> etc. adapted to amplify a received attenuated optical signal respectively carried by the respective optical fibres <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> etc..

As previously described with reference to <FIG>, a first optical fiber of a pair of optical fiber is adapted to transmit a first optical signal in a direction from one end to another, e.g. west to east, whereas a second optical fiber of the pair of optical fiber is adapted to transmit a second optical signal in the opposite direction, e.g. east to west.

Therefore each optical fiber of each pair of optical fibers may be connected to a corresponding pair of optical amplifiers at the east end of the optical communication cable <NUM>, one configured to receive an eastbound signal from one fiber of the pair, and one configured to transmit a westbound signal to the other fiber of the pair. Optical amplifiers may be similarly located at the opposite, e.g. west, end of the optical communication cable <NUM>.

More precisely, a first optical fiber, for example optical fiber <NUM>, of a pair of optical fibers, for example the pair of optical fibers <NUM>, is connected to a first optical amplifier, for example optical amplifier <NUM>, of a pair of optical amplifiers, for example the pair comprising the optical amplifiers <NUM> and <NUM>. The first optical amplifier is configured to amplify an optical signal which is received from the first optical fiber.

A second optical fiber, for example optical fiber <NUM>, of the pair of optical fibers is connected to a second optical amplifier, for example optical amplifier <NUM>. The second optical amplifier is configured to amplify an optical signal to be transmitted to the second optical fiber.

The two optical amplifiers of a pair of optical amplifiers are adapted to amplify optical signals received in two opposite directions, e.g. west to east and east to west.

For each optical fiber <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> etc., the corresponding optical reflectors are used as tagging devices for tagging the optical fiber in the method described below.

The method to identify the optical fiber <NUM> comprises an Optical Time Domain Reflectometer (OTDR) measurement using a tag-identifying optical pulse that includes the tagging wavelength of the optical fiber.

For example, an operator may couple the tag-identifying optical pulse into an optical fiber to be identified, and measure a reflection of the optical pulse using the OTDR measurement device. More specifically, for example, the operator may couple a light pulse including λ<NUM> into the optical fiber <NUM> at an input end, e.g. the left (west) side of <FIG>. After propagating east the length of the fiber <NUM>, a portion of the signal is diverted by the coupler <NUM> (<FIG>) to the optical reflector <NUM><NUM>. Light in the pulse having the wavelength λ<NUM> is reflected by the optical reflector <NUM><NUM>, and coupled back to the fiber <NUM> and propagates back to the input (west) end of the fiber. The portion of the signal not diverted by the coupler <NUM> will propagate to the amplifier <NUM>. If the pulse only includes light at λ<NUM>, and is coupled to another one of the optical fibers, the pulse will not be reflected by the optical reflector coupled to that optical fiber. Thus optical fiber <NUM> may be uniquely identified among the various optical fibers. Of course, this principle may be extended to identify each of the other optical fibers using corresponding pulses of λ<NUM>, λ<NUM>, λ<NUM>,. Optionally, the optical coupler and reflector may be omitted from one of the optical fibers, as this optical fiber may be known after the other fibers are identified.

The two cases are described with reference to <FIG> with the example of optical fiber <NUM>.

<FIG> schematically represents a measured OTDR trace of a tag identifying optical pulse having any tagging wavelength other than λ<NUM> in the optical fiber <NUM>, e.g. λ<NUM>. As pictured, the OTDR measure of a tag identifying optical pulse having the tagging wavelength λ<NUM> shows no reflection peak at the end of the optical fiber <NUM>. <FIG> schematically represents a measured OTDR trace of a tag identifying optical pulse having a tagging wavelength λ<NUM> in the optical fiber <NUM>. In this case the OTDR trace shows a reflection peak <NUM> corresponding to the round-trip time between launching the optical pulse at the input (e.g. west) end of the optical fiber <NUM>, and the return of the pulse reflected by the reflector <NUM>.

The slopes <NUM>, <NUM> pictured on <FIG> show the absorption of the optical fiber <NUM>, respectively for the tagging wavelength λ<NUM> and tagging wavelength λ<NUM>.

Several useful advantages of the described method are apparent. First, coloring of the optical fibers for the purpose of fiber identification may be eliminated. Second, even very long span optical fibers, for example <NUM> long optical fibers, can be tagged and identified in a very short time, for example in less than one minute. Third, the method does not impact the assembly process operation. Finally, an optical fiber may be easily identified in a reparation process following an accidental cut of the optical cable. For example, an accidental cut of the optical cable of the submarine cable may be caused by a trawler.

By detecting the reflection peak <NUM> only when coupling the optical fiber <NUM> with a tag identifying optical pulse having the tagging wavelength λ<NUM>, the operator deduces that the optical fiber to determined is the optical fiber <NUM>.

Similarly, OTDR traces will show a reflection peak for the optical fiber <NUM> when coupling with a tag-identifying optical pulse having a tagging wavelength λ<NUM> and so on for the other fibers.

A method for determining a particular tagged optical fiber in a set of candidate optical fibers of an optical cable, e.g. a submarine communication cable, is described below. The tagged optical fiber is uniquely associated with a corresponding tagging optical wavelength.

The operator selects a candidate optical fiber in the set of candidate optical fibers.

The operator launches an OTDR measurement on the selected candidate optical fiber at the tagging wavelength corresponding to the tagged optical fiber.

If the OTDR trace shows a reflection peak at the end of the candidate optical fiber, the candidate optical fiber is determined to be the tagged optical fiber.

If the OTDR trace does not show any reflection peak at the end of the candidate optical fiber, the operator selects a new candidate optical fiber and launches a new OTDR measurement at the tagging wavelength, until an OTDR trace of a candidate optical fiber shows the reflection peak.

The method above described is very useful to identify the optical fibers in any optical cable, for example in a submarine communication cable, namely during assembly process of the submarine communication cable or during a submarine communication cable repair.

The last optical fiber, which optionally has no reflector, may be identified in the submarine communication cable by the fact that no reflection peak is observed when a pulse of light of any tagging wavelength is sent in the last optical fiber.

The reflectors tagging each optical fiber <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> etc. may each be a DBG reflector coupled to the corresponding optical fiber by a splitter/coupler. In this case, the DBG may be formed in a planar optical waveguide, or may be formed in a short optical fiber connected to the splitter/coupler. A DBG formed in an optical fiber is sometimes referred to as a fiber Bragg grating (FBG). In some alternate embodiments the FBG may be formed directly in the corresponding optical fiber, in which cases the splitter/coupler is not needed. In such embodiments, wavelengths other than the reflected wavelength, e.g. communication signals, will pass through the FBG to the amplifier connected to the optical fiber. An FBG reflector formed within an optical fiber is defined for the purpose of this discussion and the claims as being coupled to the optical fiber in which it is formed.

<FIG> shows an example of a FBG that may be used in some embodiments. An optical fiber comprises a core having a refractive index n<NUM> and a cladding having a refractive index n<NUM>. A refractive index no represents a buffer, jacket or air.

A periodic variation of the refractive index of the core has been created within the core using methods well-known to those skilled in the art. The period of the variation is referenced on the <FIG> by letter L. The refractive index of the core alternates from a first refractive index n<NUM> to a second refractive index n<NUM> on each period L. This periodic variation in the refractive index of the core generates a wavelength-specific dielectric mirror which selectively reflects a corresponding one of the tagging wavelengths while passing other wavelengths.

In some other embodiments, one or more reflectors may include an optical ring resonator structure, such as may be formed on a planar optical device. Such resonators may be used, e.g. when the reflector is coupled to the associated optical fiber via a splitter/coupler. Reflectors based on a ring resonator may provide an advantage in some cases by providing tunability of the reflection wavelength. It is expected that such reflectors may be more easily implemented in terrestrial cable environments, but embodiments are not limited to such implementations. Any other well-known method of tuning may be used, depending on the DBG implementation, e.g. thermal control or fiber tension.

Embodiments of the invention are not limited to those described above. The appended claims are to be construed as embodying all modification and alternative constructions that may be occurred to one skilled in the art, which fairly fall within the basic teaching here, set forth. For example, the tagging wavelengths may be selected out-of-band of the spectrum amplified by the amplifiers <NUM>, <NUM> etc., or at an unused optical band as for example in the S or in the L band in order to avoid spectrum waste.

The use of the verb "to comprise" or "to include" and its conjugations does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those stated in a claim. Furthermore, the use of the article "a" or "an" preceding an element or step does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements or steps.

Claim 1:
An optical cable (<NUM>) for transmitting optical signals, the optical cable (<NUM>) comprising an optical cable span having a first end and a second end, said optical cable span including a first optical fiber (<NUM>) and a second optical fiber (<NUM>); the first and second optical fibers extending from the first end of the optical cable span to the second end of the optical cable span, wherein said first and second optical fibers are configured to propagate optical communications signals in a first optical communication band, the optical cable (<NUM>) comprising:
a first optical reflector (<NUM>) optically coupled to said first optical fiber near the first end (<NUM>) of said optical cable span and configured to reflect a first tagging wavelength (λ<NUM>) of light; and
a second optical reflector (<NUM>) optically coupled to said second optical fiber near said first end (<NUM>) of said optical cable span, wherein at least one of the optical reflectors comprises a distributed Bragg grating (DBG),
characterized in that the second optical reflector is configured to reflect a second different tagging wavelength (λ<NUM>) of light,
the DBG being formed in an optical fiber core, , and the optical reflectors being transparent to the first optical communication band, wherein said first and second tagging wavelengths are located within a second different optical communication band.