A bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator capable of supporting multi-wavelength light source systems

Abstract

The present invention provides a bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator module that can support a multi-wavelength light source system, belonging to the technical field of debugging equipment. The present invention includes a first light source group to be tested, a forward optical combiner, a bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator, a reverse optical combiner, and a second light source group to be tested. The bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator includes a first optical branching detector, a cascade of adjustable optical attenuators, and a second optical branching detector. The first light source group to be tested is connected to the forward optical combiner, the other end of the forward optical combiner is connected to the bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator, the other end of the bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator is connected to the reverse optical combiner, and the other end of the reverse optical combiner is connected to the second light source group to be tested. The beneficial effect of the present invention is that it can test different objects under test without having to rebuild the environment, achieving a stable environment, saving users 75% of costs, saving labor costs, and greatly reducing the risk of production congestion caused by rebuilding the environment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of debugging equipment, and in particular to a bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator capable of supporting a multi-wavelength light source system. Background Art

[0002] With the increasing popularity of fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) in my country, fiber-optic communications have entered the homes of ordinary users, and the production of optical network units (ONUs), or optical modems, has increased annually. With the development of broadband services and the increasing popularity of WiFi 6, the application speed of ONUs is currently evolving from gigabit passive optical networks to 10Gbit / s PONs. Because ONUs and central office optical line terminals (OLTs) communicate bidirectionally over a single fiber, testing of these ONUs requires two wavelengths: 1270nm and 1310nm for the ONUs and 1490nm and 1577nm for the central office. Manufacturers of both ONUs and central office optical line terminals often equip them with test systems of the same specifications to quickly establish mass production capacity. Due to the large production volume, the cost and efficiency of the test system have a significant impact on the final cost and yield of the product. Currently, in the hybrid test system of optical modems and central office equipment optical line terminals, for a single test system, if a traditional adjustable attenuator is equipped for each wavelength of the light source, the test cost will increase significantly, which is not conducive to the final cost control of the product; if only one traditional adjustable attenuator is equipped, the test system will be repeatedly set up when testing products of different specifications and wavelengths, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Once a system abnormality occurs, it will block production testing and hinder production capacity. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In order to solve the problems in the prior art, the present invention provides a bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator that can support a multi-wavelength light source system. Through the combination of a first light source group to be tested, a forward optical combiner, a bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator, a reverse optical combiner and a second light source group to be tested, the optical signal can be input from the first light source group to be tested and output from the second light source group to be tested, and can also be input from the second light source group to be tested and output from the first light source group to be tested, and is attenuated by the intermediate bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator. This solves the problems of high cost, time and labor consumption, and the risk of production congestion caused by re-establishing the environment caused by traditional unidirectional adjustable attenuators in a hybrid test system of an optical modem and an optical line terminal of a local equipment.

[0004] The present invention provides a bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator module capable of supporting a multi-wavelength light source system, comprising a first light source group to be tested, a forward optical combiner, a bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator, a reverse optical combiner, and a second light source group to be tested. The bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator comprises a first optical branching detector, an adjustable optical attenuator cascade, and a second optical branching detector. One end of the forward optical combiner is connected to one end of the first optical branching detector, the other end of the first optical branching detector is connected to one end of the adjustable optical attenuator cascade, the other end of the adjustable optical attenuator cascade is connected to one end of the second optical branching detector, and the other end of the second optical branching detector is connected to one end of the reverse optical combiner. The first light source group to be tested is connected to one end of the forward optical combiner, and the other end of the reverse optical combiner is connected to the second light source group to be tested. An optical signal can enter from the first light source group to be tested, undergo attenuation adjustment, and then be output from the second light source group to be tested, or enter from the second light source group to be tested, undergo attenuation adjustment, and then be output from the first light source group to be tested.

[0005] The present invention is further improved, wherein the first light source group to be tested includes multiple optical modem side light sources and optical modem side objects to be tested, the output end of the optical modem side light source is connected to the forward optical combiner, and the input end of the optical modem side object to be tested is connected to the forward optical combiner.

[0006] The present invention is further improved, wherein the second light source group to be tested includes multiple light sources on the optical line terminal side of the central office device and an object to be tested on the optical line terminal side of the central office device, the output end of the light source on the optical line terminal side of the central office device is connected to the reverse optical combiner, and the input end of the object to be tested on the optical line terminal side of the central office device is connected to the reverse optical combiner.

[0007] The present invention is further improved, wherein the first optical branching detector is used to detect the sum of the optical power output by the forward optical combiner and the optical power of the optical signal of the reverse optical combiner after cascade attenuation by the adjustable optical attenuator.

[0008] The present invention is further improved, wherein the second optical branching detector is used to detect the sum of the optical power output by the reverse optical combiner and the optical power of the optical signal of the forward optical combiner after cascade attenuation by the adjustable optical attenuator.

[0009] The present invention is further improved so that the light source signal emitted by the light source on the optical modem side can pass through the forward optical combiner, the bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator and the reverse optical combiner, and be output to the object to be tested on the optical line terminal side of the local end device.

[0010] The present invention is further improved so that the light source signal emitted by the light source on the optical line terminal side of the central office equipment can pass through the reverse optical combiner, the bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator and the forward optical combiner, and be output to the object to be tested on the optical modem side.

[0011] The present invention is further improved in that the sensitivity of the object to be tested on the optical modem side and the object to be tested on the optical line terminal side of the central office equipment can be measured by performing different attenuation value adjustment tests.

[0012] The present invention is further improved, wherein the forward optical combiner is used to receive the optical signal generated by the light source on the optical modem side, and the reverse optical combiner is used to receive the optical signal emitted by the light source on the optical line terminal side of the local end device.

[0013] The present invention is further improved, wherein the adjustable optical attenuator cascade is used to attenuate the optical signal power input from the first optical branch detector or the second optical branch detector, and the attenuation value is the difference between the optical signal powers input from the first optical branch detector and the second optical branch detector.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: through the combination of the first light source group to be tested, the forward optical combiner, the bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator, the reverse optical combiner and the second light source group to be tested, the optical signal can be input from the first light source group to be tested and output from the second light source group to be tested, or input from the second light source group to be tested and output from the first light source group to be tested, and attenuated by the intermediate bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator, so that a single adjustable optical attenuator can measure two different objects to be tested when four online light sources exist at the same time, and can achieve bidirectional adjustment of the light source signal, that is, it realizes bidirectional adjustment that supports a multi-wavelength light source system, greatly reducing the cost of use and labor costs, and solving the problems of high cost, time and labor consumption, and production blockage risk caused by the traditional adjustable attenuator in the hybrid test system of the optical line terminal of the optical modem and the local terminal equipment. Moreover, the present invention is not only applicable to the testing of the optical line terminal of the optical modem and the local terminal equipment, but is also applicable to the bidirectional testing of multiple online light sources. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] In order to more clearly illustrate the solutions in the present application or the prior art, a brief introduction will be given below to the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0016] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of a bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator module that can support a multi-wavelength light source system according to the present invention.

[0017] In the figure, 1-the first light source group to be tested, 11-the first optical modem side light source, 12-the second optical modem side light source, 13-the optical modem side object to be tested, 2-forward optical combiner, 3-the bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator module, 31-the first optical branching detector, 32-the adjustable optical attenuator cascade, 33-the second optical branching detector, 4-the reverse optical combiner, 5-the second light source group to be tested, 51-the first local-end device optical line terminal side light source, 52-the second local-end device optical line terminal side light source, 53-the local-end device optical line terminal side object to be tested. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this application belongs. The terms used in the specification of the application are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application. The terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof in the specification and claims of this application and the above-mentioned drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. The terms "first", "second", etc. in the specification and claims of this application or the above-mentioned drawings are used to distinguish different objects, not to describe a specific order.

[0019] References herein to "embodiments" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments may be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor does it constitute an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive of other embodiments. It is understood, both explicitly and implicitly, by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be combined with other embodiments.

[0020] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the solution of the present application, the technical solution in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0021] like Figure 1As shown, the present invention provides a bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator module that can support a multi-wavelength light source system, including a first light source group to be tested 1, a forward optical combiner 2, a bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator 3, a reverse optical combiner 4, and a second light source group to be tested 5. The bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator 3 includes a first optical branching detector 31, an adjustable optical attenuator cascade 32, and a second optical branching detector 33. One end of the forward optical combiner 2 is connected to one end of the first optical branching detector 31, the other end of the first optical branching detector 31 is connected to one end of the adjustable optical attenuator cascade 32, the other end of the adjustable optical attenuator cascade 32 is connected to one end of the second optical branching detector 33, the other end of the second optical branching detector 33 is connected to one end of the reverse optical combiner 4, the first light source group to be tested 1 is connected to one end of the forward optical combiner 2, and the other end of the reverse optical combiner 4 is connected to the second light source group to be tested 5. In this embodiment, the optical signal can enter from the first light source group to be measured 1, and after attenuation adjustment, be output from the second light source group to be measured 5, or enter from the second light source group to be measured 5, and after attenuation adjustment, be output from the first light source group to be measured 1, thereby realizing bidirectional adjustable optical attenuation supporting a multi-wavelength light source system.

[0022] like Figure 1 As shown, the first light source group 1 to be tested includes a first optical modem side light source 11, a second optical modem side light source 12, and an optical modem side object to be tested 13. The output end of the first optical modem side light source 11 is connected to the forward optical combiner 2, the output end of the second optical modem side light source 12 is connected to the forward optical combiner 2, and the input end of the optical modem side object to be tested 13 is connected to the forward optical combiner 2. In this embodiment, when testing the optical modem side object to be tested 13, light is emitted by the first local-end device optical line terminal side light source 51 and the second local-end device optical line terminal side light source 52. After passing through the reverse optical combiner 4, the attenuation is adjusted by the bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator 3, and then passes through the forward optical combiner 2 to reach the optical modem side object to be tested 13. The sensitivity index of the optical modem side object to be tested 13 is tested by adjusting different attenuation values ​​to see whether it meets the standard.

[0023] like Figure 1 As shown, the second light source group 5 to be tested includes a first optical line terminal side light source 51 of the central office equipment, a second optical line terminal side light source 52 of the central office equipment, and a device under test 53 of the central office equipment. The output end of the first optical line terminal side light source 51 is connected to the reverse optical combiner 4, the output end of the second optical line terminal side light source 52 is connected to the reverse optical combiner 4, and the input end of the device under test 53 of the central office equipment is connected to the reverse optical combiner 4. In this embodiment, when testing the device under test 53 of the central office equipment, light is emitted by the first optical modem side light source 11 and the second optical modem side light source 12. After passing through the forward optical combiner 2, the attenuation is adjusted by the bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator 3, and then passes through the reverse optical combiner 4 to reach the device under test 53 of the central office equipment. The sensitivity index of the device under test 53 of the central office equipment is tested by adjusting different attenuation values ​​to see whether it meets the standard.

[0024] like Figure 1 As shown, the first optical branching detector 31 is used to detect the sum of the optical power output by the forward optical combiner 2 and the optical power of the optical signal of the reverse optical combiner 4 after attenuation by the adjustable optical attenuator cascade 32 .

[0025] like Figure 1 As shown, the second optical branching detector 33 is used to detect the sum of the optical power output by the reverse optical combiner 4 and the optical power of the optical signal of the forward optical combiner 2 after attenuation by the adjustable optical attenuator cascade 32 .

[0026] like Figure 1 As shown, the light source signals emitted by the first optical modem side light source 11 and the second optical modem side light source 12 can pass through the forward optical combiner 2, the bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator 3 and the reverse optical combiner 4, and be output to the DUT 53 on the optical line terminal side of the central office equipment.

[0027] like Figure 1 As shown, the light source signals emitted by the first local-end optical line terminal side light source 51 and the second local-end optical line terminal side light source 52 can pass through the reverse optical combiner 4, the bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator 3 and the forward optical combiner 2, and be output to the optical modem side DUT 13.

[0028] like Figure 1 As shown, the sensitivity of the DUT 13 on the optical modem side and the DUT 53 on the central office optical line terminal side can be measured by adjusting the test at different attenuation values.

[0029] like Figure 1 As shown, the forward optical combiner 2 is used to receive the optical signal generated by the first optical modem side light source 11 and the second optical modem side light source 12, and the reverse optical combiner 4 is used to receive the optical signal emitted by the first local end device optical line terminal side light source 51 and the second local end device optical line terminal side light source 52.

[0030] like Figure 1 As shown, the adjustable optical attenuator cascade 32 is used to attenuate the power of the optical signal input from the first optical branch detector 31 or the second optical branch detector 33. The attenuation value is the difference between the optical signal powers input from the first optical branch detector 31 and the second optical branch detector 33. In this embodiment, a successive approximation method is used to ultimately achieve signal attenuation within the promised attenuation deviation specification range.

[0031] As can be seen from the above, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: through the combination of the first light source group to be tested, the forward optical combiner, the bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator, the reverse optical combiner and the second light source group to be tested, the optical signal can be input from the first light source group to be tested and output from the second light source group to be tested, and can also be input from the second light source group to be tested and output from the first light source group to be tested, and attenuated by the bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator in the middle, so that a single adjustable optical attenuator can measure two different objects to be tested when four online light sources exist at the same time, and can achieve bidirectional adjustment of the light source signal, that is, it realizes bidirectional adjustment that can support multi-wavelength light source systems, greatly reduces the use cost and labor cost, and solves the problems of high cost, time and labor consumption, and production congestion risk caused by the traditional adjustable attenuator in the hybrid test system of optical modems and optical line terminals of local end equipment. Moreover, the present invention is not only applicable to the testing of optical modems and optical line terminals of local end equipment, but also applicable to the bidirectional testing of multiple online light sources.

[0032] The specific implementation manner described above is a preferred implementation manner of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the specific implementation scope of the present invention. The scope of the present invention includes but is not limited to this specific implementation manner. All equivalent changes made in accordance with the present invention are within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator capable of supporting a multi-wavelength light source system, characterized in that: The device comprises a first light source group to be tested, a forward optical combiner, a bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator, a reverse optical combiner, and a second light source group to be tested. The bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator comprises a first optical branch detector, an adjustable optical attenuator cascade, and a second optical branch detector. One end of the forward optical combiner is connected to one end of the first optical branch detector, the other end of the first optical branch detector is connected to one end of the adjustable optical attenuator cascade, the other end of the adjustable optical attenuator cascade is connected to one end of the second optical branch detector, and the other end of the second optical branch detector is connected to one end of the reverse optical combiner. The first light source group to be tested is connected to one end of the forward optical combiner, and the other end of the reverse optical combiner is connected to the second light source group to be tested. An optical signal can enter from the first light source group to be tested, be attenuated, and then be output from the second light source group to be tested, or enter from the second light source group to be tested, be attenuated, and then be output from the first light source group to be tested. The first light source group to be tested includes a first optical modem side light source, a second optical modem side light source, and an optical modem side object to be tested, the output end of the first optical modem side light source is connected to the forward optical combiner, the output end of the second optical modem side light source is connected to the forward optical combiner, and the input end of the optical modem side object to be tested is connected to the forward optical combiner; The second light source group to be tested includes a plurality of central office optical line terminal side light sources and a central office optical line terminal side DUT, the output ends of the central office optical line terminal side light sources are connected to the reverse optical combiner, and the input end of the central office optical line terminal side DUT is connected to the reverse optical combiner; The first optical branching detector is used to detect the sum of the optical power output by the forward optical combiner and the optical power of the optical signal of the reverse optical combiner after cascade attenuation by the adjustable optical attenuator.

2. The bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator capable of supporting a multi-wavelength light source system according to claim 1, wherein: The second optical branching detector is used to detect the sum of the optical power output by the reverse optical combiner and the optical power of the optical signal of the forward optical combiner after cascade attenuation by the adjustable optical attenuator.

3. The bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator capable of supporting a multi-wavelength light source system according to claim 2, wherein: The light source signal emitted by the light source on the optical modem side can pass through the forward optical combiner, the bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator and the reverse optical combiner, and be output to the object to be tested on the optical line terminal side of the central office equipment.

4. The bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator capable of supporting a multi-wavelength light source system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The light source signal emitted by the light source on the optical line terminal side of the central office equipment can pass through the reverse optical combiner, the bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator and the forward optical combiner, and be output to the object to be tested on the optical modem side.

5. The bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator capable of supporting a multi-wavelength light source system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The sensitivity of the object under test on the optical modem side and the object under test on the optical line terminal side of the central office equipment can be measured by performing different attenuation value adjustment tests.

6. The bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator capable of supporting a multi-wavelength light source system according to claim 5, characterized in that: The forward optical combiner is used to receive the optical signal generated by the light source on the optical modem side, and the reverse optical combiner is used to receive the optical signal emitted by the light source on the optical line terminal side of the central office equipment.

7. The bidirectional adjustable optical attenuator capable of supporting a multi-wavelength light source system according to claim 6, characterized in that: The adjustable optical attenuator cascade is used to attenuate the optical signal power input from the first optical branch detector or the second optical branch detector, and the attenuation value is the difference between the optical signal powers input from the first optical branch detector and the second optical branch detector.

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