Optical cable survey instrument and testing method

Abstract

The present invention belongs to the field of optical communications technology and discloses a method for testing an optical cable survey instrument, comprising the following steps: obtaining the end distance of the optical cable under test based on a test curve; if the end distance is greater than or equal to an end distance threshold, the end distance is the length of the optical cable under test; if the end distance is less than the end distance threshold, determining the length of the optical cable under test based on the reflection peak of the test curve. The test method disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention is simple, reducing the complexity of the judgment process; it can effectively screen out secondary reflections and improve test accuracy. An embodiment of the present invention also discloses an optical cable survey instrument.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of optical communication technology, and in particular to an optical cable survey instrument and a testing method. Background Art

[0002] Currently, the maintenance and management of massive optical cables has become a challenge. Failures caused by aging, natural damage, or human damage can severely disrupt the effective operation of the information society and impact information security. Therefore, it is crucial to quickly troubleshoot and locate faults and perform repairs and restoration in the shortest possible time.

[0003] Fiber optic cable survey instruments obtain a test curve for the optical cable and use this curve to determine the location of the fiber break. However, secondary reflections in short optical cables can interfere with the determination of the fiber break location. Existing fiber optic cable survey instrument testing methods require complex algorithms to determine secondary reflections, which can lead to misjudgments, resulting in low efficiency and accuracy.

[0004] Therefore, how to provide a method for accurately testing the location of a fiber break in an optical cable and accurately eliminate the situation of secondary reflection is an urgent problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Embodiments of the present invention provide a testing method for optical cable survey instruments to address the low efficiency and accuracy of secondary reflection determination in existing optical cable survey instruments. To provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed embodiments, a brief summary is provided below. This summary is not intended to be a comprehensive review, identify key or important elements, or delineate the scope of protection for these embodiments. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form, serving as a prelude to the detailed description that follows.

[0006] According to a first aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, a method for testing an optical cable survey instrument is provided.

[0007] In one embodiment, a method for testing an optical cable survey instrument includes the following steps:

[0008] According to the test curve, obtain the end distance of the tested optical cable;

[0009] If the end distance is greater than or equal to the end distance threshold, the end distance is the length of the optical cable being measured;

[0010] If the end distance is less than the end distance threshold, the length of the optical cable under test is determined based on the reflection peak of the test curve.

[0011] Optionally, if the end distance is less than the end distance threshold, the step of determining the length of the optical cable under test according to the reflection peak of the test curve includes:

[0012] If there is no reflection peak with a distance twice the length, or if there is a reflection peak with a distance twice the length but the first reflection peak is not saturated, the end distance is the length of the optical cable being measured.

[0013] Optionally, if the end distance is less than the end distance threshold, the step of obtaining the length of the optical cable under test according to the reflection peak of the test curve includes:

[0014] If there are two reflection peaks with a distance of 2 times and the first reflection peak is saturated, reduce the pulse width under the test condition and conduct further testing;

[0015] According to the further test results, determine whether the second reflection peak of the two reflection peaks exists. If the second reflection peak exists, the distance to the second reflection peak is the length of the optical cable under test; if the second reflection peak does not exist, the distance to the first reflection peak is the length of the optical cable under test.

[0016] Optionally, if there are two reflection peaks with a distance of 2 times the distance between them and the first reflection peak is saturated, the step of reducing the pulse width under the test condition for further testing includes:

[0017] Keep the range unchanged under the current test conditions and reduce the pulse width for further testing.

[0018] Optionally, the step of maintaining the range under the current test conditions unchanged and reducing the pulse width for further testing includes:

[0019] According to the range under the current test conditions, the reduced pulse width corresponding to the range is obtained by looking up the table.

[0020] Optionally, the step of determining whether the second reflection peak of the two reflection peaks exists based on the further test results includes:

[0021] If the height of the second reflection peak in the further test results is less than the reflection peak threshold, the second reflection peak does not exist;

[0022] If the height of the second reflection peak in the further test result is greater than or equal to the reflection peak threshold, the second reflection peak exists.

[0023] According to a second aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, a method for testing an optical cable survey instrument is provided.

[0024] In one embodiment, a method for testing an optical cable survey instrument includes the following steps:

[0025] Automatically match test conditions;

[0026] Test the optical cable under test based on the automatically matched test conditions to obtain the test curve;

[0027] According to the test curve, obtain the end distance of the tested optical cable;

[0028] If the end distance is greater than or equal to the end distance threshold, the end distance is the length of the optical cable being measured;

[0029] If the end distance is less than the end distance threshold, the length of the optical cable under test is obtained according to the reflection peak of the test curve.

[0030] Optionally, the step of automatically matching test conditions includes:

[0031] Test the optical cable to obtain the saturation distance and end distance;

[0032] If the saturation distance is greater than the saturation distance threshold, the test conditions are adjusted according to the terminal distance until the measured saturation distance is less than or equal to the saturation distance threshold. The current test conditions meet the requirements.

[0033] Optionally, in the step of testing the optical cable under test, the initial test condition is to perform the test with a maximum range and a maximum pulse width.

[0034] Optionally, the saturation distance threshold is a saturation distance corresponding to a maximum pulse width.

[0035] Optionally, the step of adjusting the test conditions according to the terminal distance includes:

[0036] According to the end distance, the adjusted range and pulse width are determined by looking up the table.

[0037] According to a third aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, an optical cable survey instrument is provided.

[0038] In some embodiments, the optical cable survey instrument includes a computer device, the computer device includes a memory and a processor, the memory stores a computer program, and the processor implements the steps of the above method when executing the computer program.

[0039] The technical solution provided by the embodiment of the present invention may have the following beneficial effects:

[0040] The test method is simple, which reduces the complexity of the judgment process;

[0041] It can effectively screen out secondary reflections and improve test accuracy.

[0042] It is to be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0044] Figure 1 This is a flow chart showing a method for testing an optical cable survey instrument according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0045] Figure 2 is a flow chart showing a method for testing an optical cable survey instrument according to another exemplary embodiment;

[0046] Figure 3 is a flow chart showing a method for automatically matching test conditions of an optical cable survey instrument according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0047] Figure 4 The figure is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a computer device according to an exemplary embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] The following description and accompanying drawings sufficiently illustrate the specific embodiments herein to enable those skilled in the art to practice them. Portions and features of some embodiments may be included in or substituted for portions and features of other embodiments. The scope of the embodiments herein includes the entire scope of the claims, including all available equivalents thereof. Herein, the terms "first," "second," and the like are used solely to distinguish one element from another and do not require or imply any actual relationship or order between these elements. In practice, the first element can also be referred to as the second element, and vice versa. Furthermore, the terms "comprise," "comprising," or any other variations thereof are intended to encompass non-exclusive inclusion, such that a structure, device, or apparatus comprising a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not explicitly listed, or elements inherent to such structure, device, or apparatus. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising a..." does not preclude the presence of other identical elements in the structure, device, or apparatus comprising the element. The various embodiments herein are described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on its differences from the other embodiments. Similar or identical parts between the various embodiments can be referenced to each other.

[0049] The terms "longitudinal", "transverse", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside" and the like used herein to indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are intended only to facilitate the description of this document and simplify the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on the present invention. In the description herein, unless otherwise specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, they can be mechanical or electrical connections, or they can be internal connections between two elements, they can be directly connected, or they can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0050] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the term "plurality" means two or more.

[0051] In this document, the character " / " indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship. For example, A / B means: A or B.

[0052] In this article, the term "and / or" is used to describe the association relationship between objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B means: A or B, or, A and B.

[0053] In the absence of conflict, the embodiments of the present invention and the features thereof may be combined with each other.

[0054] Figure 1 An embodiment of a testing method of an optical cable survey instrument of the present invention is shown.

[0055] In this embodiment, the optical cable survey instrument testing method includes the following steps:

[0056] Step S1, obtaining the end distance of the optical cable under test according to the test curve;

[0057] Step S2: If the end distance is greater than or equal to the end distance threshold, the end distance is the length of the optical cable being measured;

[0058] Step S3: If the end distance is less than the end distance threshold, the length of the optical cable under test is obtained according to the reflection peak of the test curve.

[0059] In various embodiments of the present invention, test curve saturation refers to the point at which the test curve remains at its maximum value after the ADC (analog-to-digital converter) value of the optical cable survey instrument reaches its upper limit. The point at which the test curve reaches saturation is the saturation distance. The end distance refers to the end position of the tested optical cable, as reflected on the test curve, i.e., the end of the test curve. A reflection peak is caused by the presence of a connector or a highly reflective end face in the optical fiber link, resulting in a relatively strong peak segment in the test curve. A reflection peak can be determined by setting a threshold. For example, if the threshold is greater than 2.5 times the noise threshold, the curve segment is considered a reflection peak.

[0060] If the end distance is greater than or equal to the end distance threshold, the end distance is the measured optical cable length. If the end distance is less than the end distance threshold, the reflection peak of the test curve is further combined to determine the measured optical cable length. For closer end distances, such as optical cable links less than 40 km, secondary reflections may occur. By setting the end distance threshold as the criterion for whether the measured optical cable length can be directly determined, the above embodiment can effectively screen out secondary reflections and improve test accuracy.

[0061] Alternatively, the end distance of the tested optical cable can be obtained by calculating the average noise level in the end region of the test curve, using a multiple of the average noise level in the end region as a threshold, for example, 2.5 times, to create a threshold line. The intersection of the test curve and the last descending segment of the threshold line is considered the end distance of the optical cable. Of course, those skilled in the art can also determine the end distance of the tested optical cable using other methods known in the art, which will not be listed here.

[0062] In the above embodiment, regarding the case where the terminal distance is equal to the terminal distance threshold, it can also be that in step S2, if the terminal distance is greater than the terminal distance threshold, the terminal distance is the length of the optical cable to be measured; in step S3, if the terminal distance is less than or equal to the terminal distance threshold, the length of the optical cable to be measured is obtained according to the reflection peak of the test curve.

[0063] The terminal distance threshold can be set according to an empirical value, such as 40 km.

[0064] Optionally, in step S3 above, if the end distance is less than the end distance threshold, then the length of the optical cable to be measured is obtained based on the reflection peak of the test curve, including: if there is no reflection peak with a distance relationship of 2 times, or if there is a reflection peak with a distance relationship of 2 times but the first reflection peak is not saturated, then the end distance is the length of the optical cable to be measured. The reflection peak with a distance relationship of 2 times means that the distance between the starting point of the second reflection peak and the starting point of the first reflection peak is 2 times the distance. In this embodiment, if there is no reflection peak with a distance relationship of 2 times, there is no secondary reflection, and the end distance is the length of the optical cable to be measured. Alternatively, if there is a reflection peak with a distance relationship of 2 times but the first reflection peak is not saturated, it can be determined that there is no secondary reflection, and the length of the optical cable to be measured can be obtained based on the end distance.

[0065] Optionally, in step S3, if the end distance is less than the end distance threshold, obtaining the length of the optical cable under test based on the reflection peaks of the test curve includes: if there are two reflection peaks with a distance twice that of the end distance and the first reflection peak is saturated, reducing the pulse width under the test condition and conducting further testing; based on the further test results, determining whether the second of the two reflection peaks exists; if the second reflection peak exists, the distance to the second reflection peak is the length of the optical cable under test; if the second reflection peak does not exist, the distance to the first reflection peak is the length of the optical cable under test. Reducing the pulse width, i.e., reducing the light energy, reduces the light energy. If the second reflection peak significantly attenuates or even disappears after further testing after reducing the light energy, it can be determined that the second reflection peak is caused by secondary reflection, and the distance to the first reflection peak is the length of the optical cable under test. If the second reflection peak still exists after further testing after reducing the light energy, it is determined that the second reflection peak is a true reflection peak, and the distance to the second reflection peak is the length of the optical cable under test. This embodiment accurately obtains the length of the optical cable under test by further testing by reducing the pulse width to determine whether the second of the two reflection peaks exists.

[0066] In the above embodiment, if there are two reflection peaks with a distance of 2 times the distance between them and the first reflection peak is saturated, that is, the voltage value collected by the ADC overshoots, it means that the emitted light energy is large. Light with large energy will be reflected multiple times in the optical cable, and there is a possibility of secondary reflection. If the first reflection peak itself is not saturated, the voltage collected by the ADC will not overshoot, and there will be no secondary reflection.

[0067] Optionally, the step of reducing the pulse width under the test condition for further testing includes: maintaining the range under the current test condition unchanged and reducing the pulse width for further testing. Specifically, based on the range under the current test condition, a corresponding reduced pulse width is obtained by looking up the table, wherein the correspondence table between the range and the reduced pulse width is preset.

[0068] Optionally, based on the further test results, the step of determining whether the second reflection peak of the two reflection peaks exists includes: if the height of the second reflection peak in the further test results is less than the reflection peak threshold, then the second reflection peak does not exist; if the height of the second reflection peak in the further test results is greater than or equal to the reflection peak threshold, then the second reflection peak exists.

[0069] In another embodiment, the present invention further proposes a method for testing an optical cable survey instrument. Based on the optical cable survey instrument testing methods of the above embodiments, the method further includes a step of automatically matching the test conditions before the test is performed, such as Figure 2 As shown, the specific steps include:

[0070] Step S100, automatically matching test conditions;

[0071] Step S200, testing the optical cable under test based on the automatically matched test conditions to obtain a test curve;

[0072] Step S300, obtaining the end distance of the tested optical cable according to the test curve;

[0073] Step S400: If the end distance is greater than or equal to the end distance threshold, the end distance is the length of the optical cable being measured;

[0074] Step S500: If the terminal distance is less than the terminal distance threshold, the length of the optical cable under test is obtained according to the reflection peak of the test curve.

[0075] Optionally, the step of automatically matching test conditions is as follows: Figure 3 As shown, including:

[0076] Step S110, testing the optical cable to obtain a saturation distance and an end distance;

[0077] Step S120: If the saturation distance is greater than the saturation distance threshold, the test conditions are adjusted according to the terminal distance until the measured saturation distance is less than or equal to the saturation distance threshold, and the current test conditions meet the requirements.

[0078] Optionally, in the step of testing the optical cable under test, the initial test condition is to test with a maximum range and a maximum pulse width, for example, a maximum range of 260 km and a maximum pulse width of 20,000 ns.

[0079] Optionally, the saturation distance threshold is a saturation distance corresponding to a maximum pulse width.

[0080] Optionally, the step of adjusting the test conditions based on the terminal distance includes determining the adjusted range and pulse width by looking up a table based on the terminal distance. In this embodiment, the table of correspondences between terminal distance, range, and pulse width is preset. Optionally, the pulse width of the adjusted test conditions is reduced. Optionally, the range of the adjusted test conditions is reduced. Optionally, the range and pulse width of the adjusted test conditions are reduced.

[0081] The above-mentioned step of automatically matching test conditions proposed by the present invention is not only applicable to the above-mentioned optical cable survey instrument test method of the present invention, but also applicable to other occasions where test conditions need to be matched. Therefore, the present invention also proposes a method for automatically matching test conditions of an optical cable survey instrument, such as Figure 3 As shown, it includes: step S110, testing the optical cable under test to obtain the saturation distance and the end distance; step S120, if the saturation distance is greater than the saturation distance threshold, adjusting the test conditions according to the end distance until the measured saturation distance is less than or equal to the saturation distance threshold, then the current test conditions meet the requirements.

[0082] Optionally, in the step of testing the optical cable under test, the initial test condition is to test with a maximum range and a maximum pulse width, for example, a maximum range of 260 km and a maximum pulse width of 20,000 ns.

[0083] Optionally, the saturation distance threshold is a saturation distance corresponding to a maximum pulse width.

[0084] Optionally, the step of adjusting the test conditions based on the terminal distance includes determining the adjusted range and pulse width by looking up a table based on the terminal distance. In this embodiment, the table of correspondences between terminal distance, range, and pulse width is preset. Optionally, the adjusted pulse width is reduced. Optionally, the adjusted range is reduced. Optionally, the adjusted range and pulse width of the test conditions are reduced.

[0085] The principle of the above-mentioned method for automatically matching test conditions of the optical cable survey instrument has been described in the step of automatically matching test conditions in the above-mentioned embodiment, and will not be repeated here.

[0086] In another embodiment, an optical cable survey instrument is provided, which includes a computer device, the computer device includes a memory and a processor, the memory stores a computer program, and the processor implements the steps of the method described in the above embodiments when executing the computer program.

[0087] In one embodiment, a computer device is provided. The computer device may be a server, and its internal structure diagram may be as follows: Figure 4As shown. The computer device includes a processor, a memory, and a network interface connected via a system bus. The processor of the computer device is used to provide computing and control capabilities. The memory of the computer device includes a non-volatile storage medium and an internal memory. The non-volatile storage medium stores an operating system, a computer program, and a database. The internal memory provides an environment for the operation of the operating system and computer program in the non-volatile storage medium. The database of the computer device is used to store static information and dynamic information data. The network interface of the computer device is used to communicate with an external terminal via a network connection. When the computer program is executed by the processor, the steps of the above-mentioned method embodiment are implemented.

[0088] Those skilled in the art will understand that Figure 4 The structure shown in the figure is merely a block diagram of a portion of the structure related to the solution of the present invention and does not constitute a limitation on the computer device to which the solution of the present invention is applied. The specific computer device may include more or fewer components than shown in the figure, or combine certain components, or have a different component arrangement.

[0089] In one embodiment, a computer device is further provided, including a memory and a processor. The memory stores a computer program, and the processor implements the steps in the above method embodiment when executing the computer program.

[0090] In one embodiment, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, on which a computer program is stored. When the computer program is executed by a processor, the steps in the above method embodiment are implemented.

[0091] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that all or part of the processes in the above-mentioned embodiment methods can be implemented by instructing the relevant hardware through a computer program. The computer program can be stored in a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium. When the computer program is executed, it can include the processes of the embodiments of the above-mentioned methods. Among them, any reference to memory, storage, database or other media used in the embodiments provided by the present invention can include at least one of non-volatile and volatile memory. Non-volatile memory can include read-only memory (ROM), magnetic tape, floppy disk, flash memory or optical memory, etc. Volatile memory can include random access memory (RAM) or external cache memory. As an illustration and not limitation, RAM can be in various forms, such as static random access memory (SRAM) or dynamic random access memory (DRAM).

[0092] The present invention is not limited to the structures described above and shown in the drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope thereof. The scope of the present invention is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for testing an optical cable survey instrument, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: According to the test curve, obtain the end distance of the tested optical cable; If the end distance is greater than or equal to the end distance threshold, the end distance is the length of the optical cable being measured; If the end distance is less than the end distance threshold, the length of the tested optical cable is determined based on the reflection peak of the test curve; wherein, If there is no reflection peak with a distance twice the length, or there is a reflection peak with a distance twice the length but the first reflection peak is not saturated, then the end distance is the length of the optical cable being tested; If there are two reflection peaks with a distance of 2 times and the first reflection peak is saturated, reduce the pulse width under the test conditions and conduct further testing; According to the further test results, determine whether the second reflection peak of the two reflection peaks exists. If the second reflection peak exists, the distance to the second reflection peak is the length of the optical cable under test; if the second reflection peak does not exist, the distance to the first reflection peak is the length of the optical cable under test.

2. The optical cable survey instrument testing method according to claim 1, wherein: If there are two reflection peaks with a distance of 2 times and the first reflection peak is saturated, the step of reducing the pulse width under the test condition for further testing includes: Keep the range unchanged under the current test conditions and reduce the pulse width for further testing.

3. The optical cable survey instrument testing method according to claim 2, wherein: The steps of maintaining the range under the current test conditions unchanged and reducing the pulse width for further testing include: According to the range under the current test conditions, the reduced pulse width corresponding to the range is obtained by looking up the table.

4. The optical cable survey instrument testing method according to claim 1, wherein: The step of determining whether the second reflection peak of the two reflection peaks exists according to the further test results includes: If the height of the second reflection peak in the further test results is less than the reflection peak threshold, the second reflection peak does not exist; If the height of the second reflection peak in the further test result is greater than or equal to the reflection peak threshold, the second reflection peak exists.

5. A method for testing an optical cable survey instrument, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: Automatically match test conditions; Test the optical cable under test based on the automatically matched test conditions to obtain the test curve; According to the test curve, obtain the end distance of the tested optical cable; If the end distance is greater than or equal to the end distance threshold, the end distance is the length of the optical cable being measured; If the end distance is less than the end distance threshold, the length of the optical cable under test is obtained according to the reflection peak of the test curve; wherein, If there is no reflection peak with a distance twice the length, or there is a reflection peak with a distance twice the length but the first reflection peak is not saturated, then the end distance is the length of the optical cable being tested; If there are two reflection peaks with a distance of 2 times and the first reflection peak is saturated, reduce the pulse width under the test conditions and conduct further testing; According to the further test results, determine whether the second reflection peak of the two reflection peaks exists. If the second reflection peak exists, the distance to the second reflection peak is the length of the optical cable under test; if the second reflection peak does not exist, the distance to the first reflection peak is the length of the optical cable under test.

6. The optical cable survey instrument testing method according to claim 5, characterized in that: The step of automatically matching test conditions includes: Test the optical cable to obtain the saturation distance and end distance; If the saturation distance is greater than the saturation distance threshold, the test conditions are adjusted according to the terminal distance until the measured saturation distance is less than or equal to the saturation distance threshold. The current test conditions meet the requirements.

7. The optical cable survey instrument testing method according to claim 6, wherein: In the step of testing the optical cable under test, the initial test condition is to perform the test with the maximum range and maximum pulse width.

8. The optical cable survey instrument testing method according to claim 6, wherein: The saturation distance threshold is the saturation distance corresponding to the maximum pulse width.

9. The optical cable survey instrument testing method according to claim 6, wherein: The step of adjusting the test conditions according to the terminal distance includes: According to the end distance, the adjusted range and pulse width are determined by looking up the table.

10. An optical cable survey instrument, comprising a computer device, the computer device comprising a memory and a processor, the memory storing a computer program, characterized in that: When the processor executes the computer program, the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9 are implemented.

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