Optical patch cord testing device and optical patch cord testing method

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides an optical patch cord testing device and an optical patch cord testing method, and belongs to the technical field of optical communication. The optical patch cord testing device comprises a transceiving unit, an optical attenuation unit and two optical modules, the transceiving unit is used for sending a first electric signal to a sending end optical module in the two optical modules, receiving a second electric signal sent by a receiving end optical module in the two optical modules, and generating test information for indicating a test result of the to-be-tested optical jumper wire according to the first electric signal and the second electric signal; the transmitting end optical module in the two optical modules is used for converting a received first electric signal into a first optical signal and transmitting the first optical signal through the optical jumper wire to be tested; and the receiving end optical module in the two optical modules is used for receiving a second optical signal formed after the first optical signal is transmitted through the optical jumper wire to be detected, converting the second optical signal into a second electric signal, and sending the second electric signal to the receiving and transmitting unit. According to the scheme, the performance of the optical patch cord passing the test can be ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of optical communication technology, and in particular to an optical patch cord testing device and an optical patch cord testing method. Background Technology

[0002] In short-distance applications such as data centers, optical modules based on Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser (VCSEL) technology are typically used as optical interconnect solutions. VCSELs require multimode fiber as the medium for optical signal transmission. Because multimode fiber transmission is affected by intermodal dispersion, the pulse broadening caused by differences in the propagation speeds of different modes affects transmission distance and performance. Therefore, for high-speed, long-distance transmission, multimode fiber with high effective modal bandwidth (EMB) is required.

[0003] Due to limitations in measurement equipment and techniques, measuring the EMB of multimode fiber requires the fiber to be hundreds of meters long to ensure the measurement results accurately reflect its bandwidth performance. Furthermore, the EMB performance of multimode fiber fluctuates at different locations, meaning long-distance test results cannot reflect the EMB performance of shorter optical patch cords. Therefore, there is currently no effective technical method to test the EMB performance of optical patch cords. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the present disclosure provides an optical jumper testing device and an optical jumper testing method to at least solve or alleviate the above-mentioned problems.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, an optical patch cord testing apparatus is provided, comprising: a transceiver unit, an optical attenuation unit, and two optical modules; the transceiver unit is respectively connected to the two optical modules, and the optical attenuation unit is configured to be connected between the two optical modules in series with the optical patch cord under test; the optical attenuation unit is used to attenuate the intensity of the transmitted optical signal; the transceiver unit is used to send a first electrical signal to the transmitting optical module of the two optical modules, and receive a second electrical signal sent by the receiving optical module of the two optical modules, and generate test information indicating the test result of the optical patch cord under test based on the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal; the transmitting optical module of the two optical modules is used to convert the received first electrical signal into a first optical signal, and transmit the first optical signal through the connected optical attenuation unit and the optical patch cord under test; the receiving optical module of the two optical modules is used to receive the second optical signal formed after the first optical signal is transmitted through the connected optical attenuation unit and the optical patch cord under test, and after converting the second optical signal into a second electrical signal, send the second electrical signal to the transceiver unit.

[0006] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, an optical patch cord testing method is provided, comprising: testing a first effective mode bandwidth of a long optical fiber used to fabricate the optical patch cord at a first wavelength, and testing a second effective mode bandwidth of the long optical fiber at a second wavelength, based on a target wavelength range for the operation of the optical patch cord; obtaining an optical patch cord to be tested, the optical patch cord to be tested being fabricated using a long optical fiber whose first effective mode bandwidth and second effective mode bandwidth are both greater than the target effective mode bandwidth; testing the optical patch cord to be tested using the optical patch cord testing device described in the first aspect above, and obtaining test information of the optical patch cord to be tested; and determining the test result of the optical patch cord to be tested based on the test information.

[0007] According to the scheme provided in this embodiment, the optical patch cord under test is connected in series with an optical attenuation unit between two optical modules. The transmitting optical module converts a first electrical signal into a first optical signal and transmits the first optical signal through the series-connected optical attenuation unit and the optical patch cord under test. The first optical signal is transmitted through the optical attenuation unit and the optical patch cord under test to form a second optical signal. The receiving optical module converts the second optical signal into a second electrical signal and sends the second electrical signal to the transceiver unit. The transceiver unit determines test information that can indicate the testing of the optical patch cord under test based on the first and second electrical signals. Since the EMB of the optical patch cord under test is related to the bit error rate of the second optical signal, the transceiver unit can determine the bit error rate of the second optical signal based on the second electrical signal, and then generate test information based on the bit error rate of the second optical signal. This allows the transceiver unit to determine whether the EMB performance of the optical patch cord under test meets the requirements, ensuring that optical patch cords meeting the performance requirements can be selected, thereby guaranteeing the reliability and performance of the optical patch cord application system. Attached Figure Description

[0008] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in the embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings.

[0009] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an optical jumper testing device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an optical jumper testing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of an optical jumper testing device according to yet another embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of an optical jumper testing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 5 This is a flowchart of an embodiment of the optical patch cord testing method disclosed herein; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship between the effective mode bandwidth and wavelength of a multimode optical fiber according to an embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the performance of a tested optical patch cord according to an embodiment of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0010] Embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While some embodiments of this disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that this disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of this disclosure. It should be understood that the accompanying drawings and embodiments of this disclosure are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0011] It should be noted that the headings of any section / subsection provided herein are not limiting. Various embodiments are described throughout this document, and embodiments of any type may be included under any section / subsection. Furthermore, embodiments described in any section / subsection may be combined in any way with any other embodiments described in the same section / subsection and / or different sections / subsections.

[0012] In the description of embodiments of this disclosure, the term "comprising" and similar terms should be understood as open-ended inclusion, i.e., "including but not limited to". The term "based on" should be understood as "at least partially based on". The term "one embodiment" or "the embodiment" should be understood as "at least one embodiment". The term "some embodiments" should be understood as "at least some embodiments". Other explicit and implicit definitions may also be included below. The terms "first", "second", etc., may refer to different or the same objects. Other explicit and implicit definitions may also be included below.

[0013] The embodiments of this disclosure may involve user data, data acquisition, and / or use. All of these aspects comply with applicable laws, regulations, and relevant provisions. In the embodiments of this disclosure, all data collection, acquisition, processing, manipulation, forwarding, and use are conducted with the user's knowledge and confirmation. Accordingly, in implementing the embodiments of this disclosure, the type, scope of use, and usage scenarios of any data or information that may be involved should be communicated to the user and their authorization obtained in accordance with relevant laws and regulations through appropriate means. The specific methods of notification and / or authorization may vary depending on the actual situation and application scenario, and the scope of this disclosure is not limited in this respect.

[0014] In this specification and the embodiments, any processing of personal information will be carried out only under the premise of legality (such as obtaining the consent of the personal information subject, or being necessary for the performance of a contract), and will only be carried out within the scope stipulated or agreed upon. A user's refusal to process personal information beyond what is necessary for basic functions will not affect the user's use of basic functions.

[0015] First, some nouns or terms appearing in the description of the embodiments of this disclosure shall be interpreted as follows: Multimode fiber: Multimode fiber (MMF) is a type of optical fiber that allows multiple optical transmission modes (optical paths) to propagate simultaneously. It has a relatively large core diameter (usually 50μm or 62.5μm) and is suitable for short-distance, high-bandwidth communication scenarios.

[0016] Fiber optic patch cords: Also known as optical fiber patch cords, they are short fiber optic cables with fiber optic connectors at both ends, used for flexible interconnection between optical devices. They are plug-and-play and are a fundamental connection component in fiber optic networks. Fiber optic patch cords can include multiple independent optical fibers, each corresponding to one optical path, increasing bandwidth through multi-core parallel transmission.

[0017] Optical module: The optical module is the core device in the optical fiber communication system that realizes photoelectric / electro-optical conversion. It is responsible for converting electrical signals into optical signals for transmission and then converting the received optical signals back into electrical signals.

[0018] Bit Error Rate Tester (BERT): A bit error rate tester (BERT) is a device used to test the bit error rate of a digital communication system. BERT assesses system reliability by sending a known test bitstream, comparing it to the received bitstream, and calculating the bit error rate (BER).

[0019] Evaluation Board (EVB): An evaluation board is a hardware platform used to test and verify the functionality and performance of chips / modules (such as optical modules and communication chips). It enables rapid setup of a test environment without the need to design an entire circuit from scratch. The EVB integrates the printed circuit board (PCB) of the optical module-related chips and provides standard electrical interfaces (such as I2C and SPI).

[0020] The optical jumper testing apparatus and optical jumper testing method provided in the embodiments of this disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0021] Optical jumper testing device Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an optical patch cord testing apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown. Figure 1 As shown, the optical jumper testing device 10 includes a transceiver unit 11, an optical attenuation unit 12, and two optical modules 13.

[0022] The transceiver unit 11 is connected to two optical modules 13 respectively, and the optical attenuation unit 12 is configured to be connected in series with the optical jumper under test between the two optical modules 13. The optical attenuation unit 12 can attenuate the intensity of the optical signal passing through it.

[0023] The transceiver unit 11 can send a first electrical signal to the transmitting optical module in the two optical modules 13 and receive a second electrical signal sent by the receiving optical module in the two optical modules 13. Then, it can generate test information to indicate the test result of the optical jumper under test based on the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal.

[0024] The transmitting optical module in the two optical modules 13 can convert the received first electrical signal into a first optical signal and transmit the first optical signal through the series-connected optical attenuation unit 12 and the optical jumper under test. The receiving optical module in the two optical modules 13 can receive the second optical signal formed after the first optical signal is transmitted through the series-connected optical attenuation unit 12 and the optical jumper under test, and after converting the second optical signal into a second electrical signal, send the second electrical signal to the transceiver unit 11.

[0025] The transmitting optical module 13 is used to convert electrical signals into optical signals and output the optical signals. The receiving optical module 13 is used to convert optical signals into electrical signals and output the electrical signals. When testing the optical patch cord under test, one of the two optical modules 13 can be used as the transmitting optical module and the other as the receiving optical module, or each optical module 13 can be used as both the transmitting and receiving optical modules simultaneously.

[0026] In one example, the first optical module of the two optical modules 13 serves as the transmitting optical module, and the second optical module of the two optical modules 13 serves as the receiving optical module. The first optical module transmits a first optical signal to the second optical module through a series-connected optical attenuation unit 12 and a jumper under test. The intensity of the first optical signal weakens as it passes through the optical attenuation unit 12, and the information it contains may change as it passes through the jumper under test. The optical signal formed after the first optical signal is transmitted through the series-connected optical attenuation unit 12 and the jumper under test is defined as the second optical signal. After receiving the second optical signal, the second optical module converts the second optical signal into a second electrical signal and sends the second electrical signal to the transceiver unit 11.

[0027] In another example, the optical patch cord under test includes multiple optical fibers. The first optical fiber in the patch cord transmits optical signals from a first optical module to a second optical module, and the second optical fiber transmits optical signals from the second optical module to the first optical module. For the first optical fiber, the first optical module is the transmitting optical module, and the second optical module is the receiving optical module. For the second optical fiber, the second optical module is the transmitting optical module, and the first optical module is the receiving optical module. Therefore, each of the two optical modules 13 serves as both a transmitting and receiving optical module.

[0028] The optical attenuation unit 12 can attenuate the first optical signal to a suitable intensity in order to test the critical performance of the optical jumper under test, and thus determine whether the optical jumper under test meets the performance requirements.

[0029] During the transmission of the first optical signal through the series-connected optical attenuation unit 12 and the optical jumper under test, if the effective mode bandwidth (EMB) of the optical jumper under test is small, the first optical signal will generate bit errors during the transmission of the optical jumper under test. If the EMB of the optical jumper under test is large, the first optical signal will not generate bit errors during the transmission of the optical jumper under test. The transceiver unit 11 can determine the bit error rate of the second electrical signal based on the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal, thereby determining whether the optical jumper under test meets the EMB performance requirements.

[0030] In this embodiment, the optical jumper under test is connected in series with the optical attenuation unit 12 and then between two optical modules 13. The transmitting optical module converts the first electrical signal into a first optical signal and transmits the first optical signal through the series-connected optical attenuation unit 12 and the optical jumper under test. The first optical signal is transmitted in the optical attenuation unit 12 and the optical jumper under test to form a second optical signal. The receiving optical module converts the second optical signal into a second electrical signal and sends the second electrical signal to the transceiver unit 11. The transceiver unit 11 determines the test information that can indicate the testing of the optical jumper under test based on the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal. Since the EMB of the optical jumper under test is related to the bit error rate of the second optical signal, the transceiver unit 11 can determine the bit error rate of the second optical signal based on the second electrical signal, and then generate test information based on the bit error rate of the second optical signal. Thus, it can determine whether the EMB performance of the optical jumper under test meets the requirements based on the test information, ensuring that optical jumpers that meet the performance requirements can be screened out, thereby ensuring the reliability and performance of the application system of the optical jumper.

[0031] In one possible implementation, such as Figure 2The schematic diagram of the optical patch cord testing device 10 shown is illustrated. The optical patch cord testing device 10 includes two optical modules 13, namely a first optical module 131 and a second optical module 132. The transceiver unit 11 includes a first bit error rate tester (BERT) 111 and a second bit error rate tester (BERT) 112. The first BERT 111 is connected to the first optical module 131, and the second BERT 112 is connected to the second optical module 132.

[0032] When the first optical module 131 acts as the transmitting optical module and the second optical module 132 acts as the receiving optical module, the first BERT 111 sends a first electrical signal to the first optical module 131. The first optical module 131 converts the first electrical signal into a first optical signal and then sends the first optical signal to the second optical module 132 through the series-connected optical attenuation unit 12 and the optical jumper under test. Upon receiving the second optical signal, the second optical module 132 converts the second optical signal into a second electrical signal and sends the second electrical signal to the second BERT 112. Upon receiving the second electrical signal, the second BERT 112 determines the test information based on the first and second electrical signals.

[0033] When the second optical module 132 acts as the transmitting optical module and the first optical module 131 acts as the receiving optical module, the second BERT 112 sends a first electrical signal to the second optical module 132. The second optical module 132 converts the first electrical signal into a first optical signal and then sends the first optical signal to the first optical module 131 through the series-connected optical attenuation unit 12 and the optical jumper under test. Upon receiving the second optical signal, the first optical module 131 converts the second optical signal into a second electrical signal and sends the second electrical signal to the first BERT 111. Upon receiving the second electrical signal, the first BERT 111 determines the test information based on the first and second electrical signals.

[0034] BERT can send a known test bitstream (first electrical signal) and compare it with the received bitstream (second electrical signal) to calculate the bit error rate (BER) or forward error correction (FEC) error distribution. The BER and FEC error distributions can reflect the reliability of the test system.

[0035] The first BERT 111 is connected to the first optical module 131, the first optical module 131 is connected to the optical attenuation unit 12, the optical attenuation unit 12 is connected to one end of the optical jumper under test, the other end of the optical jumper under test is connected to the second optical module 132, and the second optical module 132 is connected to the second BERT 112, forming a test loop. When the first optical signal emitted by the first optical module 131 / second optical module 132 passes through the optical jumper under test, the optical jumper under test may cause changes to the first optical signal, which may lead to bit errors in the second electrical signal. Therefore, the first BERT 111 / second BERT 112 can evaluate the EMB performance of the optical jumper under test based on the bit error rate of the second electrical signal.

[0036] It should be noted that, in Figure 2 In the optical jumper testing device 10 shown, the optical attenuation unit 12 is connected between the first optical module 131 and the optical jumper under test. In some other embodiments, the optical attenuation unit 12 may be connected between the second optical module 132 and the optical jumper under test. The specific connection position of the optical attenuation unit 12 is not limited in the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0037] In this embodiment of the present disclosure, while the first BERT 111 sends a first electrical signal to the first optical module 131, the second BERT 112 can send a first electrical signal to the second optical module 132. This allows for bidirectional communication to simultaneously test multiple optical fibers included in the optical patch cord under test. Specifically, the first optical module 131 sends a first optical signal to the second optical module 132 through a portion of the optical fibers included in the optical patch cord under test, while the second optical module 132 sends a first optical signal to the first optical module 131 through another portion of the optical fibers included in the optical patch cord under test. This improves testing efficiency for optical patch cords under test that include multiple optical fibers.

[0038] It should be noted that although the optical patch cord testing device 10 can use bidirectional communication to test multiple optical fibers included in the optical patch cord simultaneously, when the optical patch cord under test only includes one or a few optical fibers, it can also use unidirectional communication to test the optical patch cord under test. For example, only the first optical module 131 outputs the first optical signal, and the second optical module 132 is only responsible for receiving the second optical signal and does not output the first optical signal.

[0039] In one possible implementation, such as Figure 2 As shown, the optical attenuation unit 12 is connected to the first optical module 131, and the optical attenuation unit 12 and the second optical module 132 are used to connect to the two ends of the optical jumper under test, respectively. The first optical module 131 is any one of the two optical modules 13 included in the optical jumper testing device 10, and the second optical module 132 is another optical module 13 different from the first optical module 131.

[0040] When testing the optical patch cord under test, one of the first optical module 131 and the second optical module 132 serves as the transmitting optical module, and the other of the first optical module 131 and the second optical module 132 serves as the receiving optical module, that is, a unidirectional communication method is used to test the optical patch cord under test. Alternatively, both the first optical module 131 and the second optical module 132 serve as both transmitting and receiving optical modules, that is, a bidirectional communication method is used to test multiple optical fibers included in the optical patch cord under test simultaneously.

[0041] Optical module 13 includes an input port and an output port, and optical attenuation unit 12 is connected to the input and output ports of the first optical module 131 / second optical module 132. In one example, optical attenuation unit 12 is connected to the input and output ports of the first optical module 131. If the first optical module 131 is used as a transmitting optical module, the first optical signal first passes through optical attenuation unit 12 and then through the optical jumper under test. If the second optical module 132 is used as a transmitting optical module, the first optical signal first passes through the optical jumper under test and then through optical attenuation unit 12.

[0042] When the optical patch cord under test is not connected to the optical patch cord testing device 10, the optical attenuation unit 12 is connected to the first optical module 131 / second optical module 132 through one or more standard optical fibers. When the optical patch cord testing device 10 is only used to test optical patch cords containing a single optical fiber, the optical attenuation unit 12 is connected to the first optical module 131 / second optical module 132 through one standard optical fiber. When the optical patch cord testing device 10 can be used to test optical patch cords containing multiple optical fibers, the optical attenuation unit 12 is connected to the first optical module 131 / second optical module 132 through multiple standard optical fibers, and the number of standard optical fibers connected to the optical attenuation unit 12 is greater than or equal to the number of optical fibers included in the optical patch cord under test. The EMB performance of the standard optical fiber is better than that of the optical patch cord under test. During the testing of the optical patch cord under test, the standard optical fiber will not change the information included in the first optical signal, that is, the standard optical fiber will not cause bit errors in the second electrical signal, ensuring the accuracy of the test results.

[0043] In this embodiment, the optical attenuation unit 12 is connected to the first optical module 131, and the optical jumper under test is connected between the optical attenuation unit 12 and the second optical module 132. When testing the optical jumper under test, one of the first optical module 131 and the second optical module 132 serves as the transmitting optical module, and the other serves as the receiving optical module; alternatively, the first optical module 131 and the second optical module 132 can serve as both transmitting and receiving optical modules, adapting to different testing scenarios and improving the testing effect of the optical jumper. Connecting the optical attenuation unit 12 entirely to the first optical module 131 simplifies the structure of the optical jumper testing device 10. When testing the optical jumper, one end of the optical jumper under test is connected to the optical attenuation unit 12, and the other end is connected to the second optical module 132, simplifying the steps of connecting the optical jumper under test to the optical jumper testing device 10, improving the efficiency of optical jumper testing, and reducing the labor intensity of the testing process.

[0044] In one possible implementation, such as Figure 3 The schematic diagram of the optical jumper testing device 10 shown includes an optical attenuation unit 12 comprising a first sub-optical attenuation unit 121 and a second sub-optical attenuation unit 122.

[0045] The first sub-attenuation unit 121 is connected to the output port TX1 of the first optical module 131, and the second sub-attenuation unit 122 is connected to the output port TX2 of the second optical module 132. The input ports RX2 of the first sub-attenuation unit 121 and the second optical module 132 are used to connect to both ends of the first optical fiber 21 included in the optical patch cord 20 under test, respectively. The input ports RX1 of the second sub-attenuation unit 122 and the first optical module 131 are used to connect to both ends of the second optical fiber 22 included in the optical patch cord 20 under test, respectively.

[0046] The first optical module 131 can transmit a first optical signal through the first sub-optical attenuation unit 121 and the first optical fiber 21, and receive a second optical signal from the input port RX1. The second optical signal is formed after the first optical signal emitted by the second optical module 132 is transmitted through the second sub-optical attenuation unit 122 and the second optical fiber 22. The second optical module 132 can transmit a first optical signal through the second sub-optical attenuation unit 122 and the second optical fiber 22, and receive a second optical signal from the input port RX2. The second optical signal is formed after the first optical signal emitted by the first optical module 132 is transmitted through the first sub-optical attenuation unit 121 and the first optical fiber 21.

[0047] After the first optical module 131 emits a first optical signal through its output port TX1, the first optical signal passes through the first sub-optical attenuation unit 121 and the first optical fiber 21 in sequence to become a second optical signal. The second optical signal is received by the second optical module 132 through its input port RX2. The second optical module 132 converts the second optical signal into a second electrical signal and sends it to the second BERT 112. The second BERT 112 can determine the test information of the first optical fiber 21 based on the second electrical signal.

[0048] After the second optical module 132 outputs the first optical signal through its output port TX2, the first optical signal passes through the second sub-optical attenuation unit 122 and the second optical fiber 22 in sequence to become the second optical signal. The second optical signal is received by the first optical module 131 through its input port RX1. The first optical module 131 converts the second optical signal into a second electrical signal and sends it to the first BERT 111. The first BERT 111 can determine the test information of the second optical fiber 22 based on the second electrical signal.

[0049] The optical patch cord 20 under test may include multiple optical fibers. The number of first optical fibers 21 may be one or more, and the number of second optical fibers 22 may be one or more. In one example, the optical patch cord 20 under test includes 8 optical fibers. When testing the optical patch cord under test, the two ends of 4 of the optical fibers are connected to the input optical port RX2 of the first sub-optical attenuation unit 121 and the second optical module 132, respectively. These 4 optical fibers are the first optical fibers 21. The two ends of the other 4 optical fibers are connected to the input optical port RX1 of the second sub-optical attenuation unit 122 and the first optical module 131, respectively. These other 4 optical fibers are the second optical fibers 22.

[0050] While the first optical module 131 sends the first optical signal to the first sub-optical attenuation unit 121, the second optical module 132 can send the first optical signal to the second sub-optical attenuation unit 122, thereby enabling simultaneous testing of the first optical fiber 21 and the second optical fiber 22.

[0051] In this embodiment, the output port TX1 of the first optical module 131 is connected to the first sub-optical attenuation unit 121, and the output port TX2 of the second optical module 132 is connected to the second sub-optical attenuation unit 122. The two ends of the first optical fiber 21 included in the optical jumper 20 under test are respectively connected to the first sub-optical attenuation unit 121 and the input port RX2 of the second optical module 132. The two ends of the second optical fiber 22 included in the optical jumper 20 under test are respectively connected to the second sub-optical attenuation unit 122 and the input port RX1 of the first optical module 131. Two optical paths with two transmission directions are formed between the first optical module 131 and the second optical module 132. The first optical fiber 21 and the second optical fiber 22 are tested simultaneously, which improves the efficiency of testing the optical jumper 20 under test. Since both the first sub-optical attenuation unit 121 and the second sub-optical attenuation unit 122 are connected to the output port, the first optical signal first passes through the first sub-optical attenuation unit 121 / the second sub-optical attenuation unit 122 and then through the first optical fiber 21 / the second optical fiber 22, ensuring that the intensity of the first optical signal is the same when it is transmitted in the first optical fiber 21 / the second optical fiber 22, reducing variables in the test process and ensuring the reliability of the test results.

[0052] In one possible implementation, such as Figure 4 The schematic diagram shown is of an optical patch cord testing device 10, which includes a first evaluation board 141 and a second evaluation board 142. The first BERT 111 is connected to the first optical module 131 through the first evaluation board 141, and the second BERT 112 is connected to the second optical module 132 through the second evaluation board 142.

[0053] The first evaluation board 141 can power the first optical module 131 and transmit a first electrical signal and / or a second electrical signal between the first BERT 111 and the first optical module 131. The second evaluation board 142 can power the second optical module 131 and transmit the first electrical signal and / or the second electrical signal between the second BERT 112 and the second optical module 132.

[0054] In this embodiment, since the evaluation board provides various types of interfaces, the first BERT 111 can be connected to the first optical module 131 through the interface provided by the first evaluation board 141, enabling bidirectional electrical signal communication between the first BERT 111 and the first optical module 131. Similarly, the second BERT 112 can be connected to the second optical module 132 through the interface provided by the second evaluation board 142, enabling bidirectional electrical signal communication between the second BERT 112 and the second optical module 132. Connecting the BERTs and optical interfaces via the evaluation board eliminates the need to develop dedicated printed circuit boards, reducing the cost of the optical jumper testing device 10.

[0055] In one possible implementation, the optical attenuation unit 12 attenuates the intensity of the first optical signal passing through it. When setting the attenuation intensity of the optical attenuation unit 12, a reference optical jumper corresponding to the target EMB can be selected and connected in series between the optical attenuation unit 12 and the first optical module 131 and the second optical module 132. Then, the attenuation intensity of the optical attenuation unit 12 is adjusted so that the intensity of the optical signal received by the receiving optical module is the minimum optical signal intensity required for the normal operation of the receiving optical module. That is, by adjusting the attenuation intensity of the optical attenuation unit 12, the receiving optical module is made to operate at the sensitivity point. After adjusting the attenuation intensity of the optical attenuation unit 12, the attenuation intensity of the optical attenuation unit 12 is fixed, and the optical jumper under test is tested.

[0056] In one example, the optical jumper is required to have an EMB ≥ 5000MHz. km, then the target EMB is equal to 5000MHz km. When adjusting the attenuation intensity of optical attenuation unit 12, the corresponding EMB is equal to 5000MHz. A reference optical jumper and optical attenuation unit 12 are connected in series between the first optical module 131 and the second optical module 132. The transmitting optical module then outputs a first optical signal, and the attenuation intensity of the optical attenuation unit 12 is adjusted until the intensity of the optical signal received by the receiving optical module is its minimum value for normal operation. For example, the minimum optical intensity at which the receiving optical module can operate normally corresponds to a BER of 2.4 × 10⁻⁶. -4 Therefore, when adjusting the attenuation intensity of optical attenuation unit 12, gradually increase the attenuation intensity of optical attenuation unit 12 until the BER displayed by the BERT connected to the receiving optical module is 2.4 × 10⁻⁶. -4 At this point, the intensity of the optical signal input to the receiving optical module is the minimum optical signal intensity required for the receiving optical module to work normally, which is the sensitivity point of the receiving optical module.

[0057] The reference EMB of the optical jumper is used as the target EMB. If the EMB of the optical jumper under test is smaller than the target EMB, the second electrical signal converted by the receiving optical module will contain more bit errors, thus determining that the optical jumper under test fails the test. If the EMB of the optical jumper under test is larger than the target EMB, the second electrical signal converted by the receiving optical module will contain no or fewer bit errors, thus determining that the optical jumper under test passes the test.

[0058] It should be noted that the present invention does not limit the type and principle of the optical decay unit 12. The optical decay unit 12, the first sub-optical decay unit 121 and the second sub-optical decay unit 122 can be any suitable type of optical decay device.

[0059] In this embodiment, the attenuation intensity of the optical attenuation unit 12 ensures that when the EMB of the optical jumper under test is equal to the target EMB, the intensity of the second optical signal is equal to the minimum signal strength required for the receiving optical module to function normally. When the EMB of the optical jumper under test is less than the target EMB, the second electrical signal converted by the receiving optical module contains more bit errors; when the EMB of the optical jumper under test is greater than the target EMB, the second electrical signal converted by the receiving optical module contains no or fewer bit errors. Therefore, the bit error rate of the second electrical signal can be used to directly determine whether the optical jumper under test meets the requirements without complex conversions and calculations, thus improving the efficiency of optical jumper testing. By setting the attenuation intensity of the optical attenuation unit 12 based on the EMB performance requirements of the optical jumper, the optical jumper testing device 10 can test optical jumpers with different EMB performance requirements, improving the applicability of the optical jumper testing device 10.

[0060] In one possible implementation, the test information generated by the transceiver unit 11 based on the first and second electrical signals may include any one or both of the bit error rate (BER) and forward error correction (FEC) error distribution. Since both BER and FEC error distribution can reflect the EMB performance of the optical patch cord, determining whether the optical patch cord under test meets the requirements based on BER and / or FEC error distribution ensures the accuracy of the test results. Furthermore, the BER or FEC error distribution can be flexibly selected as the evaluation criterion for the test results according to actual needs, thus improving the applicability of the optical patch cord testing device 10.

[0061] In one possible implementation, the optical patch cord under test includes multimode fiber. Since multimode fiber has specific requirements for EMB performance, testing can be performed on optical patch cords containing multimode fiber to ensure that the system performance of patch cords that pass the test meets the requirements, thus guaranteeing a risk-free system application.

[0062] Optical patch cord testing method This disclosure provides an optical patch cord testing method, which can be implemented based on the optical patch cord testing device 10 described in the foregoing embodiments. For example... Figure 5 The flowchart shown illustrates an optical patch cord testing method, which includes the following steps: Step 501: Based on the target wavelength range of the optical patch cord, test the first effective mode bandwidth of the long optical fiber used to make the optical patch cord at the first wavelength, and test the second effective mode bandwidth of the long optical fiber at the second wavelength.

[0063] The target wavelength range is the range of optical signals transmitted when the optical patch cord is working. In other words, a qualified optical patch cord needs to transmit optical signals with corresponding wavelengths within the target wavelength range. In one example, the target wavelength range is [840nm, 950nm].

[0064] The first wavelength is the lower limit of the target wavelength range, and the second wavelength is the upper limit of the target wavelength range. For example, when the target wavelength range is [840nm, 950nm], the first wavelength is 840nm and the second wavelength is 950nm.

[0065] Optical patch cords are made by shortening long optical fibers. An optical patch cord can include a single short optical fiber obtained by cutting a long optical fiber, or it can include multiple short optical fibers obtained by cutting a long optical fiber. Before manufacturing the optical patch cord, the long optical fiber used to manufacture it is tested.

[0066] The long optical fiber was tested, and the EMB of the long optical fiber at the first wavelength and the second wavelength were tested respectively to obtain the first EMB of the long optical fiber at the first wavelength and the second EMB at the second wavelength.

[0067] Step 502: Fabricate the optical jumper to be tested using long optical fibers whose first EMB and second EMB are both greater than the target EMB.

[0068] After measuring the first and second EMB of the long optical fiber, the first and second EMBs are compared with the target EMB. If both the first and second EMBs of the long optical fiber are greater than the target EMB, the long optical fiber can be used to manufacture the optical patch cord under test. If at least one of the first and second EMBs of the long optical fiber is less than or equal to the target EMB, the long optical fiber does not meet the conditions for manufacturing the optical patch cord under test. In this case, other long optical fibers are selected for testing, and the optical patch cord under test is manufactured using the long optical fiber whose first and second EMBs are both greater than the target EMB.

[0069] A long optical fiber can be used to make one or more optical patch cords to be tested. An optical patch cord may include one or more short optical fibers obtained by cutting long optical fibers that have passed the test.

[0070] In one example, the target EMB is 5000MHz. km. If both the first and second EMB of the long optical fiber are greater than 5000MHz. If the long optical fiber is km, then it can be used to make an optical patch cord for the test. If the first EMB and / or the second EMB of the long optical fiber are less than or equal to 5000MHz... If the length of the optical fiber is km, then the long optical fiber cannot be used to make the optical patch cord to be tested.

[0071] like Figure 6The diagram illustrates the relationship between EMB and wavelength. The relationship between EMB and wavelength in multimode fiber is a Gaussian-like curve. The EMB of a long fiber at any wavelength within the target wavelength range is greater than the smaller of the first and second EMB. Therefore, by testing the EMB of the long fiber at the first and second wavelengths, if both the measured first and second EMBs are greater than the target EMB, it can be ensured that the EMB of the long fiber at any wavelength within the target wavelength range is greater than the target EMB, thus guaranteeing the EMB performance of the long fiber.

[0072] Step 503: Test the optical jumper under test using the optical jumper testing device to obtain the test information of the optical jumper under test.

[0073] After obtaining the optical patch cord under test based on a long, tested optical fiber, the optical patch cord under test is tested using the optical patch cord testing device 10 in any of the above embodiments to obtain the test information of the optical patch cord under test. The test information may be the BER and / or FEC error distribution.

[0074] It should be noted that the process of testing the optical jumper under test by the optical jumper testing device 10 can be referred to the description in the aforementioned embodiment of the optical jumper testing device, and will not be repeated here.

[0075] Step 504: Determine the test results of the optical jumper to be tested based on the test information.

[0076] Test information indicates the test results of the optical jumper under test, and thus, based on the test information, it can be determined whether the optical jumper under test has passed the test. For example, the test information includes BER (Breakpoint), and the target BER is set to 2.4 × 10⁻⁶. -4 If the BER of each channel of the optical jumper under test is less than 2.4 × 10⁻⁶ -4 If the BER of at least one channel of the optical jumper under test is greater than or equal to 2.4 × 10⁻⁶, then the test is considered passed. -4 If so, the test for the optical jumper cable is deemed unsuccessful.

[0077] In this embodiment, the EMB of the long optical fiber at the lower and upper limits of the target wavelength range is tested first. When the EMB of the long optical fiber at both the lower and upper limits of the target wavelength range is greater than the target EMB, the long optical fiber can be used to fabricate an optical patch cord under test. Then, the optical patch cord under test is tested using the optical patch cord testing device 10 provided in the above embodiment. By testing the EMB of the long optical fiber, the optical patch cord under test is fabricated using the tested long optical fiber, avoiding the waste caused by using a long optical fiber that does not meet the requirements to fabricate an optical patch cord that does not meet the requirements. Testing the long optical fiber at the lower and upper limits of the target wavelength range ensures that the tested long optical fiber has the EMB performance within the target wavelength range, increasing the probability that the optical patch cord fabricated using the tested long optical fiber meets the requirements and reducing the cost of the optical patch cord. Adopting a test scheme that tests the long optical fiber first and then the optical patch cord improves the comprehensiveness and reliability of the optical patch cord test, ensuring that the system performance of the tested optical patch cord meets the requirements, thereby ensuring the reliability of the system using the optical patch cord.

[0078] In one possible implementation, the long optical fiber is multimode fiber, and the optical patch cord under test made from the long optical fiber also includes multimode fiber. Since multimode fiber has specific requirements for EMB performance, the optical patch cord under test that includes multimode fiber can be tested to ensure that the system performance of the tested optical patch cord meets the requirements and that the system application is risk-free.

[0079] In one possible implementation, Figure 7 A schematic diagram illustrating the performance of an optical patch cord that has passed testing using the optical patch cord testing method provided in this disclosure is shown. Figure 7 As shown, the optical patch cord includes 8 optical fibers, corresponding to 8 channels (CH1 to CH8). The horizontal axis represents the number of optical patch cords, and the vertical axis represents the BER (Bit Error Rate). By measuring the performance of 512 optical patch cords in the system, it can be seen that the BER of the optical patch cords tested in this embodiment is all less than the corresponding standard requirement of 2.4 × 10⁻⁶. -4 Therefore, optical jumpers that pass the test using the optical jumper test method provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure all have good performance and meet the system requirements.

[0080] It should be noted that the embodiments disclosed herein are based on the optical jumper testing device in the foregoing embodiments to test the optical jumper under test. The specific process of testing the optical jumper under test can be found in the description in the foregoing optical jumper testing device embodiments, and has the same beneficial effects as the foregoing optical jumper testing device embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0081] It should be understood that the various embodiments in this description are described in a progressive manner, and the same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to mutually. Each embodiment focuses on describing the differences from other embodiments. In particular, for the method embodiments, since they are basically similar to the methods described in the apparatus and system embodiments, the description is relatively simple, and relevant parts can be referred to the descriptions of other embodiments.

[0082] It should be understood that the foregoing describes specific embodiments of this specification. Other embodiments are within the scope of the claims. In some cases, the actions or steps recited in the claims may be performed in a different order than that shown in the embodiments and may still achieve the desired result. Furthermore, the processes depicted in the drawings do not necessarily require the specific or sequential order shown to achieve the desired result. In some embodiments, multitasking and parallel processing are also possible or may be advantageous.

[0083] It should be understood that the use of a singular form to describe an element or to show only one element in the accompanying drawings does not imply that the number of such element is limited to one. Furthermore, modules or elements described or shown as separate herein may be combined into a single module or element, and modules or elements described or shown as single herein may be broken down into multiple modules or elements.

[0084] It should also be understood that the terminology and expressions used herein are for descriptive purposes only, and one or more embodiments described herein should not be limited to these terms and expressions. The use of these terms and expressions does not exclude any illustrative and descriptive equivalent features (or parts thereof), and it should be recognized that various modifications that may exist should also be included within the scope of the claims. Other modifications, variations, and substitutions may also exist. Accordingly, the claims should be considered to cover all such equivalents.

Claims

1. An optical jumper testing device, comprising: Transceiver unit, optical attenuation unit, and two optical modules; The transceiver unit is connected to the two optical modules respectively, and the optical attenuation unit is configured to be connected in series with the optical jumper to be tested and then connected between the two optical modules; the optical attenuation unit is used to attenuate the intensity of the transmitted optical signal. The transceiver unit is used to send a first electrical signal to the transmitting optical module of the two optical modules, and receive a second electrical signal sent by the receiving optical module of the two optical modules, and generate test information to indicate the test result of the optical jumper under test based on the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal. The transmitting optical module of the two optical modules is used to convert the received first electrical signal into a first optical signal and transmit the first optical signal through the optical attenuation unit and the optical jumper under test connected in series. The receiving optical module of the two optical modules is used to receive the second optical signal formed by the transmission of the first optical signal through the optical attenuation unit and the optical jumper under test connected in series, and after converting the second optical signal into a second electrical signal, send the second electrical signal to the transceiver unit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The two optical modules include a first optical module and a second optical module, and the transceiver unit includes a first bit error rate tester and a second bit error rate tester. The first bit error rate tester is connected to the first optical module, and the second bit error rate tester is connected to the second optical module; When the first optical module acts as the transmitting optical module and the second optical module acts as the receiving optical module, the first bit error rate tester sends the first electrical signal to the first optical module, and the second optical module sends the second electrical signal to the second bit error rate tester. When the second optical module acts as the transmitting optical module and the first optical module acts as the receiving optical module, the second bit error rate tester sends the first electrical signal to the second optical module, and the first optical module sends the second electrical signal to the first bit error rate tester.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, The optical attenuation unit is connected to the first optical module, and the optical attenuation unit and the second optical module are configured to be connected to the two ends of the optical jumper to be tested, respectively.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, The optical decay unit includes a first sub-optical decay unit and a second sub-optical decay unit; The first sub-optical attenuation unit is connected to the output port of the first optical module, and the second sub-optical attenuation unit is connected to the output port of the second optical module; The input ports of the first sub-optical attenuation unit and the second optical module are configured to be connected to both ends of the first optical fiber included in the optical jumper under test, respectively; the input ports of the second sub-optical attenuation unit and the first optical module are configured to be connected to both ends of the second optical fiber included in the optical jumper under test, respectively. The first optical module is used to transmit the first optical signal through the first sub-optical attenuation unit and the first optical fiber, and to receive the second optical signal formed after the first optical signal emitted by the second optical module is transmitted through the first sub-optical attenuation unit and the first optical fiber; The second optical module is used to transmit the first optical signal through the second sub-optical attenuation unit and the second optical fiber, and to receive the second optical signal formed after the first optical signal emitted by the first optical module is transmitted through the second sub-optical attenuation unit and the second optical fiber.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: First evaluation board and second evaluation board; The first bit error rate tester is connected to the first optical module through the first evaluation board, and the second bit error rate tester is connected to the second optical module through the second evaluation board; The first evaluation board is used to power the first optical module and transmit the first electrical signal and / or the second electrical signal between the first bit error rate tester and the first optical module. The second evaluation board is used to power the second optical module and transmit the first electrical signal and / or the second electrical signal between the second bit error rate tester and the second optical module.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The optical attenuation unit is used to attenuate the intensity of the first optical signal passing through, so that when the effective mode bandwidth of the optical jumper under test is the target effective mode bandwidth, the intensity of the second optical signal is equal to the minimum optical signal intensity required for the receiving optical module to work normally.

7. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein, The test information includes bit error rate and / or forward error correction distribution.

8. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein, The optical fiber included in the optical jumper to be tested is a multimode optical fiber.

9. A method for testing optical jumpers, comprising: Based on the target wavelength range for the operation of the optical patch cord, the first effective mode bandwidth of the long optical fiber used to make the optical patch cord is tested at the first wavelength, and the second effective mode bandwidth of the long optical fiber at the second wavelength is tested. The first wavelength is the lower limit of the target wavelength range, and the second wavelength is the upper limit of the target wavelength range. Obtain an optical jumper to be tested, wherein the optical jumper to be tested is made of a long optical fiber whose first effective mode bandwidth and second effective mode bandwidth are both greater than the target effective mode bandwidth; The optical jumper under test is tested using any one of the optical jumper testing devices described in claims 1-8 to obtain the test information of the optical jumper under test; The test results of the optical jumper under test are determined based on the test information.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein, The long optical fiber is a multimode optical fiber.

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