A remote fiber testing device

Abstract

This utility model discloses a remote optical fiber testing device, belonging to the field of optical fiber communication testing technology. It includes a main control module, an optical power meter module, a red light pen module, an IoT communication module, and an optical system. The optical system includes a beam splitter, whose combining end forms a unique test port. The first branch connects to the optical power meter module, and the second branch connects to the red light pen module. The main control module is electrically connected to each functional module and receives remote commands through the IoT communication module to control the on / off state of the red light pen module and read and upload measurement data from the optical power meter module. This device solves the problem of existing optical fiber testing tools being separate and requiring on-site operation, achieving integrated single-port operation and remote maintenance, reducing manpower and time costs, improving testing efficiency and security, and is suitable for optical fiber network construction, maintenance, and fault diagnosis scenarios.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of optical fiber communication testing technology, and in particular to a remote optical fiber testing device. Background Technology

[0002] In the construction, maintenance, and fault diagnosis of fiber optic networks, optical power meters and visual fault locators (commonly known as "red light pens") are two indispensable basic tools. Optical power meters are used to measure the absolute power of optical signals in fiber optic links to assess link loss and communication quality; visual fault locators emit strong visible red light to help technicians quickly locate fault points such as fiber breaks or excessive bends.

[0003] However, existing technologies have obvious drawbacks: On the one hand, traditional optical power meters and red light pens are independent devices. When technicians perform fiber optic continuity tests and power measurements, they need to frequently plug and unplug fiber optic connectors on-site and switch back and forth between the two devices. When working alone, they also need to travel back and forth to the fiber optic end multiple times, which is not only inefficient, but also easily damages the delicate fiber optic interface due to frequent plugging and unplugging. On the other hand, traditional testing equipment does not have remote operation capabilities. Technicians must be on-site to carry out the work. Especially in fiber-to-the-home maintenance scenarios, this will generate high labor and time costs and will not be able to achieve rapid fault response.

[0004] While some devices on the market combine the functions of an optical power meter and a red light pen, these devices typically require manual switching of operating modes or fiber optic port switching, and lack remote control and data reporting capabilities, making them unsuitable for efficient operation and maintenance. Therefore, developing a fiber optic testing device capable of remote integrated operation has become a pressing technical challenge in this field. Utility Model Content

[0005] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this utility model provides a remote fiber optic testing device that solves the technical problems of existing fiber optic testing tools, which, even when separated or simply combined, still require manual switching and frequent plugging and unplugging of fiber optic interfaces, and lack remote control and data reporting capabilities, resulting in cumbersome operation and maintenance, high manpower and time costs, and slow fault response.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution:

[0007] A remote fiber optic testing device includes a main control module, an optical power meter module, a red light pen module, an Internet of Things communication module, a test port, and an optical system;

[0008] The optical system includes a beam splitter, the combining end of which constitutes the test port of the device, and its first branch is connected to the optical power meter module and its second branch is connected to the red light pen module.

[0009] The main control module is electrically connected to the optical power meter module, the red light pen module, and the Internet of Things (IoT) communication module, respectively. The main control module is configured to receive remote commands through the IoT communication module, control the on / off state of the red light pen module and / or read the measurement data of the optical power meter module according to the commands, and then upload the measurement data through the IoT communication module.

[0010] Preferably, the IoT communication module is any one of a 4G communication module, a 5G communication module, an NB-IoT communication module, a LoRa communication module, or a Wi-Fi communication module.

[0011] Preferably, the optical beam splitter is an optical fiber type optical beam splitter or a free space type optical beam splitter.

[0012] Preferably, the main control module is also configured to perform a preset automated test task, which includes first controlling the optical power meter module to measure the optical power, and then controlling the red light pen module to turn on or off based on the measurement results.

[0013] Preferably, it also includes a power management module and a battery. The power management module is electrically connected to the battery, the main control module, the optical power meter module, the red light pen module, and the Internet of Things communication module, respectively, for power supply control.

[0014] Preferably, the test port is an SC interface, an LC interface, or an FC interface.

[0015] Preferably, the red light emitted by the red light pen module has a wavelength range of 650nm-660nm, and the measurement range of the optical power meter module is -70dBm to +10dBm.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0017] Through innovative optical system design, the core functions of an optical power meter and a red light pen are integrated into one unit. Optical power measurement and red light fault location operations can be completed through only one test port, eliminating the need for technicians to carry multiple devices, avoiding the hassle of frequently plugging and unplugging fiber optic connectors, reducing the risk of interface damage, and improving the convenience of on-site operations.

[0018] With the help of IoT communication technologies such as 4G / 5G, NB-IoT, LoRa, and Wi-Fi, technicians can remotely control the device to emit red light and read real-time optical power data from any location with network access around the world. This allows them to complete testing without being physically present on-site, significantly reducing maintenance time and manpower costs, and enabling rapid fault response.

[0019] The main control module can preset automated test tasks. For example, it can remotely instruct the device to measure the optical power. If the power is normal but the service is not working, it can automatically turn on the red light pen and notify the staff at the other end of the line to search for the line or locate the fault point, so as to achieve efficient collaborative diagnosis and further improve the efficiency of fault handling.

[0020] Remote operation mode reduces the number of times technicians need to enter dangerous environments such as high altitudes and underground mines, reduces the safety risks of on-site operations, and provides effective protection for the personal safety of technicians. Attached Figure Description

[0021] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this utility model. In order to better understand the technical means of this utility model and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, the preferred embodiments of this utility model are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a system architecture diagram of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0023] This application provides a remote fiber optic testing device, which effectively solves the technical problems of existing fiber optic testing tools, which, even after being separated or simply combined, still require manual switching and frequent plugging and unplugging of fiber optic interfaces, and lack remote control and data reporting capabilities, resulting in cumbersome operation and maintenance, high manpower and time costs, and slow fault response.

[0024] Example

[0025] like Figure 1 As shown, the overall technical solution in this application embodiment is as follows:

[0026] To address the problems existing in the prior art, this utility model provides a remote optical fiber testing device. By integrating optical power measurement, red light fault location, and IoT remote control functions, it solves the problems of cumbersome operation and inability to be remotely maintained by existing optical fiber testing tools, and realizes the optical fiber testing needs of multi-purpose and remote collaboration. Its overall structure is compact and highly portable, and it is suitable for optical fiber network construction, maintenance, and fault diagnosis scenarios.

[0027] The remote fiber optic testing device in this embodiment includes: a main control module, an optical power meter module, a red light pen module, an IoT communication module, an optical system, a power management module, a battery, and test ports. The specific selection and connection relationships of each module are as follows:

[0028] Main control module: The STM32F103 series microcontroller (MCU) is selected. This chip features low power consumption, high processing speed, and rich peripheral interfaces, meeting the needs of multi-module collaborative control and data processing. The main control module communicates with the optical power meter module via I2C interface, controls the red light pen module's on / off state via GPIO interface, and interacts with the IoT communication module via UART interface, realizing the core functions of command reception, module control, and data uploading.

[0029] Optical power meter module: It adopts the AD8361 power detection chip and is composed of a high-precision operational amplifier circuit. Its measurement range is -70dBm to +10dBm, and the measurement accuracy is ≤±0.2dB. It can accurately collect optical signal power data in the optical fiber link and convert the analog signal into a digital signal before transmitting it to the main control module.

[0030] Red light pen module: It uses a high-power red light emitting diode with a wavelength of 650nm, with an output power of ≥5mW. The red light has strong penetration and can locate fiber optic fault points within ≤10km. The module is equipped with a switch drive circuit, which is controlled by the GPIO interface of the main control module and supports fast start and stop.

[0031] IoT communication module: This embodiment uses a 4G communication module (model SIM7600CE), which supports the 4G networks of China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom, and features wide coverage and low latency. If applied to indoor or short-range scenarios, it can also be replaced with a Wi-Fi module (such as ESP8266) or an NB-IoT module (such as BC95-B5). The module is connected to the main control module through a UART interface to realize remote command reception and measurement data reporting.

[0032] Optical System: The core is a 1×2 fiber optic beam splitter with a splitting ratio of 50:50. The operating wavelength covers 650nm (red light) to 1550nm (communication light), adapting to the mainstream wavelength range of fiber optic testing. The combining end of the beam splitter is fixed through a fiber optic adapter, forming the test port of the device (an SC interface is used in this embodiment, but it can also be replaced with an LC or FC interface according to actual needs). Its first branch is connected to the optical receiver of the optical power meter module through a pigtail, and the second branch is connected to the optical transmitter of the red light pen module through a pigtail, realizing the split transmission and combined output of optical signals.

[0033] Power management module: Composed of a TP4056 charging management chip and an AMS1117-3.3V voltage regulator chip, it is electrically connected to the lithium battery (capacity 3.7V / 5000mAh), main control module, optical power meter module, red light pen module, and IoT communication module. This module has charging protection, overcurrent protection, and low-power sleep functions. It can adjust the power supply status of each module according to the instructions of the main control module to extend the device's battery life (standby time ≥72 hours, working time ≥8 hours).

[0034] Working principle of the device:

[0035] This device achieves single-port bidirectional operation through an optical beam splitter in the optical system, and enables remote control by combining an IoT communication module. The specific workflow is as follows:

[0036] Remote optical power measurement procedure:

[0037] Technicians send an "optical power measurement command" via a mobile app or cloud platform. This command is transmitted to the device's IoT communication module via a 4G / 5G / NB-IoT / Wi-Fi network.

[0038] After receiving the instruction, the IoT communication module forwards the instruction to the main control module through the UART interface;

[0039] After the main control module parses the command, it starts the optical power meter module and controls it to enter the measurement state;

[0040] The optical signal in the fiber optic link is received from the test port (SC interface), transmitted to the first branch through the combiner of the optical beam splitter, and finally input to the optical power meter module;

[0041] The optical power meter module converts the optical signal into a digital power value (unit: dBm) and feeds it back to the main control module;

[0042] The main control module uploads real-time optical power data to a mobile app or cloud platform via an IoT communication module, allowing technicians to monitor fiber optic link loss and quality in real time.

[0043] Remote red light emission process:

[0044] Technicians send "red light emission commands" via remote terminals (the emission duration can be set, such as 1-60 minutes);

[0045] The IoT communication module receives instructions and forwards them to the main control module;

[0046] After parsing the instructions, the main control module outputs a high level through the GPIO interface to drive the red light pen module to start and emit 650nm visible red light;

[0047] The red light is transmitted to the combiner via the second branch of the optical beam splitter and then output from the test port to the optical fiber under test.

[0048] Workers at the other end of the optical fiber can visually observe red light leakage points to locate faults such as fiber breakage or excessive bending.

[0049] After the transmission duration ends or a "stop red light command" is received, the main control module controls the red light pen module to shut down, thus completing the fault location.

[0050] Automated collaborative diagnostic process:

[0051] The main control module supports preset automated test tasks, as detailed below:

[0052] Technicians can preset task logic via remote terminal: first measure optical power; if the power is within the normal range (e.g., -20dBm to 0dBm) but the service is not working, then automatically start red light emission.

[0053] When the device performs a task, it first completes data acquisition according to the above optical power measurement procedure, and the main control module determines whether the power is normal.

[0054] If the power is normal, the main control module will automatically trigger the red light pen module to start and send a "line finding notification" to the staff at the other end of the optical fiber through the Internet of Things communication module.

[0055] On the other end, staff work together to locate the red light fault, enabling collaborative diagnosis without human intervention and improving fault handling efficiency.

[0056] In this embodiment, the optical beam splitter uses an optical fiber structure, which has strong connection stability and low insertion loss (≤0.3dB). If applied to high-power scenarios, it can be replaced with a free-space type optical beam splitter, which can split the optical signal through a lens group to adapt to a higher power red light pen module.

[0057] The IoT communication module supports switching between multiple network standards. The main control module has a built-in network status detection program that can automatically select the communication method with the best signal to ensure the stability of remote command transmission.

[0058] The test port features a dustproof and waterproof design and is equipped with a rubber protective cover, making it suitable for complex environments such as outdoor construction and underground operations, further enhancing the durability of the device.

[0059] In summary, this specific implementation method, by clearly defining the selection, connection relationship and workflow of each module, fully presents the technical solution of this utility model. Its structure is simple, its implementation cost is low, and it can effectively realize the integration, remoteness and intelligence of fiber optic testing.

[0060] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present invention and are not intended to limit the implementation. Those skilled in the art can make other variations or modifications based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively list all possible implementations. However, obvious variations or modifications derived therefrom are still within the protection scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A remote fiber optic testing device, characterized in that, It includes a main control module, an optical power meter module, a red light pen module, an IoT communication module, test ports, and an optical system; The optical system includes a beam splitter, the combining end of which constitutes the test port of the device, and its first branch is connected to the optical power meter module and its second branch is connected to the red light pen module. The main control module is electrically connected to the optical power meter module, the red light pen module, and the Internet of Things (IoT) communication module, respectively. The main control module is configured to receive remote commands through the IoT communication module, control the on / off state of the red light pen module and / or read the measurement data of the optical power meter module according to the commands, and then upload the measurement data through the IoT communication module.

2. The remote fiber optic testing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The IoT communication module is any one of a 4G communication module, a 5G communication module, an NB-IoT communication module, a LoRa communication module, or a Wi-Fi communication module.

3. The remote fiber optic testing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The optical beam splitter is either an optical fiber type or a free-space type.

4. The remote fiber optic testing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main control module is also configured to perform preset automated test tasks, which include first controlling the optical power meter module to measure optical power, and then controlling the red light pen module to turn on or off based on the measurement results.

5. The remote fiber optic testing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a power management module and a battery, wherein the power management module is electrically connected to the battery, the main control module, the optical power meter module, the red light pen module and the Internet of Things communication module respectively.

6. The remote fiber optic testing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The test port is an SC interface, LC interface, or FC interface.

7. The remote fiber optic testing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The red light emitted by the red light pen module has a wavelength range of 650nm-660nm.

8. The remote fiber optic testing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The measurement range of the optical power meter module is -70dBm to +10dBm.

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