Automated Fiber Trail Audit in Optical Nodes
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing complexity of optical fiber connections in communications systems leads to high likelihood of human errors during installation and commissioning, resulting in service delays and increased costs due to undetected mistakes in fiber testing and evaluation.
Innovation Solution
An automated method for testing and evaluating fiber trails within a communications network node, using a management computer to discover safe trails for testing, ensuring continuity and loss checks without disrupting active wavelengths, and generating reports for fault correction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual fiber testing and evaluation methods are used, then human operators can perform installation and commissioning, but human errors occur frequently leading to service delays and increased costs
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automated self-testing of fiber connections using built-in test ports and integrated test equipment. The ROADM node performs self-diagnosis by injecting test signals through fiber trails and automatically evaluating connection status, eliminating reliance on manual human testing and reducing errors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical testing procedures with automated optical testing systems. Test equipment electronically injects optical signals and automatically measures fiber trail characteristics, substituting human-operated mechanical testing with automated optical measurement systems that provide consistent, error-free results.
2Measurement precision
If comprehensive fiber trail testing is performed, then connection accuracy improves, but testing complexity and time requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The testing system divides the complex fiber network into individual testable segments or trails. Each fiber trail is tested independently by isolating specific optical paths using ROADM switching capabilities, allowing comprehensive testing of each connection without overwhelming system complexity. This segmentation enables systematic evaluation of numerous fiber trails through modular testing procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of automated testing and evaluation of a node of a communications network, the method comprising: a management computer interacting with the node to discover fiber trails within the node that can be safely tested; and the management computer interacting with the node to test at least continuity of each identified fiber trail that can be safely tested.