Circulator Cable for Pluggable Optical Time Domain Reflectometer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional OTDRs are not easily configurable as pluggable, small form factor components due to their integrated design, which limits flexibility and functionality in fiber-optic communication systems.
Innovation Solution
A circulator cable is designed to couple an OTDR to an optical fiber span, featuring a bandpass optical filter and a directional optical coupling device, such as an optical circulator with Faraday rotators, to direct optical probe signals and reflections, and can be fitted into a ruggedized cable with angled physical connectors for connection to the OTDR.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If OTDR is designed as fully integrated assembly, then component stability and reliability are improved, but flexibility and pluggability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the OTDR system into separate functional modules: a pluggable OTDR unit and a circulator cable assembly with passive optical components. This segmentation allows the OTDR to be easily inserted and removed from different test configurations while maintaining stable, reliable operation through dedicated connection interfaces and fixed passive components in the circulator cable.
2Adaptability or versatility
If OTDR is designed as pluggable component, then flexibility and adaptability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The circulator cable assembly acts as an intermediary component between the pluggable OTDR and the optical fiber span under test. It contains passive optical components (optical circulator, bandpass filter, wavelength division multiplexer) that simplify the overall system configuration by providing fixed signal routing and filtering functions, reducing the complexity burden on the pluggable OTDR unit itself.
3Ease of manufacture
If passive optical components are integrated with OTDR, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but functional flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention separates passive optical components (optical circulator, bandpass filter, wavelength division multiplexer) from the OTDR unit, placing them in a dedicated circulator cable assembly. This allows the OTDR to be manufactured as a simple pluggable module while the passive components are manufactured separately in optimized configurations, enhancing overall functional flexibility without significantly complicating manufacturing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration allows the OTDR to be used as a pluggable component, enhancing flexibility and functionality by separating passive optical components from active ones, enabling effective OTDR trace generation and anomaly detection in optical fiber spans.
Implementation Method 1
a directional optical coupling device coupled to the bandpass optical filter and an optical output port of the OTDR and configured to direct propagation of an optical probe signal generated by the OTDR from the optical output port toward the optical fiber span under test and direct reflections attributed to the optical probe signal from the optical fiber span under test into the bandpass pass optical filter
Data Source
AI summary
A circulator cable configured to couple an optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR) to an optical fiber span under test is provided. The circulator cable includes a bandpass optical filter configured to be coupled to an optical input port of the OTDR; and a directional optical coupling device coupled to the bandpass optical filter and an optical output port of the OTDR and configured to direct propagation of an optical probe signal generated by the OTDR from the optical output port toward the optical fiber span under test and direct reflections attributed to the optical probe signal from the optical fiber span under test into the bandpass pass optical filter.