Fiber Length Measurement System Using Optical Transceivers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current fiber-optic communication systems lack efficient methods for accurately measuring fiber length and detecting anomalies, such as cable breaks, within fiber-optic networks, which can disrupt signal transmission and affect network performance.
Innovation Solution
A fiber length measurement system (FLMS) utilizing multiple optical transceivers and a control module that determines round-trip time and half-round-trip time to calculate fiber length, and synchronizes local clocks to identify anomalies by recording time differences and calculating their positions based on speed of light and round-trip length.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If fiber length measurement is performed using traditional methods, then the measurement process becomes complex and time-consuming, but measurement precision is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical/optical measurement methods with an electrical timing-based measurement system. By using electrical signals to measure round-trip time and calculating fiber length based on the speed of light, the system achieves high precision without complex optical alignment equipment or mechanical measurement devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the measurement parameter from direct physical measurement to time-based measurement. By measuring the round-trip time of electrical signals and using the known speed of light in fiber, the system calculates fiber length through parameter transformation, simplifying the measurement process while improving precision.
2Measurement precision
If fiber length measurement is performed using traditional methods, then the measurement process becomes time-consuming, but measurement accuracy is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables continuous monitoring of fiber optic cables by continuously transmitting test signals and detecting anomalies in real-time. This continuous measurement approach eliminates the need for periodic manual measurements, reducing total measurement time while maintaining high detection accuracy through constant surveillance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-diagnosis by automatically detecting anomalies such as cable breaks or bends through continuous signal monitoring. The measurement system serves itself by continuously checking its own operational status without requiring external intervention, thereby reducing measurement time and improving detection accuracy.
3Productivity
If round-trip time measurement is used to calculate fiber length, then measurement speed increases, but synchronization between transceivers becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the control module receives timing information from both transceivers, compares their local clock times, and adjusts for time differences. This feedback loop ensures accurate synchronization by continuously monitoring and correcting clock drift, enabling high-speed measurement while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary clock synchronization before conducting fiber length measurements. By pre-synchronizing the clocks of distributed transceivers and establishing a reference time, the system prepares the measurement environment in advance, enabling high-speed continuous measurements without synchronization issues during the actual measurement process.
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
Enables accurate measurement of fiber length and detection of anomalies like cable breaks, improving network performance by providing precise metrics for characterizing physical fiber parameters and identifying transmission issues.
Implementation Method 1
determine a distance between the first and the second optical transceivers by multiplying the speed of light by the half-round-trip time
Implementation Method 2
Fiber-optic communication systems transmit information from one place to another by encoding data on light that is sent through an optical fiber
Data Source
AI summary
A system for measuring a length of one or more spans between a first optical transceiver and a second optical transceiver in a fiber-optic network, which can determine, at a processor associated with the first optical transceiver, a round-trip time of an optical signal communicated from the first optical transceiver to the second optical transceiver and back to the first optical transceiver. The system can also determine, at the processor, a half-round-trip time by dividing the round-trip time by two. The system can also determine, at the processor, a distance between the first and the second optical transceivers by multiplying the speed of light by the half-round-trip time.