Submarine Cable Detection via Dual Loopback Signal Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current submarine optical cable detection methods using OTDR technology face challenges in accurately locating failures in long-span systems, as they cannot distinguish between cable breaks and repeater failures, and fail to detect the status of optical functional modules like equalizers or splitters, leading to inaccurate performance detection and failure localization.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the splitting of detection signals into two parts, with one part directly coupled and looped back in an input-to-output manner and the other part looped back through an optical functional unit, allowing for the detection of the status of submarine optical cable lines and differentiation of failure modes beyond the line of sight in long spans by analyzing the power of the loopback signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If OTDR backscattered loopback signal method is used for line detecting, then the submarine cable system can locate failure points, but it cannot distinguish between cable breaks and repeater failures in long-span systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the detection signal into two separate paths: one that directly loops back from the output end and another that passes through the optical functional unit. By comparing these two segmented paths, the system can distinguish whether a failure is in the cable or the repeater, resolving the information loss about failure mode while maintaining location accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary detection mechanism using two separate loopback paths. The direct loopback path serves as a reference that bypasses the optical functional unit, while the second path passes through it. This intermediary comparison enables differentiation of failure modes without compromising the precision of failure location detection.
2Device complexity
If single loopback path is used for detection, then the detection system is simple, but it cannot detect the status of optical functional modules like equalizers or splitters
Solution Approach 1:
The detection system is segmented into two independent loopback paths: a first path that directly couples the output end back without passing through optical functional modules, and a second path that passes through the optical functional modules. This segmentation allows the system to detect module status while maintaining relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The dual-loopback detection system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it can detect cable failures, repeater failures, and the status of optical functional modules like equalizers and splitters. This multi-functionality is achieved without significantly increasing system complexity, as both paths use similar coupling structures.
3Measurement precision
If detection signal passes through optical functional unit for loopback, then the status of optical cable can be detected, but the gain or loss of optical functional units cannot be measured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the detection into two independent paths: the first path provides cable status detection information, while the second path that passes through the optical functional unit provides performance measurement information. By comparing the signals from both paths, the system can simultaneously determine both cable status and functional unit gain/loss characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from both loopback paths to simultaneously determine cable status and optical functional unit performance. The comparison between the direct loopback signal and the signal that passed through the functional unit provides feedback information about both the cable condition and the functional unit's gain or loss characteristics.
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 approach enables clear distinction of failure modes beyond the line of sight in long-span submarine optical cable systems, providing accurate status detection and failure localization, even in scenarios where previous methods failed to do so, by utilizing the peak power of loopback signals to determine gain or loss in optical functional units.
Implementation Method 1
A method involving the splitting of detection signals into two parts, with one part directly coupled and looped back in an input-to-output manner and the other part looped back through an optical functional unit, allowing for the detection of the status of submarine optical cable lines and differentiation of failure modes beyond the line of sight in long spans by analyzing the power of the loopback signals.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for detecting a submarine optical cable line includes: splitting a detection signal input to a first optical functional unit in an optical functional module of an optical cable line into a first detection signal and a second detection signal; directly coupling and looping back the first detection signal to an output end of a second optical functional unit in a direction opposite to the first optical functional unit to constitute a first loopback path, and outputting a first detection loopback signal; looping back the second detection signal passing through the first optical functional unit to the output end of the second optical functional unit to constitute a second loopback path, and outputting a second detection loopback signal; and detecting a status of the submarine optical cable line according to power of the first detection loopback signal and power of the second detection loopback signal.