Method and apparatus for scanning a fiber optic network

Claim 1

A method for rapidly scanning a fiber optic network for faults comprising: (a) emitting a predetermined number of optical pulses into an optical fiber under test, said predetermined number being minimally sufficient to allow detection of a fault in the fiber under test; (b) detecting reflected light for each of said optical pulses, and converting the reflected light into an electrical signal for each of said optical pulses; (c) sampling said electrical signal for each of said optical pulses to generate sets of sample data points associated with said respective optical pulses; (d) averaging corresponding points of said sets of sample data points to obtain a merged set of average sample data points; (e) compressing said merged set of average sample data points to obtain a current set of trace data points, said compressing including dividing said merged set of average sample data points into a plurality of groups of adjacent sample data points, and averaging the adjacent sample data points in each of said groups to obtain a single trace data point for each of said groups; and (f) comparing said current set of trace data points with a reference set of trace data points to determine whether or not a fault exists in the fiber under test.

Claim 2

A method for rapidly scanning a fiber optic network for faults comprising: (a) emitting a predetermined number of optical pulses into an optical fiber under test, said predetermined number being minimally sufficient to allow detection of a fault in the fiber under test; (b) detecting reflected light for each of said optical pulses, and converting the reflected light into an electrical signal for each of said optical pulses; (c) sampling said electrical signal for each of said optical pulses to generate sets of sample data points associated with said respective optical pulses; (d) averaging corresponding points of said sets of sample data points to obtain a merged set of average sample data points; (e) compressing said merged set of average sample data points to obtain a current set of trace data points, said compressing including dividing said merged set of average sample data points into a plurality of groups of adjacent sample data points, and averaging the adjacent sample data points in each of said groups to obtain a single trace data point for each of said groups; and (f) comparing said current set of trace data points with a reference set of trace data points to determine whether or not a fault exists in the fiber under test.

Claim 6

A method for rapidly scanning a fiber optic network for faults, comprising: (a) emitting a predetermined number of optical pulses into an optical fiber under test, said predetermined number being minimally sufficient to allow detection of a fault in the fiber under test; (b) detecting reflected light for each of said optical pulses, and converting the reflected light into an electrical signal for each of said optical pulses; (c) sampling said electrical signal for each of said optical pulses to generate sets of sample data points associated with said respective optical pulses; (d) averaging corresponding points of said sets of sample data points to obtain a merged set of average sample data points; (e) compressing said merged set of average sample data points to obtain a current set of trace data points; (f) comparing said current set of trace data points with a reference set of trace data points to determine whether or not a fault exists in the fiber under test; and (g) determining the length of the fiber under test, said determining including emitting light from a light source into the fiber under test via one end thereof for a sufficient amount of time to fill the fiber under test with the light, and measuring the time for the light to be discharged from the one end of the fiber under test after the light source is turned off.

Claim 7

A method for rapidly scanning a fiber optic network for faults, comprising: (a) emitting a predetermined number of optical pulses into an optical fiber under test, said predetermined number being minimally sufficient to allow detection of a fault in the fiber under test; (b) detecting reflected light for each of said optical pulses, and converting the reflected light into an electrical signal for each of said optical pulses; (c) sampling said electrical signal for each of said optical pulses to generate sets of sample data points associated with said respective optical pulses; (d) averaging corresponding points of said sets of sample data points to obtain a merged set of average sample data points; (e) compressing said merged set of average sample data points to obtain a current set of trace data points; (f) comparing said current set of trace data points with a reference set of trace data points to determine whether or not a fault exists in the fiber under test; and (g) determining the length of the fiber under test, said determining including emitting light from a light source into the fiber under test via one end thereof for a sufficient amount of time to fill the fiber under test with the light, and measuring the time for the light to be discharged from the one end of the fiber under test after the light source is turned off.

Claim 9

A method for rapidly scanning a fiber optic network for faults, comprising: (a) emitting a predetermined number of optical pulses into an optical fiber under test, said predetermined number being minimally sufficient to allow detection of a fault in the fiber under test; (b) detecting reflected light for each of said optical pulses, and converting the reflected light into an electrical signal for each of said optical pulses; (c) sampling said electrical signal for each of said optical pulses to generate sets of sample data points associated with said respective optical pulses; (d) averaging corresponding points of said sets of sample data points to obtain a merged set of average sample data points; (e) compressing said merged set of average sample data points to obtain a reference set of trace data points, said compressing including dividing said merged set of average sample data points into a plurality of groups of adjacent sample data points, and averaging the adjacent sample data points in each of said groups to obtain a single trace data point for each of said groups; (f) repeating steps (a) through (e) to obtain a current set of trace data points; and (g) comparing said current set of trace data points with said reference set of trace data points to determine whether or not a fault exists in the fiber under test.

Claim 10

A method for rapidly scanning a fiber optic network for faults, comprising: (a) emitting a predetermined number of optical pulses into an optical fiber under test, said predetermined number being minimally sufficient to allow detection of a fault in the fiber under test; (b) detecting reflected light for each of said optical pulses, and converting the reflected light into an electrical signal for each of said optical pulses; (c) sampling said electrical signal for each of said optical pulses to generate sets of sample data points associated with said respective optical pulses; (d) averaging corresponding points of said sets of sample data points to obtain a merged set of average sample data points; (e) compressing said merged set of average sample data points to obtain a reference set of trace data points, said compressing including dividing said merged set of average sample data points into a plurality of groups of adjacent sample data points, and averaging the adjacent sample data points in each of said groups to obtain a single trace data point for each of said groups; (f) repeating steps (a) through (e) to obtain a current set of trace data points; and (g) comparing said current set of trace data points with said reference set of trace data points to determine whether or not a fault exists in the fiber under test.

Claim 12

A method for rapidly scanning a fiber optic network for faults, comprising: (a) emitting a predetermined number of optical pulses into an optical fiber under test, said predetermined number being minimally sufficient to allow detection of a fault in the fiber under test; (b) detecting reflected light for each of said optical pulses, and converting the reflected light into an electrical signal for each of said optical pulses; (c) sampling said electrical signal for each of said optical pulses to generate sets of sample data points associated with said respective optical pulses; (d) averaging corresponding points of said sets of sample data points to obtain a merged set of average sample data points; (e) compressing said merged set of average sample data points to obtain a reference set of trace data points; (f) repeating steps (a) through (e) to obtain a current set of trace data points; (g) comparing said current set of trace data points with said reference set of trace data points to determine whether or not a fault exists in the fiber under test; and (h) determining the length of the fiber under test, said determining including emitting light from a light source into the fiber under test via one end thereof for a sufficient amount of time to fill the fiber under test with the light, and measuring the time for the light to be discharged from the one end of the fiber under test after the light source is turned off.

Claim 13

A method for rapidly scanning a fiber optic network for faults, comprising: (a) emitting a predetermined number of optical pulses into an optical fiber under test, said predetermined number being minimally sufficient to allow detection of a fault in the fiber under test; (b) detecting reflected light for each of said optical pulses, and converting the reflected light into an electrical signal for each of said optical pulses; (c) sampling said electrical signal for each of said optical pulses to generate sets of sample data points associated with said respective optical pulses; (d) averaging corresponding points of said sets of sample data points to obtain a merged set of average sample data points; (e) compressing said merged set of average sample data points to obtain a reference set of trace data points; (f) repeating steps (a) through (e) to obtain a current set of trace data points; (g) comparing said current set of trace data points with said reference set of trace data points to determine whether or not a fault exists in the fiber under test; and (h) determining the length of the fiber under test, said determining including emitting light from a light source into the fiber under test via one end thereof for a sufficient amount of time to fill the fiber under test with the light, and measuring the time for the light to be discharged from the one end of the fiber under test after the light source is turned off.

Claim 14

An apparatus for rapidly scanning a fiber optic network, comprising: a light source for emitting a predetermined number of optical pulses into an optical fiber under test, said predetermined number being minimally sufficient to allow detection of a fault in the fiber under test; a detector for detecting reflected light for each of said optical pulses and converting the reflected light into an electrical signal for each of said optical pulses; a sampling circuit, coupled to said detector, for sampling said electrical signal for each of said optical pulses to generate sets of sample data points associated with said respective optical pulses; a memory for storing a reference set of trace data points; and a signal processor for averaging corresponding points of said sets of sample data points to obtain a merged set of average sample data points, compressing said merged set of average sample data points to obtain a current set of trace data points, said compressing including dividing said merged set of average sample data points into a plurality of groups of adjacent sample data points, and averaging the adjacent sample data points in each of said groups to obtain a single trace data point for each of said groups, and comparing said current set of trace data points with said reference set of trace data points to determine whether or not a fault exists in the fiber under test.

Claim 15

An apparatus for rapidly scanning a fiber optic network, comprising: a light source for emitting a predetermined number of optical pulses into an optical fiber under test, said predetermined number being minimally sufficient to allow detection of a fault in the fiber under test; a detector for detecting reflected light for each of said optical pulses and converting the reflected light into an electrical signal for each of said optical pulses; a sampling circuit, coupled to said detector, for sampling said electrical signal for each of said optical pulses to generate sets of sample data points associated with said respective optical pulses; a memory for storing a reference set of trace data points; and a signal processor for averaging corresponding points of said sets of sample data points to obtain a merged set of average sample data points, compressing said merged set of average sample data points to obtain a current set of trace data points, said compressing including dividing said merged set of average sample data points into a plurality of groups of adjacent sample data points, and averaging the adjacent sample data points in each of said groups to obtain a single trace data point for each of said groups, and comparing said current set of trace data points with said reference set of trace data points to determine whether or not a fault exists in the fiber under test.

Claim 19

An apparatus for rapidly scanning a fiber optic network, comprising: a light source for emitting a predetermined number of optical pulses into an optical fiber under test, said predetermined number being minimally sufficient to allow detection of a fault in the fiber under test, said emitting a predetermined number of optical pulses including emitting light into the fiber under test via one end thereof for a sufficient amount of time to fill the fiber under test with the light; a detector for detecting reflected light for each of said optical pulses and converting the reflected light into an electrical signal for each of said optical pulses; a sampling circuit, coupled to said detector, for sampling said electrical signal for each of said optical pulses to generate sets of sample data points associated with said respective optical pulses; a memory for storing a reference set of trace data points; and a signal processor for averaging corresponding points of said sets of sample data points to obtain a merged set of average sample data points, compressing said merged set of average sample data points to obtain a current set of trace data points, comparing said current set of trace data points with said reference set of trace data points to determine whether or not a fault exists in the fiber under test, and determining the length of the fiber under test, said determining including measuring the time for the light to be discharged from the one end of the fiber under test after the light source is turned off.

Claim 20

An apparatus for rapidly scanning a fiber optic network, comprising: a light source for emitting a predetermined number of optical pulses into an optical fiber under test, said predetermined number being minimally sufficient to allow detection of a fault in the fiber under test, said emitting a predetermined number of optical pulses including emitting light into the fiber under test via one end thereof for a sufficient amount of time to fill the fiber under test with the light; a detector for detecting reflected light for each of said optical pulses and converting the reflected light into an electrical signal for each of said optical pulses; a sampling circuit, coupled to said detector, for sampling said electrical signal for each of said optical pulses to generate sets of sample data points associated with said respective optical pulses; a memory for storing a reference set of trace data points; and a signal processor for averaging corresponding points of said sets of sample data points to obtain a merged set of average sample data points, compressing said merged set of average sample data points to obtain a current set of trace data points, comparing said current set of trace data points with said reference set of trace data points to determine whether or not a fault exists in the fiber under test, and determining the length of the fiber under test, said determining including measuring the time for the light to be discharged from the one end of the fiber under test after the light source is turned off.