Fault location in optical networks

1. An optical transmitting and receiving apparatus, comprising:

a fiber core, which acts as an optical pathway, having an end surface used by both an optical emitter and a photodetector;

the optical emitter positioned to emit a light wave through the optical pathway, wherein at least a portion of the optical emitter extends a radial distance from a center point; and

the photodetector provided around at least a portion of the optical emitter and positioned to receive a reflected light wave, which includes at least a portion of the light wave emitted, directed toward the photodetector through the optical pathway, outside the radial distance of the portion of the optical emitter.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the photodetector includes a number of photodetector elements arranged around the optical emitter.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the photodetector elements are arranged in a plane perpendicular to an optical pathway.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the photodetector elements are spaced with respect to each other.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the photodetector elements surround the emitter.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the photodetector surrounds the emitter.

7. An optical transmitting and receiving system, comprising:

a fiber core, which acts as an optical pathway, having an end surface used by both an optical emitter and a means for detecting;

the optical emitter extending a radial distance from a center point and positioned to emit a light wave through the optical pathway; and

the means for detecting a light wave provided around at least a portion of the optical emitter and positioned to receive a reflected light wave, which includes at least a portion of the light wave emitted, directed toward the means for detecting through the optical pathway, outside the radial distance of the optical emitter.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the means for detecting a light wave includes a photodetector having multiple discrete elements.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the means for detecting a light wave is a photodetector.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the system further includes a logic component that can compute the distance of a reflection point based upon the elapsed time between the emitting of a light wave and the reception of a reflected light wave.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the system further includes a logic component that can suggest a type of reflection point.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the system further includes a logic component that can suggest a type of reflection point based upon the intensity of a reflected light wave.

13. An optical transmitting and receiving system, comprising:

a fiber core, which acts as an optical pathway, having an end surface used by both an optical emitter and a detector;

the optical emitter extending a radial distance from a center point and positioned to emit a light wave through the optical pathway;

the detector to detect a light wave provided around at least a portion of the optical emitter and positioned to receive a reflected light wave directed toward the photodetector through the optical pathway, outside the radial distance of the optical emitter; and

a logic component that can compute the distance of a reflection point based upon the elapsed time between the emitting of a light wave by the optical emitter and the reception of a reflected light wave.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the optical emitter is a laser.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the optical emitter is a vertical cavity surface emitting laser.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the optical emitter and detector are manufactured as a single component.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the emitter of the single component is a vertical cavity surface emitting laser that can act as a detector to detect the reflected light wave.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the radial distance of the optical emitter is less than a radial distance of an optical pathway.

19. The system of claim 13 , wherein the detector has an outer radial distance from the center point of the emitter and wherein the outer radial distance is greater than a radial distance of an optical pathway.

20. The system of claim 13 , wherein the optical emitter and the detector are arranged in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to an optical pathway.

21. The system of claim 13 , wherein the optical emitter and detector are combined into an integrated component.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the emitter of the integrated component is a vertical cavity surface emitting laser.

23. The system of claim 13 , wherein the radial distance of the optical emitter is less than a radial extent of an optical field returning from an optical pathway.

24. The system of claim 13 , wherein the detector has an outer radial distance from the center point of the emitter and wherein the outer radial distance is greater than a radial extent of an optical field returning from an optical pathway.

25. The system of claim 13 , wherein the optical emitter and the detector are arranged in multiple planes that are substantially perpendicular to an optical pathway.

26. The system of claim 13 , wherein the optical system includes a portable housing that includes at least one of the optical emitter, detector, and logic component.

27. The system of claim 13 , wherein the optical emitter, detector, and logic component are provided in an optical network to provide testing functionality during operation of the network.

28. The system of claim 13 , wherein the system includes a transmitter for communicating test information to a remote device.

29. An optical transmitting and receiving system, comprising:

an optical fiber having an optical pathway and having an end surface used by both an optical emitter and an optical detector;

the optical emitter extending a radial distance from a center point and positioned at a distance from the end surface to emit a light wave through the optical pathway; and

the optical detector provided around at least a portion of the optical emitter and positioned outside the radial distance of the optical emitter to receive a reflected light wave, which includes at least a portion of the light wave emitted, directed toward the photodetector through the optical pathway.

30. The system of claim 29 , wherein the optical emitter is a VCSEL.

31. The system of claim 29 , wherein the optical detector is a p-i-n diode.

32. The system of claim 29 , wherein the optical emitter and detector are formed along a single plane.

33. The system of claim 29 , wherein the optical emitter and detector are formed as a multi-level component.