SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING OPTICAL DISTRIBUTION NETWORK CONNECTIVITY

1 . A method of determining optical distribution network connectivity, comprising:

monitoring at least one parameter of a transceiver;

introducing a bend into a particular fiber; and

determining whether said at least one parameter exhibits a corresponding attenuation when the bend is introduced.

2 . The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said at least one parameter includes received signal power.

3 . The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said bend has a known characteristic.

4 . The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said known characteristic is selected from the group consisting of:

an angle,

a radius,

a shape, and

an attenuation factor.

5 . The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said introducing is carried out proximate an upstream end of said fiber.

6 . The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising repeating said monitoring, introducing and determining for other fibers in said optical distribution network.

7 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the step of introducing a bend into a particular fiber is performed using a fiber bending device.

8 . The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the bend being introduced by the fiber bending device has a known characteristic selected from the group consisting of an angle, a radius, a shape and an attenuation factor.

9 . The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said fiber bending device is a live fiber indicator.

10 . The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein said live fiber indicator is operable to impart a predetermined level of attenuation in said particular fiber, said predetermined level being substantially independent of both type of said particular fiber and a signal wavelength.

11 . A system for determining optical distribution network connectivity, comprising:

a transceiver configured to monitor at least one parameter; and

a fiber bending device configured to introduce a bend into a particular fiber, said parameter exhibiting a corresponding attenuation when the bend is introduced and indicating a connectivity of said particular fiber.

12 . The system as recited in claim 11 wherein said at least one parameter includes received signal power.

13 . The system as recited in claim 11 wherein said bend has a known characteristic.

14 . The system as recited in claim 11 wherein said known characteristic is selected from the group consisting of:

an angle,

a radius,

a shape, and

an attenuation factor.

15 . The system as recited in claim 11 wherein said bend is introduced proximate an upstream end of said fiber.

16 . The system as recited in claim 11 wherein said fiber bending device is a live fiber indicator.

17 . The system as recited in claim 16 , wherein said bend imparts a predetermined level of attenuation in said particular fiber, said predetermined level being substantially independent of both type of said particular fiber and a signal wavelength.

18 . A method for determining optical distribution network connectivity, comprising:

monitoring at least one parameter of a transceiver;

introducing a bend into a particular fiber with a live fiber indicator;

determining whether said particular fiber is live; and

further determining whether said at least one parameter exhibits a corresponding attenuation when the bend is introduced.

19 . The method as recited in claim 18 wherein said at least one parameter includes received signal power.

20 . The method as recited in claim 18 wherein said bend has a known characteristic.

21 . The method as recited in claim 18 wherein said known characteristic is selected from the group consisting of:

an angle,

a radius,

a shape, and

an attenuation factor.

22 . The method as recited in claim 18 wherein said introducing is carried out proximate an upstream end of said fiber.

23 . The method as recited in claim 18 further comprising repeating said monitoring, introducing and determining for other fibers in said optical distribution network.

24 . The method as recited in claim 18 further comprising associating connectivity data regarding said particular fiber with other customer data.

25 . A method of determining optical distribution network connectivity, comprising:

introducing a bend into a particular fiber to be investigated for connectivity;

monitoring at least one transceiver parameter to detect attenuation resulting from said bend;

finding customers experiencing attenuation resulting from said bend; and

assembling said customers into a list.

26 . The method as recited in claim 25 wherein said bend is a controlled bend resulting in a predictable attenuation.

27 . The method as recited in claim 25 further comprising entering said list into an inventory management system.

28 . The method as recited in claim 25 further comprising connecting at least one of said customers to another fiber distribution hub or splitter.

29 . The method as recited in claim 25 further comprising employing said list to carry out at least one of:

filling an inventory,

updating an inventory, and

confirming an inventory.

30 . A method of determining optical distribution network connectivity, comprising:

employing a live fiber indicator to introduce a bend into a particular fiber to be investigated for connectivity;

using said live fiber indicator to determine if traffic is present on said particular fiber;

if no traffic is present on said particular fiber, determining that no customers are connected to said particular fiber;

if traffic is present on said particular fiber, monitoring at least one transceiver parameter to detect any attenuation resulting from said bend;

finding customers experiencing attenuation resulting from said bend; and

assembling said customers into a list.

31 . The method as recited in claim 30 wherein said bend is a controlled bend resulting in a predictable attenuation.

32 . The method as recited in claim 30 further comprising entering said list into an inventory management system.

33 . The method as recited in claim 30 further comprising connecting at least one of said customers to another fiber distribution hub or splitter.

34 . The method as recited in claim 30 further comprising employing said list to carry out at least one of:

filling an inventory,

updating an inventory, and

confirming an inventory.

35 . A method of determining optical distribution network connectivity, comprising:

employing an application executing on a computer, said application causing said computer to provide a user interface;

connecting a live fiber indicator to said computer;

causing said live fiber indicator to introduce a bend into a particular fiber to be investigated for connectivity;

detecting, with said computer, at least one attenuation resulting from said bend; and

deriving said connectivity of said particular fiber from said at least one attenuation.

36 . The method as recited in claim 30 wherein said bend is a controlled bend resulting in a predictable attenuation.

37 . The method as recited in claim 35 wherein said computer directly carries out said causing.

38 . The method as recited in claim 35 wherein said computer provides a prompt to carry out said causing manually.

39 . The method as recited in claim 35 wherein said application includes an expert system capable of distinguishing attenuations caused by said bend from other attenuations.

40 . The method as recited in claim 35 further comprising associating said connectivity with other customer data.