IP Library Granted Patent US 11,942,986
Granted Patent B2
US 11,942,986 · App. 17/736,273 · Granted Mar 26, 2024

Optical time-domain reflectometer (OTDR) including channel checker

Inventor: Vincent Lecoeuche (Tarentaise, FR)
Assignee: VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.
H04B10/071H04B10/2537H04B10/503G01M11/3109H04B10/07
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,942,986
App. No.
17/736,273
Filed
May 4, 2022
Granted
Mar 26, 2024
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2634
USPC
398/21
Abstract

According to examples, a channel checker optical time-domain reflectometer (OTDR) may include a laser source to emit a laser beam. An optical switch may be optically connected to the laser source to receive the laser beam and to selectively transmit the laser beam to a circulator that is optically connected to a device under test (DUT). A first coupler may be optically connected to a first photodiode and to the circulator. A second coupler may be optically connected to the first coupler, the optical switch, and a second photodiode.

Claims (21)

1. A channel checker optical time-domain reflectometer (OTDR) comprising:

a laser source to emit a laser beam;

an optical switch that is optically connected to the laser source to receive the laser beam and to selectively transmit the laser beam to a circulator that is optically connected to a device under test (DUT);

a first coupler that is optically connected to a first photodiode and to the circulator; and

a second coupler that is directly optically connected to the first coupler, the optical switch, and a second photodiode.

2. The channel checker OTDR of claim 1 , wherein the laser source includes a continuous-wave (CW) tunable laser source.

3. The channel checker OTDR of claim 1 , wherein the DUT is an optical fiber.

4. The channel checker OTDR of claim 1 , wherein the first coupler includes a 99/1 coupler.

5. The channel checker OTDR of claim 1 , wherein the second coupler includes a 50/50 coupler.

6. The channel checker OTDR of claim 1 , wherein the first photodiode includes an avalanche photodiode.

7. A channel checker optical time-domain reflectometer (OTDR) comprising:

a laser source to emit a laser beam;

a modulator to modulate the laser beam;

an optical switch that is optically connected to the laser source to receive the modulated laser beam and to selectively transmit the modulated laser beam to a circulator that is optically connected to a device under test (DUT);

a first coupler that is optically connected to a photodiode and to the circulator to receive reflected light from the DUT; and

a second coupler that is directly optically connected to the optical switch, the first coupler, and a further photodiode.

8. The channel checker OTDR of claim 7 , wherein the laser source includes a continuous-wave (CW) tunable laser source.

9. The channel checker OTDR of claim 7 , wherein the DUT is an optical fiber.

10. The channel checker OTDR of claim 7 , wherein the first coupler includes a 99/1 coupler.

11. The channel checker OTDR of claim 7 , wherein the second coupler includes a 50/50 coupler.

12. The channel checker OTDR of claim 7 , wherein the photodiode includes an avalanche photodiode.

Assignments (4)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL/FRAME 73189/0873 Recorded May 28, 2026
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: INERTIAL LABS, INC.; VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.; VIAVI SOLUTIONS LICENSING LLC
Reel/Frame 075642/0381 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 14, 2025
From: VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.; VIAVI SOLUTIONS LICENSING LLC; INERTIAL LABS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 073571/0137 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 21, 2025
From: INERTIAL LABS, INC.; VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.; VIAVI SOLUTIONS LICENSING LLC
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 073189/0873 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 4, 2022
From: LECOEUCHE, VINCENT
To: VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.
Reel/Frame 059810/0046 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 21306326 · Sep 24, 2021 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230100473A1 · Mar 30, 2023