IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,646,789
Granted Patent B2
US 11,646,789 · App. 17/580,430 · Granted May 9, 2023

Optical time-domain reflectometer (OTDR)-based high reflective event measurement

Inventor: Benjamin Cuenot (Saint-Priest-en-Jarez, FR)
Assignee: VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.
H04B10/071H04B10/674
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,646,789
App. No.
17/580,430
Filed
Jan 20, 2022
Granted
May 9, 2023
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2636
USPC
398/21
Abstract

In some examples, an optical time-domain reflectometer (OTDR)-based high reflective event measurement system may include an OTDR, and an N by M optical switch optically connected to the OTDR or disposed within the OTDR. The optical switch may include a variable attenuator mode and at least one optical fiber connected to at least one output port of the optical switch. At least one fiber optic reflector may be disposed at an end of the at least one optical fiber. A variable optical attenuator may reduce, for the at least one optical fiber including the at least one fiber optic reflector, an amplitude of reflective peaks.

Claims (34)

1. An optical time-domain reflectometer (OTDR)-based high reflective event measurement system comprising:

an OTDR;

an N by M optical switch optically connected to the OTDR or disposed within the OTDR, wherein the optical switch includes a variable optical attenuator to place the optical switch in a variable attenuator mode and at least one optical fiber connected to at least one output port of the optical switch; and

at least one fiber optic reflector disposed at an end of the at least one optical fiber;

wherein the variable optical attenuator reduces, for the at least one optical fiber including the at least one fiber optic reflector, an amplitude of reflective peaks.

2. The OTDR-based high reflective event measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the optical switch is based on micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology, or wherein the optical switch is based on electro-mechanical technology.

3. The OTDR-based high reflective event measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein for the N by M optical switch, N is one.

4. The OTDR-based high reflective event measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein for the N by M optical switch, M is one.

5. The OTDR-based high reflective event measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein for the N by M optical switch, N and M are greater than one.

6. The OTDR-based high reflective event measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein a network under test by the OTDR-based high reflective event measurement system includes a passive optical network (PON).

7. The OTDR-based high reflective event measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein a network under test by the OTDR-based high reflective event measurement system includes a point to point fiber optic network.

8. The OTDR-based high reflective event measurement system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a tap photodiode to monitor optical power at output ports of the optical switch.

9. The OTDR-based high reflective event measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the optical switch includes mirrors and the variable attenuator mode is implemented by misaligning the mirrors at the at least one output port.

10. A method for optical time-domain reflectometer (OTDR)-based high reflective event measurement, the method comprising:

optically connecting an N by M optical switch to an OTDR, wherein the optical switch includes a variable optical attenuator to place the optical switch in a variable attenuator mode and at least one optical fiber connected to at least one output port of the optical switch;

optically connecting at least one fiber optic reflector at an end of the at least one optical fiber; and

reducing, by the variable optical attenuator, for the at least one optical fiber including the at least one fiber optic reflector, an amplitude of reflective peaks.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the optical switch is based on micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology.

12. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the optical switch is based on electro-mechanical technology.

13. The method according to claim 10 , wherein for the N by M optical switch, N is one.

14. The method according to claim 10 , wherein for the N by M optical switch, M is one.

15. The method according to claim 10 , wherein for the N by M optical switch, N and M are greater than one.

16. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:

testing, by the OTDR, a network under test that includes a passive optical network (PON).

17. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:

testing, by the OTDR, a network under test that includes a point to point fiber optic network.

18. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:

monitoring, by a tap photodiode, optical power at output ports of the optical switch.

19. An optical time-domain reflectometer (OTDR)-based high reflective event measurement system comprising:

an OTDR including an N by M optical switch, wherein the optical switch includes a variable optical attenuator to place the optical switch in a variable attenuator mode and at least one optical fiber connected to at least one output port of the optical switch; and

at least one fiber optic reflector disposed at an end of the at least one optical fiber;

wherein the variable optical attenuator reduces, for the at least one optical fiber including the at least one fiber optic reflector, an amplitude of reflective peaks.

20. The OTDR-based high reflective event measurement system according to claim 19 , wherein for the N by M optical switch, N is at least one, and M is at least one.

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 Jan 21, 2022
From: CUENOT, BENJAMIN
To: VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.
Reel/Frame 058722/0294 →
Continuity (1)
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