A method of distinguishing whether a detected change in reflected power in an optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR) measurement carried out in a fiber optic transmission system (16) using an OTDR is caused by a an event causing actual attenuation or a change in a mode field diameter, comprising the steps of emitting a succession of first sampling light pulses of a first wavelength into the fiber optic transmission system (16) while a pumping signal with a second wavelength is emitted into the fiber optic transmission system (16), and measuring a first OTDR trace (34) resulting from the reflection of the first sampling light pulses in the fiber optic transmission system (16), such that the first sampling light pulses and their reflections interact with the pumping signal via stimulated Raman scattering. The method further comprises a step (36) of determining, based at least on information extracted from the first OTDR trace (34), whether the detected change is mainly due to an event causing actual attenuation or to a change in the mode field diameter in the fiber optic transmission system (16).

An optical fiber measurement system includes an optical time-domain reflectometer, a wavelength division multiplexer, and a signal generator. The signal generator sends a signal light ray to the wavelength division multiplexer. The optical time-domain reflectometer sends two measurement light rays whose wavelengths are respectively longer than and shorter than a wavelength of the signal light ray to the wavelength division multiplexer. The wavelength division multiplexer combines the two measurement light rays and the signal light ray, sends a combined light ray to an optical fiber, and sends a light ray returned by the optical fiber to the optical time-domain reflectometer, so that the optical time-domain reflectometer determines performance of the optical fiber based on the returned light ray.

A signal detecting device includes a multiplier that multiplies a measurement signal by a reference signal, a filter that filters a multiplication result from the multiplier, a first storage that stores an internal state of the filter; and a second storage that stores a filtering result from the filter. The filter filters the multiplication result using the internal state stored in the first storage. The first storage switches an area in or from which the filter writes or reads the internal state in accordance with an index signal representing a type of amplitude of a time-divisional signal in the measurement signal. The second storage switches an area in which the filtering result is stored in accordance with the index signal.

Systems and methods for characterizing an optical fiber performed in part by an optical node in an optical line system include performing one or more measurements to characterize the optical fiber with one or more components at the optical node, wherein the one or more components perform functions during operation of the optical node and are reconfigured to perform the one or measurements independent of the functions; and configuring the optical node for communication over the optical fiber based on the one or more measurements. The one or more components can include any of an Optical Service Channel (OSC), an Optical Time Domain Reflectometer (OTDR), and an optical amplifier. The configuring can include setting a launch power into the optical fiber based on the one or more measurements.

A method of optical sensing is disclosed. The method comprises coupling an excitation optical signal into a first optical fiber to induce Rayleigh backscattering, thereby providing a backscattered signal; coupling the backscattered signal into a second optical fiber, spatially separated from the first optical fiber; and optically amplifying the backscattered signal in the second optical fiber, thereby generating a sensing signal.

An optical module includes an optical amplifier configured to amplify Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) channels transmitted on a fiber; and an optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR) configured to transmit an OTDR signal on the fiber and detect a back-scattered signal based thereon to test the fiber, wherein a wavelength of the OTDR signal is one of i) between one or more wavelengths associated with the optical amplifier and one or more wavelengths associated with the WDM channels and ii) greater than the one or more wavelengths associated with the WDM channels, for in-service operation of the OTDR.

An integrated fiber interferometry interrogator for generating superimposed waves is disclosed. The system is optimized for efficiency and vibration attenuation. The system comprises an optical light source for generating a first signal, a first signal splitter which splits the first signal into a reference signal and an interrogation signal, optical modulators for modulating the signals, a fiber coupler connected to a fiber under test, an isolator, a circulator with a plurality of connections for directing the signals, a signal mixer for mixing the signals into superimposed waves, and photo diodes for receiving the superimposed waves.

A method and system for operating fiber optic monitoring systems utilizing solar panels, batteries, and an interrogator system with associated electronics for operating in cold climates.

An optical fiber characteristics measuring apparatus includes: a light source that outputs frequency-modulated continuous wave of light; a first optical branching unit that branches the continuous light into pump light and reference light; a second optical branching unit that outputs backscattered light generated by making the pump light incident from one end of an optical fiber to be measured, wherein the backscatterd light is Brillouin scattering in the optical fiber; a detector that detects interference light of the backscattered light and the reference light; a measuring unit that measures characteristics of the optical fiber by using a detection signal output from the detector; and a controller that controls the light source to change modulation frequency of the continuous light in units of one period or half a period of a modulation period corresponding to the modulation frequency.

A device for calibrating distributing sensing technologies is presented. The device includes an optical fiber, a first input arranged for receiving at least one optical pulse and injecting this at least one optical pulse towards the optical fiber, an output arranged for receiving a backscattered signal generated in the optical fiber.

The optical fiber includes at least one event, each event being a part of the optical fiber and having at least one modified physical state or property that is different from the physical state or property of the rest of the optical fiber.

The device includes structure creating different optical paths for the at least one optical pulse, the different optical paths having different lengths, each optical path passing through the at least one event.

The invention also relates to a process implemented in the device.