An optical sensor (100) comprises: a holding sleeve (11); a fixed ferrule (12) fixedly mounted in said holding sleeve (11); a movable ferrule (13) movably mounted in said holding sleeve (11), a predetermined distance existing between a first movable end of said movable ferrule (13) and a first fixed end of said fixed ferrule (12) in said holding sleeve (11); a reflection part (14) arranged at a second movable end of said movable ferrule (13) opposite to said first movable end, for reflecting light entering the movable ferrule (13); and an actuation part (15), said actuation part (15) being constructed to drive said movable ferrule (13) to move so that said first movable end moves towards said first fixed end. An optical sensor assembly and a monitoring device comprising the optical sensor (100), or another sensor (1012) can remotely detect a mechanical movement in a passive mode. A first reflector (14, 1016) is configured to provide a first reflected optical signal. The sensor (100, 1012) is connected to the first reflector and has a first position and a second position, the second position configured to attenuate the first reflected optical signal more than the first position. The sensor is configured to move between the first and second positions in response to a monitored parameter (1018).

There is provided a system and a test instrument for identifying or verifying the fiber arrangement and/or the cable type of multi-fiber array cables (such as MPO cables) which employs a light source and a polarity detector at the near end of the multi-fiber array cable under test, and a loopback device at the far end. The polarity detector comprises light presence detectors used to detect which one of the optical fibers of the multi-fiber array cable returns light looped back at the far end and thereby determine the fiber arrangement and/or the cable type of the multi-fiber array cable.

A compact optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR) containing a small-scale OTDR, power source, and wireless communications electronics encompassed within the confines of a spool containing a time delay fiber optic waveguide coiled about the face of the spool. Data obtained by the OTDR is transmitted by wire or wirelessly to a computer or portable wireless device for graphical plotting of said data and evaluation by the user. The integration of the time delay waveguide eliminates the need for a separate time delay waveguide and provides a more compact testing solution. The Compact OTDR with Integrated Time Delay is used to test the integrity of an optical fiber waveguide.

Systems and methods for characterizing an optical fiber performed in part by an optical node (12) in an optical line system (10) include performing one or more measurements to characterize the optical fiber (16, 18) with one or more components (50, 52) at the optical node (12), wherein the one or more components (50, 52) perform functions during operation of the optical node (12) and are reconfigured to perform the one or measurements independent of the functions; and configuring the optical node (12) for communication over the optical fiber (16, 18) 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.

An optical fiber testing device (300) being plugged into a port at which optical signals including communication and test signals within different wavelength bands being received, comprises an optical connector (304) including a plug body surrounding a ferrule holding an optical fiber (301) and a reflector component (326) carried with the optical connector (304). The reflector component (326) is optically coupled to the rear of the optical fiber and reflects the test signal. A method for testing an optical fiber, comprises removably securing a reusable ruggedized optical fiber testing device to a ruggedized port of an optical fiber terminal to optically couple to an optical fiber under test, transmitting a test signal over the optical fiber under test, and using the reflector component to return the test signal over the optical fiber under test when receiving the test signal.

Methods and devices for coupling light bidirectionally into optical fiber are described. The disclosed devices can be manufactured inexpensively in one-piece and integrated in high speed optical transceivers with small form-factor. The described methods and devices enable OTDR functionality in such transceivers and are compatible with sensor components mounted on a wiring or circuit board.

According to one example embodiment, a light-transmission-path-spectrum measurement device includes: a wavelength varying OTDR measurement unit that varies and generates a wavelength of measurement light to be transmitted to a first light transmission path, and also measures return light acquired from the measurement light being returned, by a repeater connected to the first light transmission path, via a second light transmission path connected to the repeater; an optical signal multiplexing unit that selects the wavelength of the measurement light being generated by the wavelength varying OTDR measurement unit, and outputs the selected wavelength to the first light transmission path; a control unit that controls the wavelength of the measurement light being generated by the wavelength varying OTDR measurement unit and the wavelength of the measurement light being selected by the optical signal multiplexing unit; and a measurement data processing unit.

An optical test instrument, in combination with a removable connector cartridge is provided. A method of replacing a damaged or worn optic fiber interface is also provided. The optical test instrument has casing having a cartridge receiving cavity therein with an inner end provided with a test instrument optical port; and an outer end provided with a cartridge receiving opening. The connector cartridge is sized and configured to be inserted in the cartridge receiving cavity. The connector cartridge has a cartridge inner end for facing the test instrument optical port when in use, and a cartridge outer end for receiving an optic fiber from a device under test (DUT). The connector cartridge houses a fiber optic cable extending between the cartridge inner end and the cartridge outer end. The connector cartridge is removably connectable to the instrument casing to allow replacement of the connector cartridge when the cartridge outer end is worn or damaged.

There are provided methods and systems for testing the continuity of optical fiber links under test and/or a fiber arrangement, polarity or mapping of optical fiber connections within optical devices under test using the backscattering pattern as a signature. The device under test may comprises a single fiber, a duplex link, a multifiber cable or another multi-port device such as a backplane device.

An object of the present invention is to provide an optical pulse test apparatus and an optical pulse test method that are capable of determining a change in state of an optical fiber connection portion without the need for reference and without being affected by changes in gap interval before and after the change in state. The optical pulse test apparatus according to the present invention is configured to perform an OTDR measurement by using test optical pulses having spectral widths of from several nm to several hundred nm arranged at intervals of several ten nm to several hundred nm, calculate a reflection peak value caused by the Fresnel reflection at the connection portion from the obtained OTDR waveform, and determine a state such as water immersion of the optical fiber connection portion based on the value.