A polarization-related characteristic of an optical path is determined from a predetermined function of the mean-square of a plurality of differences between polarization-analyzed optical power parameters corresponding to pairs of wavelengths mutually spaced about a midpoint wavelength by a small optical frequency difference. At least some of the said differences correspond to wavelength pairs measured under conditions where at least one of midpoint wavelength, input state of polarization (I-SOP) or analyzed state of polarization (A-SOP) of a pair is different.

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.

A dispersion measurement apparatus includes a pulse forming unit, a correlation optical system, a photodetection unit, and an operation unit. The pulse forming unit forms a light pulse train including a plurality of light pulses having time differences and center wavelengths different from each other from a measurement target light pulse output from a pulsed laser light source. The correlation optical system receives the light pulse train output from the pulse forming unit and outputs correlation light including a cross-correlation or an autocorrelation of the light pulse train. The photodetection unit detects a temporal waveform of the correlation light output from the correlation optical system. The operation unit estimates a wavelength dispersion amount of the pulsed laser light source based on a feature value of the temporal waveform of the correlation light.

A dispersion measurement apparatus includes a pulse forming unit, a correlation optical system, a photodetection unit, and an operation unit. The pulse forming unit forms a light pulse train including a plurality of light pulses having time differences and center wavelengths different from each other from a measurement target light pulse output from a pulsed laser light source. The correlation optical system receives the light pulse train output from the pulse forming unit and outputs correlation light including a cross-correlation or an autocorrelation of the light pulse train. The photodetection unit detects a temporal waveform of the correlation light output from the correlation optical system. The operation unit estimates a wavelength dispersion amount of the pulsed laser light source based on a feature value of the temporal waveform of the correlation light.

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.

A dispersion measurement apparatus includes a pulse forming unit, a correlation optical system, a photodetection unit, and an operation unit. The pulse forming unit forms a light pulse train including a plurality of light pulses having time differences and center wavelengths different from each other from a measurement target light pulse output from a pulsed laser light source. The correlation optical system receives the light pulse train output from the pulse forming unit and outputs correlation light including a cross-correlation or an autocorrelation of the light pulse train. The photodetection unit detects a temporal waveform of the correlation light output from the correlation optical system. The operation unit estimates a wavelength dispersion amount of the pulsed laser light source based on a feature value of the temporal waveform of the correlation light.

The application provides a method for measuring a dispersion coefficient of an optical fiber. A network device sends a first optical supervisory channel (OSC) measurement signal and a second OSC measurement signal, where wavelengths of the first OSC measurement signal and the second OSC measurement signal are different. The network device receives the returned first OSC measurement signal and second OSC measurement signal, where the first OSC measurement signal and the second OSC measurement signal are transmitted through a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber to return to the network device, and the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber are a to-be-tested optical fiber. The network device determines a delay difference between the received first OSC measurement signal and second OSC measurement signal. The network device determines a dispersion coefficient of the to-be-tested optical fiber based on the delay difference.

The application provides a method for measuring a dispersion coefficient of an optical fiber. A network device sends a first optical supervisory channel (OSC) measurement signal and a second OSC measurement signal, where wavelengths of the first OSC measurement signal and the second OSC measurement signal are different. The network device receives the returned first OSC measurement signal and second OSC measurement signal, where the first OSC measurement signal and the second OSC measurement signal are transmitted through a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber to return to the network device, and the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber are a to-be-tested optical fiber. The network device determines a delay difference between the received first OSC measurement signal and second OSC measurement signal. The network device determines a dispersion coefficient of the to-be-tested optical fiber based on the delay difference.

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 for selecting wide-band multimode optical fibers from a single wavelength, the method comprising the following steps of, for each multimode optical fiber obtaining a first DMD plot using a measurement of DMD carried out at a first single wavelength, obtaining from the first DMD plot, a first multimode fiber specification parameter; and for each fiber: obtaining from the first DMD plot, a curve representative of a radial offset delay, called ROD curve, as a function of the radial offset value; applying a linear fit on the ROD curve for at least two radial offset value ranges; obtaining from the linear fit and for each radial offset value range, an average radial offset delay slope, called ROD slope; selecting the multimode optical fibers meeting a first predetermined specification criterion for the first multimode fiber performance parameter, and for which the at least two computed ROD slopes meet a predetermined slope criterion.