EP0411956A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Optical measurement system
Assignee: Balfour Beatty PLC
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Filing: 1990-08-03
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-08-03
Abstract
Abstract An optical measurement system enables rapid and repeatable measurement of insertion and return loss of each fibre in sequence of a multi-fibre connector 15 connected to an optical fibre ribbon 16 to be obtained swithout disturbing either the light source 17,18 or detector components 19,20 of the system. The system comprises a multi-channel optical switch 1 for connection to a light source 17,18; 1 x 2 bi-directional splitters 2 each of which is optically coupled between one of the channels of the switch and one fibre of a master multi-fibre connector 3, of which the geometry is known, for mating with a multi-fibre connector to be tested and, for connection to at least one detector for monitoring and recording the power reflected at the interface between a pair of optical fibres interconnected by the mating of the standard multi-fibre connector and the multi-fibre connector under test, a splitter 11 to which each of said bi-directional splitters is also optically coupled.
Inventors
- 👤 Philip Charles Longhurst
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 07:33
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01M; G01M11/00; G01M11/30; G01M11/31; G01M11/3109; G01M11/3154; G01M11/3136
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
165 words
An optical measurement system by means of which can be obtained rapid and repeatable measurements of insertion and return loss of each fibre in sequence of a multi-fibre connector which is connected to an optical fibre ribbon and which is suitable for mating with a multi-fibre connector of complementary form, which optical measurement system comprises a multi-channel optical switch suitable for connection to a source of light; a plurality of 1 x 2 bi-directional splitters each of which is directly optically coupled between one of the channels of the switch and one fibre of a master multi-fibre connector as hereinbefore defined for mating with a multi-fibre with a multi-fibre connector to be tested and, for connection to at least one detector for monitoring and recording the power reflected at the interface between a pair of optical fibres interconnected by the mating of the standard multi-fibre connector and the multi-fibre connector under test, a splitter to which each of said bi-directional splitters is also optically coupled.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
165 words
An optical measurement system by means of which can be obtained rapid and repeatable measurements of insertion and return loss of each fibre in sequence of a multi-fibre connector which is connected to an optical fibre ribbon and which is suitable for mating with a multi-fibre connector of complementary form, which optical measurement system comprises a multi-channel optical switch suitable for connection to a source of light; a plurality of 1 x 2 bi-directional splitters each of which is directly optically coupled between one of the channels of the switch and one fibre of a master multi-fibre connector as hereinbefore defined for mating with a multi-fibre with a multi-fibre connector to be tested and, for connection to at least one detector for monitoring and recording the power reflected at the interface between a pair of optical fibres interconnected by the mating of the standard multi-fibre connector and the multi-fibre connector under test, a splitter to which each of said bi-directional splitters is also optically coupled.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
An optical measurement system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the optical fibre ribbon connected to the multi-fibre connector under test is optically coupled to at least one detector for monitoring and recording the insertion loss between said pair of optical fibres.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
An optical measurement system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the optical fibre ribbon connected to the multi-fibre connector under test is terminated by means from which no light will be reflected.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
An optical measurement system as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said means from which no light will be reflected is an index matching liquid or semi-liquid contained in a cell.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
An optical measurement system as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the system is operated automatically under the control of a microprocessor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
75 words
An optical measurement system as claimed in Claim 2, wherein at least one detector for monitoring and recording the power reflected at the interface between a pair of optical fibres interconnected by the mating of the standard multi-fibre connector and the multi-fibre connector under test is connected to the splitter common to the bi-directional splitters and wherein each detector of the system includes means for automatic collation and analysis of the data received and recorded.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
An optical measurement system as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the multi-channel optical switch is suitable for connection to any one of at least two sources of light of wavelengths differing from one another.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
An optical measurement system as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the splitter to which all the bi-directional splitters are optically coupled is suitable for connection to at least two detectors, each appropriate to one of the sources of light.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
69 words
An optical measurement system by means of which can be obtained rapid and repeatable measurements of insertion and return loss of each fibre in sequence of a multi-fibre connector which is connected to an optical fibre ribbon and which is suitable for mating with a multi-fibre connector of complementary form, which optical measurement system is substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
69 words
An optical measurement system by means of which can be obtained rapid and repeatable measurements of insertion and return loss of each fibre in sequence of a multi-fibre connector which is connected to an optical fibre ribbon and which is suitable for mating with a multi-fibre connector of complementary form, which optical measurement system is substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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