JPH09145538A - Optical line maintenance system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) 【Abstract】 PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To miniaturize a device of an optical line maintenance system and improve reliability of various measurements of the optical line. A test control unit 1 side is provided with a light source 3 and measuring instruments such as an OTDR 4 and an optical power meter 2. The first fiber switching / selecting device E ₁ and the test control unit 1 are connected by one first master optical fiber 12, and the second fiber switching / selecting device E ₂ and the test control unit are connected by one second optical fiber. Connect the master optical fiber 14. An optical fiber coupler 17 is optically coupled to each optical line of the optical cable, and the receiving side optical fiber 10 communicating with the input side optical fiber of each optical fiber coupler outputs the optical fiber coupler 17 to the _first fiber switching selecting device E _1. The receiving side optical fiber 10 communicating with the side optical fiber is arranged in the _second fiber switching and selecting device E ₂ . The connection switching of the master optical fibers in the first and second fiber switching selection devices E ₁ and E ₂ is performed by a V-groove type optical switch.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical line maintenance system for monitoring an optical line used for optical communication and performing maintenance when an abnormality occurs.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An optical line maintenance system has been introduced for maintaining and managing an optical line (optical fiber) of an optical cable laid on a subscriber side from an optical communication side. FIG. 3 shows a conventional general optical line maintenance system. This system comprises a test controller 1, a plurality of fiber switching / selecting devices A _{1 to} A _n, and a plurality of branch type optical fiber coupler modules 18. The test controller 1 includes a light source 3 such as a semiconductor laser or a light emitting diode that generates test light, an optical power meter 2 and a pulse tester (OTDR (Optical Time Domain Reflectometer)).
It has a plurality of measuring instruments including No. 4, a personal computer 5, an optical switch 6, and a power supply device. In FIG. 3, the optical power meter 2, the light source 3, and the OTDR 4 are drawn outside the test control unit 1, but this is for the sake of convenience of description, and in practice, these are cases of the test control unit 1. It is housed inside.

The personal computer 5 is signal-connected to a workstation (not shown) and is controlled by the workstation. The personal computer 5 has a built-in program for self-inspection of the maintenance system and various measurement programs that use measuring instruments such as OTDR4, and the measuring instrument to be used depends on the type of measurement using the light from the light source 3. Select and switch connection of the measuring instrument (optical power meter 2, light source 3 or O
And TDR4 side of the optical fiber, comprising a connection switching between optical fibers of the fiber selectively switched device A ₁ to A _n-side) to control. Further, the personal computer 5 outputs instructions, commands of fiber switching in each fiber switching selection device A ₁ to A _n.

Each of the fiber switching selection devices A _{1 to} A _n has an optical fiber switching switch mechanism. That is, a plurality of receiving side optical fibers 10 are arranged and arranged in each of the fiber switching selecting devices A _{1 to} A _n , a connector 11 is connected and attached to each receiving side optical fiber 10, and each connector 11 is
For example, the arrangement is fixed vertically and horizontally two-dimensionally. The connector 13 of the first master optical fiber 12 and the connector 15 of the second master optical fiber 14 are arrayed and fixed to a moving stage (not shown) on the side facing the array group of these connectors 11. According to a command given from the personal computer 5 of the test control unit 1, the movement stage is moved in the three-dimensional direction, and the connectors 13 and 15 and the receiving side optical fiber 10 are moved.
The switching connection with the connector 11 is made.

A plurality of the receiving side optical fibers 10 are collected and arranged in the connector 16, and in the example of FIG. No. 1 to No. 8 receiving optical fibers up to 8 10
Are integrated into one connector 16 and the No. 9 to No. 16
The receiving-side optical fibers 10 up to and including the receiving-side optical fibers 10 are integrated into one connector 16.
Are combined into one connector 16 and several hundreds of receiving optical fibers 10 are equipped in one fiber switching and selecting device, and several hundreds of receiving optical fibers 10 are included in another one fiber. As it is equipped with a switching selection device,
The receiving side optical fibers 10 are arranged with the connectors 16 attached to their connection ends.

[0006] A branch type optical fiber coupler is provided in the optical line of each core of an optical cable having an optical line (optical fiber) of several thousand cores.
17 is optically coupled. The optical fiber coupler 17 is incorporated in the optical fiber coupler module 18, and the input end of the optical fiber 20 on the input side of the optical fiber coupler module 18 is integrated into the coupler side input connector 21. Similarly, the output side of the optical fiber coupler 17 is arranged. The output ends of the optical fibers 22 are integrated in the coupler-side output connector 23. In the example of FIG. 1 to N
o. The eight output-side optical fibers 22 up to 8 are integrated into one coupler-side output connector 23, 9 to No. The eight input-side optical fibers 20 up to 16 are collected in one coupler-side input connector 21. No. 9 to No. The test lights supplied from the 16 input side optical fibers 20 are No. 1 to N
o. No. 8 by corresponding optical fiber coupler coupling. 1
To No. It is optically coupled to the corresponding optical lines up to 8, and No. 9 to No. The return light of the test light supplied from the input side optical fibers 20 up to 16 is No. No. 1 to No. 8 through the respective corresponding output optical fibers 22.

In FIG. 3, No. No. 1 to No. The optical line up to 8 is No. Optically couple with each optical fiber coupler of the optical fiber coupler module of No. 1. 9 to No. Up to 16 optical lines (not shown) are No. The optical fiber couplers of the two optical fiber coupler modules are optically coupled to each other, and the corresponding optical fiber couplers of one optical fiber coupler module 18 are provided for each of a plurality of (8 cores in the example of FIG. 3) optical lines. Optically coupled. The optical fiber coupler module 18 and the optical lines of the respective cores of the optical cable are connected by the coupling of the connectors 24a and 24b.

In this type of optical line maintenance system,
For example, the optical fiber 8b of the light source 3 is connector-connected to the first master optical fiber 12 by the optical switch 6, the optical fiber 8a of the optical power meter 2 is connector-connected to the second master optical fiber 14, and fiber switching is performed. _{On the} side of the selecting device A ₁ , the first master optical fiber 12 has the receiving optical fiber No. 9 is connected to the connector, and
The second master optical fiber 14 is N of the receiving optical fiber 10.
o. The test light from the light source 3 is connected to the line 1 by a connector, so that the test light from the light source 3 is transmitted through the optical fiber 8b
2, No. N of the optical cable through the input side optical fiber 20 of 9
o. No. 1 is the return light of the test light that is coupler-coupled with the optical line of No. 1.
1 output side optical fiber 22, second master optical fiber 1
4. It reaches the optical power meter 2 through the optical fiber 8a, the optical power of the return test light is measured by the optical power meter 2, and a self-inspection is carried out as to whether or not there is any abnormality in the optical line maintenance system. This self-test is done on a route through all fiber optic couplers.

After confirming that there is no abnormality on all routes, detection of a fault point (abnormal point) of the optical line using the OTDR 4 or the like and measurement of optical loss from one side of the OTDR are performed. When measuring with this OTDR4,
R4 and optical power meter 2 are switched, and OTDR4
By connecting the optical fiber 8c of No. 2 to the second master optical fiber 14, in the state of FIG. OT of optical line 1
DR4 measurement is performed. This No. After the measurement of the optical line No. 1 is completed, on the fiber switching selection device A ₁ side,
The second master optical fiber 14 is No. No. 2 which is optically coupled to the second optical line (not shown). No. 2 connected to the output side optical fiber of the second optical fiber coupler (not shown). No. 2 by connecting to the connector of the receiving optical fiber 10 (not shown). The measurement of the two optical lines is performed. in this way,
On the fiber switching selection device side, the first master optical fiber 12 and the second master optical fiber 14 respectively correspond to the input side optical fiber and the output side optical fiber of the optical fiber coupler optically coupled to the corresponding optical line. By switching and connecting to the connector of the receiving side optical fiber 10, various measurements of each optical line of the optical cable are sequentially performed.

[0010]

However, in the conventional optical line maintenance system, the fiber switching selection device A _{1 is used.}
On the _An side, the first master optical fiber 12 and the second master optical fiber 14 are switched and connected to the input side optical fiber 20 and the output side optical fiber 22 of each optical fiber coupler by connector connection. Multiple receiving optical fibers
10 connection connectors 16 must be arranged in an array, which results in a very large number of connection connectors 16 and a large volume occupied by one connection connector, resulting in an increase in size of the fiber switching selection device. There was a problem.

Further, each fiber switching / selecting device is always equipped with a first master optical fiber 12 and a second master optical fiber 14 on a moving stage (not shown),
Since the configuration is such that the input side optical fiber 20 and the output side optical fiber 22 on each side of the optical fiber coupler are switched and connected together via the receiving side optical fiber 10, the test for entering the optical fiber coupler from the input side optical fiber 20 side Light is output side optical fiber 22
Since it is always returned from the second master optical fiber 14 to the test control unit 1 side via the, the return light of the test light is detected when the fault point of each optical line is detected using the OTDR 4, for example. It always returns to the test control unit 1 side, and the light source 3
The return light is incident on the measuring instrument used and the light source 3
There is a problem in that the characteristics of and the measurement performance of the measuring device are adversely affected.

Further, because a plurality of fiber switching selection devices A _{1 to} A _n are connected to the test controller 1 in order to measure a large number of optical lines of several thousand fibers, each fiber switching selection is performed. the device always first master optical fiber 12 in order to two master optical fiber of the second master optical fiber 14 is connected, a test control unit 1 between each fiber switching selection device a ₁ to a _n There is a problem in that the number of optical fibers connected by wiring is increased and the optical fibers are disordered.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to reduce the size of a fiber switching / selecting device, and to return the test light to the return light in the measurement other than the self-inspection of the system. It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical line maintenance system that prevents the light from entering the test control unit and reduces the number of optical fiber wiring connections between each fiber switching selection device and the test control unit by half.

[0014]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention takes the following means. That is, the present invention comprises a light source for generating a test light, and a plurality of measuring instruments including at least an optical power meter and a pulse tester, depending on the type of measurement of an optical line using the light of the light source. A test control unit that selects and switches the measuring instrument to be used, a plurality of branch-type optical fiber couplers that perform optical coupling with the test light for each core of the multicore optical line, and an input side optical fiber of each optical fiber coupler. A receiving side optical fiber communicating with the fiber is housed and fixed in a V groove having a predetermined pitch interval, and one first fiber connected to the test control unit is provided on the side facing the optical fiber array group.
And a first fiber switching and selecting device for moving the first master optical fiber to connect to the input side optical fiber of the commanded optical fiber coupler via the receiving side optical fiber, The receiving side optical fiber communicating with the output side optical fiber of the optical fiber coupler is housed and fixed in the V groove having a predetermined pitch interval, and is connected to the test control section on the side facing the optical fiber arrangement group. One second master optical fiber is provided, and the second master optical fiber is moved to connect the output side optical fiber of the optical fiber coupler instructed via the receiving side optical fiber to the second fiber switching. A selecting device, and switching the connection of the first master optical fiber and the second master optical fiber.
The configuration is such that the connection switching of the master optical fiber is independently performed by a separate fiber switching selection device, which is a means for solving the problem.

In the present invention having the above-mentioned structure, on the side of the first fiber switching / selecting device, the first master light is accommodated in the V groove in which the receiving side optical fiber leading to the input side optical fiber of the optical fiber coupler is accommodated and fixed. By inserting the fiber, the connection between the first master optical fiber and the input side optical fiber is achieved via the receiving side optical fiber, and similarly, the output of the optical fiber coupler is output on the side of the second fiber switching / selecting device side. By moving and inserting the second master optical fiber into the V groove in which the receiving side optical fiber communicating with the side optical fiber is housed and fixed, the connection between the second master optical fiber and the output side optical fiber is performed. Achieved via fiber.

As described above, the first master optical fiber is connected to the input side optical fiber of the optical fiber coupler that optically couples to the same optical line on the side of the first fiber switching and selecting device, and the second fiber switching and selecting device. By connecting the second master optical fiber to the output optical fiber of the same optical fiber coupler on the same side, the test light supplied from the first master optical fiber to the optical fiber coupler is output from the output optical fiber to the second master. By returning to the test control unit side via the optical fiber and measuring the optical power, the optical line maintenance system itself is inspected for any abnormality.

This self-inspection is performed on a route that passes through all optical fiber couplers. If there is no abnormality in the system on all routes, a measuring device such as OTDR is used to detect and measure a fault point on the optical line. At the time of these measurements, the second fiber switching / selecting device side releases the connection between the output side optical fiber of the optical fiber coupler optically coupled to the optical line to be measured and the second master optical fiber. By doing so, the return light of the test light of the optical fiber coupler is blocked from returning to the test control unit side, and it is possible to prevent the test control unit side light source and measuring instrument from being affected by this test light return light. To do.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description of the embodiments, the same components as those of the conventional example are designated by the same reference numerals, and the duplicate description thereof will be omitted. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an optical line maintenance system according to the present invention. This embodiment example is different from the conventional example in that the fiber switching selection device is a device for exclusively switching and connecting the input side optical fiber of the optical fiber coupler and the output side optical fiber of the optical fiber coupler. The optical switch of the fiber switching selection device is changed from the connector attachment / detachment switching system to the fiber switching system using the V groove, and the other configuration. Is almost the same as the conventional example.

In this embodiment, a first fiber switching selection dedicated to input side optical fiber switching is formed by arranging the receiving side optical fibers 10 connected to the input side optical fibers 20 of each optical fiber coupler 17 by connectors. The device E ₁ and the second fiber switching selection device E ₂ dedicated to the output side optical fiber switching, which is formed by arranging the receiving side optical fibers 10 connected to the output side optical fiber 22 of the optical fiber coupler 17, are A plurality of pairs, that is, even-numbered fiber switching selection devices E ₁ and E ₂ are installed corresponding to the number of cores of the optical line of the optical cable, and each first fiber switching selection device E ₁ and the test control unit 1 are installed. one of the first master optical fiber 12 is connected, one second master optical fiber 14 wires in each second fiber switching selection device E ₂ and between the test control unit 1 between the It is. Then, the switching connection between the master side optical fiber and the receiving side optical fiber 10 of the first and second fiber switching selection devices E ₁ and E ₂ is performed by a connection switching method using a V groove.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a fiber switching connection system utilizing the V groove between the master optical fiber and the receiving side optical fiber 10. The master optical fiber of FIG. 2 is the first master optical fiber 12 in the first fiber switching and selecting device E ₁ and the second master optical fiber 14 in the second fiber switching and selecting device E ₂ . Further, the receiving side optical fiber 10 is an optical fiber connected to the input-side optical fiber 20 of the first plurality of the fiber selectively switched device E ₁ side of the optical fiber coupler module 18 'of the optical fiber coupler 17, the second Similarly, on the side of the fiber switching selecting device E ₂ is an optical fiber connected to the output side optical fiber 22 of each optical fiber coupler 17 of the plurality of optical fiber coupler modules 18 ′. The receiving optical fibers 10 are V-grooves 26 arranged on the upper surface of the substrate 25 at a predetermined pitch (equal pitch in the example of FIG. 2).
The optical fiber array group is housed and fixed inside, and the master optical fiber is provided on the side facing the optical fiber array group.

This master optical fiber has a moving stage.
It is fixedly mounted on 27, and the tip side of the master optical fiber is extended forward from the moving stage 27. Moving stage
27 is a fiber switching selectable three-dimensional movement in the X direction (horizontal direction), Y direction (vertical direction), and Z direction (forward / backward direction along the optical axis direction of the master optical fiber) by a drive mechanism (not shown). It is controlled by a control mechanism (not shown) of the devices E ₁ and E ₂ .

Further, the moving stage 27 is provided with a fiber retainer 28 for pushing and holding the tip side of the master optical fiber into the V groove 26. This fiber retainer 28 has a rotating shaft.
The counterclockwise direction of the fiber pressing direction with 30 as the fulcrum, and the forward and reverse rotation of the clockwise direction of the fiber pressing release direction is freely possible, and the forward and reverse rotation is performed by an actuator (not shown), The operation of this actuator is also controlled by the control mechanism of the fiber switching selectors E ₁ and E ₂ .

In the fiber switching mechanism of this embodiment, when the core number of the receiving side optical fiber 10 to which the master optical fiber is connected is commanded from the test control section 1 side, the driving mechanism feeds the moving stage 27. The movement is controlled, and the master optical fiber is fed and moved on the same V groove as the receiving optical fiber 10 having the commanded core number. In this state, the fiber retainer 28 is rotated in the fiber retainer direction to accommodate and hold the tip end side of the master optical fiber in the V groove 26.
The receiving side optical fiber 10 of the connection partner and the master optical fiber are aligned, and the commanded connection between the receiving side optical fiber and the master optical fiber is achieved.

Thus, each time the core number of the receiving side optical fiber of the connection partner is commanded, the master optical fiber is moved and moved, and the connection switching between the master optical fiber and the receiving side optical fiber 10 is sequentially performed. It is done, like the conventional example,
The self-inspection of the optical line maintenance system and the measurement such as the detection of a fault point of each optical line using a measuring device such as OTDR4 after the self-inspection are performed.

In this embodiment, the first fiber switch selector E ₁ and the second fiber switch selector E are used.
_Since the fiber switching mechanism of ₂ has a configuration using the V groove 26, compared to the conventional switching method using the connector,
We were able to achieve a significant downsizing of the device. In this embodiment, because it uses a switching mechanism using a V-groove in the same manner as the optical switch 6 of the test control unit 1 side 'also fiber switching selection device E _1, E _2, apparatus compact test control unit 1 It was also possible to achieve downsizing of the entire system.

Further, since the switching connection of the input side optical fiber of the optical fiber coupler 17 and the switching connection of the output side optical fiber of the optical fiber coupler 17 are configured to be performed by separate fiber switching selecting devices, The optical fiber wired between the fiber switching / selecting device E ₁ and the test controller 1 is only one first master optical fiber 12,
Further, the optical fiber to be wired between the second fiber switching / selecting device E ₂ and the test controller 1 need only be one second master optical fiber 14, and as shown in FIG. Compared with the system in which the first and second master optical fibers 12 and 14 are wired for each fiber switching selection device A _{1 to} A _n , the fiber switching selection device and the test control unit 1
The number of master optical fibers wired between can be halved,
Test control unit 1 and each fiber switching selection device E ₁ , E ₂
It is possible to prevent cluttering of the optical fiber wiring between them, and it is possible to carry out wiring in a neat form, and handling of the optical fiber wiring processing becomes very easy.

Further, as described above, the optical fiber coupler 17
Since the connection switching of the input side optical fiber and the connection switching of the output side optical fiber are independently performed by the separate fiber switching selection devices E ₁ and E ₂ , for example, the OTDR 4 is used for each of the optical cables. In the case of measuring the optical line, the second fiber switching selection device E
_{On the second} side, the optical fiber coupler 17 is released by disconnecting the connection between the output side optical fiber 22 of the optical fiber coupler 17 and the second master optical fiber 14.
It is possible to prevent the return light of the test light from 17 from entering the test control unit 1 side, whereby the light of the test light return, the light source 3 on the test control unit 1 side, the optical power meter 2, etc. It has become possible to completely prevent the conventional problem that the measuring instruments are adversely affected, and it is possible to significantly improve the reliability of the inspection measurement on the test control section 1 side.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but various embodiments can be adopted.

[0029]

According to the present invention, the connection switching between the first master optical fiber and the input side optical fiber of the optical fiber coupler is performed by the first fiber switching selection device, and the second master optical fiber and the optical fiber coupler are switched. The switching connection with the output-side optical fiber is performed by the second fiber switching-selecting device, so that the switching connection of the input-side optical fiber of the optical fiber coupler and the connection switching of the output-side optical fiber are performed by separate fiber switching-selecting devices. Since the optical fibers are configured to be performed independently, the optical fibers wired on the first and second fiber switching / selecting device sides and the test control unit side are the first master optical fiber or the second master optical fiber. Only one fiber is required, and as in the conventional example, two master optical fibers, a first and a second master optical fiber, are provided on each fiber switching / selecting device side and test control section side. Compared to wiring, the number of optical fiber wiring is halved, it is possible to prevent cluttering of the optical fiber wiring between the fiber switching selection device and the test control side, and it is possible to wire in a neat form and The handling of the wiring process is also facilitated.

Since the first master optical fiber and the second master optical fiber can be independently switched and controlled by separate fiber switching and selecting devices, the first master optical fiber is connected to the input side optical fiber of the optical fiber coupler. Then, by connecting the second master optical fiber to the output side optical fiber of the optical fiber coupler, the test control unit side can perform self-inspection of the system itself, and the test control unit side measures OTDR and the like. When performing measurement such as detection of a fault point on the optical line using a measuring device, the second fiber switching and selecting device side and the output side optical fiber of the optical fiber coupler coupled to the optical line to be measured are It is possible to prevent the return light of the test light from the optical fiber coupler from returning to the test control unit side by disconnecting the connection with the master optical fiber of 2. Thus, by the light of the return of the test light, the test control unit side of the light source and various measuring instruments is eliminated can be adversely affected, it is possible to greatly increase the reliability of the various measurements performed in the test control unit.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing a switch switching mechanism of a master optical fiber using a V groove adopted in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block configuration diagram of a conventional optical line maintenance system.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Test Control Unit 10 Receiving Side Optical Fiber 12 First Master Optical Fiber 14 Second Master Optical Fiber 17 Optical Fiber Coupler 26 V Groove E ₁ First Fiber Switch Selector E ₂ Second Fiber Switch Selector

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Naoki Nakao 3-19-3 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Inside Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Takashi Ebihara 3-19-3 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo No. within Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A light source for generating a test light and a plurality of measuring instruments including at least an optical power meter and a pulse tester, which are used according to the type of measurement of an optical line using the light of the light source. The test control unit that selects and switches the measuring instrument to be used, a plurality of branch-type optical fiber couplers that optically couple the test light to each core of the multi-core optical line, and the input side optical fiber of each optical fiber coupler. The receiving side optical fiber communicating with the optical fiber is accommodated and fixed in the V groove having a predetermined pitch interval, and one first master light connected to the test control unit is provided on the side facing the optical fiber array group. A fiber is provided for this first
Of the first fiber switching and selecting device for moving the master optical fiber of (1) to connect to the input side optical fiber of the commanded optical fiber coupler via the receiving side optical fiber, and the receiving side communicating to the output side optical fiber of each optical fiber coupler Side optical fibers are housed and fixed in V-grooves with a predetermined pitch interval and arranged, and one second master optical fiber connected to the test controller is provided on the side facing the optical fiber arrangement group. A second fiber switching and selecting device that moves the second master optical fiber and connects it to the output side optical fiber of the instructed optical fiber coupler via the receiving side optical fiber. An optical system characterized in that connection switching of the master optical fiber and connection switching of the second master optical fiber are independently performed by separate fiber switching selection devices. Road maintenance system.