Red Sky Subsea, Ltd.

Red Sky Systems, Inc.

Huawei Marine Networks Co., Ltd.

Michael J Neubelt

Jonathan A Nagel

Stephen G Evangelides, Jr

Jay P Morreale

A land-based cable station is provided for interfacing with first and second undersea transmission segments of an undersea optical transmission system. At least one first bypass optical transmission path is provided for selectively coupling reflectometry probe signals and backscattered and reflected signals located at a prescribed wavelength from a first interface device to a second interface device. At least one second bypass optical transmission path is provided for selectively coupling reflectometry probe signals and backscattered and reflected signals located at a prescribed wavelength from the second interface device to the first interface.

COTDR arrangement for an undersea optical transmission system comprising multiple cable stations and multiple transmission segments

A method is provided for using optical time-domain reflectometry (OTDR) with a bi-directional optical transmission system that includes a plurality of terminals interconnected by first and second unidirectional optical transmission paths having at least one repeater therein. The method begins by transmitting a probe signal from a first terminal through the repeater over the first optical transmission path. A returned OTDR signal is received over the first optical transmission path in which status information concerning the first optical transmission path is embodied. The returned OTDR signal is transformed to a digitized electrical signal and the digitized electrical signal is transformed to an optical data signal. Finally, the optical data signal is transmitted over the second optical transmission path to the first terminal for extracting the status information embodied therein.

OTDR arrangement for detecting faults in an optical transmission system on a span by span basis

An optical repeater is provided that includes at least four optical amplifiers each supplying optical amplification to an optical signal traveling in a different unidirectional optical fiber that collectively form at least two bi-directional pairs of optical fibers. The repeater also includes a first plurality of pump sources for providing pump energy to a first optical fiber located in a first of the optical fiber pairs and a second optical fiber located in a second of the optical fiber pairs. The first optical fiber and the second optical fiber support optical signals traveling in a common direction. A first combiner arrangement combines the pump energy from the first plurality of pump sources and distributes it to the optical amplifiers supplying amplification to optical signals traveling in the first and the second optical fibers. A second plurality of pump sources provides pump energy to a third optical fiber located in the first optical fiber pair and a fourth optical fiber located in the second optical fiber pair. The third optical fiber and the fourth optical fiber support optical signals traveling in a common direction that is opposite to that of the first and second optical fibers. A second combiner arrangement combines the pump energy from the second plurality of pump sources and distributes it to the optical amplifiers supplying amplification to optical signals traveling in the third and the fourth optical fibers.

Method and apparatus for sharing pump energy from a single pump arrangement to optical fibers located in different fiber pairs

A method and apparatus is provided for using optical time-domain reflectometry (OTDR) with a WDM transmission system that includes a plurality of terminals interconnected by at least two pairs of unidirectional optical transmission paths each of which has at least one repeater therein. The method begins by transmitting an optical probe signal from a first OTDR unit associated with a first terminal into the repeater over a first optical path in a first of the at least two pairs of unidirectional optical transmission paths. The first OTDR unit receives a first returned OTDR signal over a second optical path in the first optical path pair. The first OTDR signal contains status information concerning the first optical path in the first optical path pair. The optical probe signal from the first optical path in the first optical path pair is coupled to a second optical path in the second optical path pair. The first optical path in the first optical path pair supports optical signals traveling in a direction opposite to optical signals supported by the second optical path in the second optical path pair. A second returned OTDR signal is received over a first optical path in the second optical path pair in which status information concerning the second optical path in the second optical path pair is embodied. The second returned OTDR signal traverses a repeater located in the second optical path pair. The second returned OTDR signal is coupled from the first optical path in the second optical path pair to the second optical path in the first optical path pair so that the second OTDR signal is returned to the first OTDR unit. The first optical path in the second optical path pair supports optical signals traveling in a direction opposite to optical signals supported by the second optical path in the first optical path pair.

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Little Silver, NJ, United States of America

Michael J Neubelt