The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 13, 2001
Filed:
Mar. 24, 1998
Jürgen Anhorn, Kornwestheim, DE;
Alcatel, Paris, FR;
Abstract
A network element (NE) of an optical communication system includes of a chassis into which different modules (D,-D,, S,-S,, X,-X,) and at least one auxiliary module (DS, SS) can be inserted, wherein the modules are optically connected via optical waveguides. Some of the modules (D,-D,, DS, S,-S,, SS) include at least one laser. There is also provided a method automatically testing these optical connections by sequentially switching the lasers of the modules (D,-D,, DS, S,-S,, SS) off and on, and by measuring on the subsequent modules with the help of detectors (DET) which are located in the modules (S,-S,, SS, X,-X,) and have optical inputs (PORT,, PORT,), whether a signal loss has occurred. A memory in the network element (NE) can also include a program module which can be implemented in a control device with a microprocessor, for executing the test method.