Fault locating system for optical telecommunications

• Main Authors: BEAUDETTE, RICHARD A, BASCH, E EVERT
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 15.01.1980
• Subjects: ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; TRANSMISSION

A fault locating system for optical telecommunications includes a central office and means associated therewith for generating a tone signal. Analog to digital conversion means convert the tone signal to a digital signal. Cable driving means, receiving the digital signal, provide a driving output to an optical cable. The optical cable output is coupled to an input of a repeater which reforms the received digital signal before retransmission thereof. The repeater is coupled to an input of a filter which passes signals at a frequency f1. The output of the first repeater is coupled to an input of a second optical cable. The output of the second optical cable is coupled to an input of a second repeater which reforms the received digital signal before retransmission thereof. The second repeater is coupled to an input of a second filter which passes signals at a frequency f2. The output of the (n-1)st repeater is coupled to the input of an nth optical cable. The output of the nth optical cable is coupled to an input of an nth repeater which reforms the received digital signal before retransmission thereof. The nth repeater is coupled to an input of an nth filter which passes signals at a frequency fn ( n is an integer greater than 1). A pair of wires couples the outputs of all the filters to the central office. The analog to digital conversion means can include a delta modulator which can include a comparator having a first input adapted to receive a tone signal. It can further include a quantizer having a first input coupled to the comparator output, a second input adapted to receive clock pulses, a first output for providing a digital output therefrom and a second output coupled to an input of an audio filter whose output is coupled to the comparator second input.