Patents Assigned to Exfo Inc.
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Patent number: 11271641Abstract: There is therefore provided an OTDR method for characterizing an optical fiber link, wherein a receive device comprising a reflective optical signature and a receive fiber is connected at a remote end of the optical fiber link under test. The reflective optical signature is detected using an OTDR acquisition and link continuity is verified. Because detection of the reflective optical signature rely on high-intensity reflective peaks of the reflective optical signature and not on RBS level, dynamic range constraints are relaxed and so is the averaging time. Advantageously, the method may be employed to detect the reflective optical signature, verify link continuity, measure total link length, measure total insertion loss and/or determine a polarity of a multi-fiber array cable link.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2020Date of Patent: March 8, 2022Assignee: EXFO Inc.Inventor: Stephane Perron
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Patent number: 11181440Abstract: There is provided an OTDR method and device for characterizing an optical fiber link. At least a first OTDR acquisition is performed toward the optical fiber link. From the at least one first OTDR acquisition, one or more events are identified along the optical fiber link and a value of at least one characteristic associated with each event is estimated. A second OTDR acquisition is performed toward the optical fiber link in order to target a specific event among the identified events. Values of one or more OTDR acquisition parameters for the second OTDR acquisition are determined such that the OTDR acquisition parameters comprise a second pulse width different from the first pulse width used in the first OTDR acquisition.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2019Date of Patent: November 23, 2021Assignee: EXFO Inc.Inventor: Stephane Perron
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Patent number: 11134496Abstract: A device and method for providing a mapping of antenna data into antenna containers within a common public radio interface (CPRI) signal exchanged between a radio equipment controller (REC) and at least one radio equipment (RE) are described. The method comprises finding a location of activity within the multiple CPRI basic frames; extracting a candidate antenna signal from the multiple CPRI basic frames starting from the location using a set of mapping parameters used in a standard antenna signal; comparing a candidate frequency content of the candidate antenna signal to a standard frequency content of the standard antenna signal to derive a validity score; associating the set of mapping parameters of the standard antenna signal to the observed mapping if the validity score meets predetermined conditions; and causing a report of the observed mapping.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2019Date of Patent: September 28, 2021Assignee: EXFO INC.Inventors: Martin Levesque, Robert Matesevac, Eric Carignan
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Patent number: 11125648Abstract: There is provided a method, system and computer program for detecting duplicate OTDR measurements performed on a same fiber. It is determined whether OTDR traces are likely to have been acquired over the same optical fiber link by comparing the backscattering pattern associated with a given fiber span along the OTDR traces, which corresponds to a continuous optical fiber section.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2020Date of Patent: September 21, 2021Assignee: EXFO Inc.Inventor: Stephane Perron
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Patent number: 11121785Abstract: An interference detection method and system and for providing information about at least one interference in I/Q data obtained over-the-air or detected on a link between a radio equipment controller (REC) and at least one radio equipment (RE). The method includes noise filtering a set of the FFTs into an averaged FFT, filtering the averaged FFT with a high-pass filter to remove low frequency components, applying a power threshold on the high-pass filtered FFT to select at least one candidate peak having a power greater than the power threshold; outputting information about the at least one candidate peak, which is a potential interference. The interference detection method further includes multi-lane processing and power shift compensation.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2020Date of Patent: September 14, 2021Assignee: EXFO Inc.Inventor: Martin Levesque
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Publication number: 20210273722Abstract: There is herein provided a method for measuring the GOSNR that can be implemented using commercial-grade transceivers and which accounts for linear optical impairments (e.g. PMD, PDL and CD) and transceiver intrinsic impairments. The method may be implemented using an Optical Spectrum Analyzer (OSA) and either the system transceivers or other commercial-grade transceivers. The proposed measurement method is based on mixed optical and electronic technologies, using an OSA and a transceiver pair. By measuring a signal quality metric Qm and the OSNR under varied power and ASE noise conditions, a constant value RBW that relates the GOSNR to the signal quality metric Qm is derived. The GOSNR is then obtained from these results.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2021Publication date: September 2, 2021Applicant: EXFO Inc.Inventors: Gang HE, Daniel GARIEPY
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Patent number: 11067478Abstract: There is provided an optical loss testing system for multi-fiber array cables an optical loss test method and a reference method therefor which overcomes at least part of the multi-powermeter uncertainty. A prior calibration step serves to characterize the relative difference in optical power response of the multiple power meters. This relative difference can then be used to correct the optical loss measurement so as to eliminate its effect.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2020Date of Patent: July 20, 2021Assignee: EXFO Inc.Inventor: Gang He
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Publication number: 20210199536Abstract: There is provided a test method and system for characterizing an optical fiber link. At least one OTDR acquisition or at least one OLTS acquisition is performed on the optical fiber link. From the acquisition, a value of an excess insertion loss and/or an excess optical return loss associated with the optical fiber link under test is derived, i.e. in excess of a nominal value associated with a hypothetical optical fiber link having a length corresponding to the total length of the optical fiber link under test. A rating value (e.g., as a five-star rating) or a binary pass/fail value associated with the optical fiber link under test can then be derived and displayed.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 11, 2021Publication date: July 1, 2021Applicant: EXFO Inc.Inventors: Stephane PERRON, Eric THOMASSIN
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Patent number: 11035753Abstract: There is provided a test device and a test method that combine both tunable OTDR and WDM power meter functionalities into the same integrated optoelectronic test hardware, such that the tunable OTDR and the WDM power meter functions share optoelectronic components, thereby reducing the hardware cost and the overall form factor and weight of the test device. With the proposed configuration, both tunable OTDR and WDM power meter functionalities may be provided via a single test port to be connected to the optical fiber link under test. By connecting the fiber to a single test port, the number of manipulations to be performed by technicians is reduced and two tests can be performed in a single connection operation out of the same test port.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2020Date of Patent: June 15, 2021Assignee: EXFO Inc.Inventors: Jimmy Gagnon, Michel Leclerc, Stephane Perron
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Publication number: 20210176716Abstract: A method comprising obtaining, via a test system, data from one or more tests of a mobile network having at least one antenna, wherein the data includes a stream of RF samples captured over-the-air or from a Common Public Radio Interface (CPRI) or enhanced CPRI (eCPRI) link; processing the data to detect peaks; performing an analysis of any detected peaks to identify any issues on the mobile network, the analysis including determining a relative power of the detected peaks; and causing display of a user interface that includes a reporting of any the relative power. Determining a relative power includes obtaining a baseline of a subset of the data and comparing an absolute power of the peak to the baseline.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2020Publication date: June 10, 2021Applicant: EXFO Inc.Inventors: Marco DI PIETRO, Martin LEVESQUE
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Patent number: 11025524Abstract: A telecommunications network and service QoE assessment method and system comprising calculating a service score; calculating a network score; calculating a global score by combining the service score and the network score, the global score being for a quality of experience of a user on the network.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2019Date of Patent: June 1, 2021Assignee: EXFO Inc.Inventor: Sylvain Nadeau
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Patent number: 11022520Abstract: An optical test instrument, in combination with a removable connector cartridge is provided. A method of replacing a damaged or worn optic fiber interface is also provided. The optical test instrument has casing having a cartridge receiving cavity therein with an inner end provided with a test instrument optical port; and an outer end provided with a cartridge receiving opening. The connector cartridge is sized and configured to be inserted in the cartridge receiving cavity. The connector cartridge has a cartridge inner end for facing the test instrument optical port when in use, and a cartridge outer end for receiving an optic fiber from a device under test (DUT). The connector cartridge houses a fiber optic cable extending between the cartridge inner end and the cartridge outer end. The connector cartridge is removably connectable to the instrument casing to allow replacement of the connector cartridge when the cartridge outer end is worn or damaged.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2019Date of Patent: June 1, 2021Assignee: EXFO INC.Inventors: Michael Simard, Kristine Palanjyan, Stephane Perron
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Patent number: 11016772Abstract: A method and system for proxy scripting in a network functions virtualization environment is disclosed. The method comprises the step of sending scripting instructions from a server to a proxy virtual network function, the scripting instructions being indicative of a script to be executed on a target virtual network function. Then, in response to receiving the scripting instructions by the proxy virtual network function, opening a remote command execution session from the proxy virtual network function to the target virtual network function. Then, the method further includes sending the script from the proxy virtual network function to the target virtual network function, before executing the script on the target virtual network function.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2018Date of Patent: May 25, 2021Assignee: EXFO Inc.Inventors: Yves Gagnon, Andrei Radulescu-Banu
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Publication number: 20210135752Abstract: There is provided an OTDR receive device and an OTDR system comprising an OTDR receive device wherein the OTDR unit and the OTDR receive device are to be connected at opposite ends of an optical fiber link under test. The OTDR receive device comprises means for the OTDR system to detect an established connectivity between the OTDR unit and the OTDR receive device via the optical fiber link under test and a status indicator to notify a user of the receive device of the connectivity status and optionally an OTDR measurement status. Connectivity detection allows to check for continuity between the OTDR unit and the OTDR receive device before launching an OTDR measurement. A user of the OTDR unit does not need to communicate with the user of the OTDR receive device to know when to start the acquisition.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 3, 2020Publication date: May 6, 2021Applicant: EXFO Inc.Inventors: Mario L'HEUREUX, Stephane PERRON
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Patent number: 10951316Abstract: Fronthaul monitoring systems and methods include a performing protocol testing, via a protocol layer acquisition module, of a protocol layer signal for analysis thereof to identify issues; performing optical physical layer monitoring via an optical physical layer acquisition module to identify optical physical layer issues; and configuring an optical switch to switch an input port connected to the protocol layer acquisition module and the optical physical layer acquisition module over different links of the plurality of links wherein a test coordinator software module is configured to manage the optical switch to coordinate the optical protocol layer analysis of a link and the optical physical layer testing of the link.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2020Date of Patent: March 16, 2021Assignee: EXFO Inc.Inventors: Jean-Sébastien Martel, Stéphane Perron
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Publication number: 20210072077Abstract: There is provided an optical power measurement method, an offset calibration method and an optical power meter that is adapted to apply the offset calibration method. The optical power measurement method, the offset calibration method and the optical power meter are characterized in that two temperature sensors are used for more accurate predictions of the optical power offset. A first temperature sensor is positioned to read a temperature of the photodiode and a second temperature sensor is positioned to read a temperature of the PCB ground plane.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2020Publication date: March 11, 2021Applicant: EXFO Inc.Inventor: Nelu RADU
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Publication number: 20210063274Abstract: There is therefore provided a method, system and computer program for detecting duplicate optical-fiber connector endface inspections performed on a same optical-fiber connector. Duplicate optical-fiber connector endface inspections can be detected by extracting a signature of the optical-fiber connector endface from the acquired optical-fiber connector endface inspection image to uniquely identify the optical-fiber connector and detect duplicate optical-fiber connector endface inspections. The signature can be stored to help detection of inadvertent or fraudulent duplicate or repetitive measurements made on a same optical-fiber connector.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2020Publication date: March 4, 2021Applicant: EXFO Inc.Inventors: Olivier COTE, Nicolas CARON, Mario L'HEUREUX, Robert BARIBAULT
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Patent number: 10936396Abstract: A network testing system includes one or more test devices each including a media-specific testing module and a processing device with a network interface, wherein the processing device is configured to test a network with the media-specific testing module; one or more servers configured to receive test results from the test of the network either directly from the one or more test devices or an intermediate data source communicatively coupled to the one or more test devices; and a validator module executed on the one or more servers configured to perform automated post-processing on the test results to compare the test results to a pre-defined Method of Procedure (MOP), to auto-correct one or more errors in the test results, and to provide a report based on the comparison.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2019Date of Patent: March 2, 2021Assignee: EXFO Inc.Inventors: Marc Rondeau, Michael Proctor
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Patent number: 10900866Abstract: There is provided an optical-fiber connector endface inspection microscope system comprising optical power measurement capability, wherein optical power measurement is provided via an optical power meter device implemented within an extension unit positioned along an optical path between the inspected optical-fiber connector endface and the optical-fiber connector endface inspection microscope, i.e. between the inspected optical-fiber connector endface and objective optics of the optical-fiber connector endface inspection microscope.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2019Date of Patent: January 26, 2021Assignee: EXFO Inc.Inventor: Robert Baribault
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Patent number: D923028Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2018Date of Patent: June 22, 2021Assignee: EXFO, INC.Inventors: Stephane Perron, Antoine-Alexandre Michaud