Abstract: Provided are techniques, devices and systems that enable updating of a reportable parameter table database when a reconfigured optical communication path is formed by switching performed by a branching unit in an undersea optical communication transmission system. A processor may obtain system attributes of each respective segment of a number of segments of the reconfigured optical communication path from a first end point to a second endpoint. The system attributes of each respective segment of the number of segments may be evaluated from the first end point to the second endpoint of the reconfigured optical communication path. A reportable parameter table may be generated based on the evaluated system attributes that includes a listing of operational and structural parameters of system from the first endpoint to the second endpoint of the reconfigured optical communication path.

Abstract: Techniques to generate network simulation scenarios are described. In one embodiment, an apparatus may comprise a records component operative to receive an example network configuration record; receive an example network operation record; a machine learning management component operative to generate a network operation model using a machine learning component based on the example network configuration record as an example input and the example network operation record as an example output; and a system-test component operative to receive a system-test network configuration record; and generate a system-test network operation record based on the system-test network configuration record using the network operation model. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A monitoring system. The monitoring system may include an optical receiver configured to receive an optical signal, the receiver comprising a plurality of equalizers to partition the optical signal over a plurality of optical channels corresponding to a plurality of optical wavelengths. The monitoring system may also include an analysis component, coupled to the receiver, comprising logic, where the logic is configured to construct a plurality of sensor matrices, corresponding to the plurality of optical channels, based upon the optical signal, after reception at the receiver; determine, using the plurality of sensor matrices, a correlation between at least one pair of sensor matrices corresponding to at least one pair of optical channels of the plurality of optical channels; and determine a location of a perturbation, external to the transmission system, based upon the correlation.

Abstract: A system and method for efficient optical signal amplification with system monitoring features are provided. For example, an optical repeater may include two different 4-port thin-film gain flattening filters (TF-GFFs), which may be connected to provide a high-loss loop-back (HLLB) path in the optical repeater for system monitoring. The 4-port TF-GFF may have four different ports and may integrate the functionalities of a conventional GFF and a coupler into a single component, thereby increasing power efficiency of the optical repeater.

Abstract: Methods of measuring an anomaly, any induced change in physical parameters such as strain, temperature, and so forth, in an optical fiber. One method may include launching a plurality of probe pulses from a probe source; recording a Brillouin scattering spectrum from a plurality of reflection signals generated in the optical fiber, responsive to the plurality of probe pulses; determining a relative motion between the optical fiber and the anomaly during the recording the Brillouin back-scattering spectrum; and dynamically adjusting the Brillouin back-scattering spectrum according to the relative motion, or performing an adjustment of the Brillouin back-scattering spectrum after acquisition of the Brillouin back-scattering spectrum.

Abstract: Provided are optical communication signal recovery techniques and a submarine optical communication recovery device may include a number of inputs, a number of outputs and a number of optical switch modules. Each input may be operable to connect to a respective optical fiber of a submarine fiber optic cable, and a number of the optical fibers carry optical signals and at least one optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers is an unusable optical path that is unable to carry a usable optical signal. Each output may couple to another respective optical fiber, and a number of the outputs may be designated as impaired outputs. Each optical switch module of the number of optical switch modules may be operable to connect an input of the number of inputs coupled to the unusable optical path to an impaired output of the number of the impaired outputs.

Abstract: A monitoring system. The monitoring system may include an optical receiver configured to receive an optical signal, the receiver comprising a plurality of equalizers to partition the optical signal over a plurality of optical channels corresponding to a plurality of optical wavelengths. The monitoring system may also include an analysis component, coupled to the receiver, comprising logic, where the logic is configured to construct a plurality of sensor matrices, corresponding to the plurality of optical channels, based upon the optical signal, after reception at the receiver; determine, using the plurality of sensor matrices, a correlation between at least one pair of sensor matrices corresponding to at least one pair of optical channels of the plurality of optical channels; and determine a location of a perturbation, external to the transmission system, based upon the correlation.

Abstract: A monitoring system. The monitoring system may include an optical receiver configured to receive an optical signal, the receiver comprising a plurality of equalizers to partition the optical signal over a plurality of optical channels corresponding to a plurality of optical wavelengths. The monitoring system may also include an analysis component, coupled to the receiver, comprising logic, where the logic is configured to construct a plurality of sensor matrices, corresponding to the plurality of optical channels, based upon the optical signal, after reception at the receiver; determine, using the plurality of sensor matrices, a correlation between at least one pair of sensor matrices corresponding to at least one pair of optical channels of the plurality of optical channels; and determine a location of a perturbation, external to the transmission system, based upon the correlation.

Abstract: This application describes techniques for testing fiber optic telecommunication systems, such as undersea fiber optic cable systems. Testing terminals may be deployed at a location of terminating equipment for a fiber optic cable. The testing terminals may be operated remotely. The testing terminals may be configured to programmatically test the cable by loading one or more tests and automatically configure the cable's transmitters and receivers based on predetermined loading schemes selected based on the tests to be performed. The testing terminals may iterate over channels and fiber pairs of the cable and may use back-to-back tests to remove artifacts from test results. Using the described techniques, a cable's channels and fiber pairs can be fully characterized in the amount of time afforded for a typical testing schedule, which was not generally possible using conventional testing.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques and amplifier stages that include wave division multiplexers, semiconductor optical amplifiers and wave division demultiplexers that amplify optical signals. An input optical signal having a first bandwidth is partitioned into a plurality of subband optical signals by thin film filters tuned to a selected bandwidth that is less than the first bandwidth. Each of the plurality of subband optical signals has a bandwidth that is a portion of the first bandwidth. Each subband optical signal is input into a semiconductor optical amplifier that is tuned to the respective portion of the first bandwidth that corresponds to the subband optical signal. The combination of the partitioned input optical signal and tuned semiconductor optical amplifiers provides improved optical signal transmission performance by reducing polarization dependent gain.

Abstract: An undersea fiber optic cable routing architecture including a branching unit coupled to three trunk cables capable of switching individual fibers in each fiber pair within a cable to either of the other two cables. The branching unit comprises a plurality of optical switches and a controller for receiving remote command signals and configuring the optical switches in accordance with the remote command signals.

Abstract: Methods of measuring an anomaly, any induced change in physical parameters such as strain, temperature, and so forth, in an optical fiber. One method may include launching a plurality of probe pulses from a probe source; recording a Brillouin scattering spectrum from a plurality of reflection signals generated in the optical fiber, responsive to the plurality of probe pulses; determining a relative motion between the optical fiber and the anomaly during the recording the Brillouin back-scattering spectrum; and dynamically adjusting the Brillouin back-scattering spectrum according to the relative motion, or performing an adjustment of the Brillouin back-scattering spectrum after acquisition of the Brillouin back-scattering spectrum.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present disclosure includes an RPC architecture that includes a central manager gateway with a client-facing side that allows for client access via web services protocols such as SOAP and REST. The central manager gateway further includes a server-facing side that can communicate with a plurality of network elements, with each network element implementing a common IDL architecture and RPC manager instance. Each of the network elements, and in particular their RPC manager instance, may communicate with other RPC manager instances to ‘learn’ the network topology for the system and maintain a topology database for purposes of exposing a naming service, e.g., a CORBA naming service. The network elements may elect one master element while the others remain as slaves. The central manager gateway may automatically locate the master network element and forward client requests to the same for servicing.

Abstract: Provided is a cable and joint inspection system, process and computer readable medium enabling cable and joint inspection functions. The system includes an x-ray cabinet containing an x-ray camera and positioning equipment. The x-ray camera is positionable to obtain an x-ray image of a portion of a cable or a cable joint. The x-ray images are evaluated to determine whether a bounded area is within the x-ray image. The processor may measure the size of the bounded area in the x-ray image based on a number of pixels forming the bounded area. In response to the size of the bounded area being greater than an inclusion or void allowance threshold, the processor may flag the bounded area as an inclusion or void and flag pixel locations in the x-ray image. The flagged pixel locations correspond to a physical location within the portions of the cable or the cable joint.

Abstract: Disclosed are a system and techniques to determine a color of an optical fiber in a fiber optic cable. A spectrophotometer camera may obtain a color value of the optical fiber. A fiber adaptor is operable to hold a single optical fiber of a fiber optic cable in a field of view of the spectrophotometer camera. A memory storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, enable identifying a color of the optical fiber. The color value may be compared to a color value of a number of reference colors. A color match score value may be generated for the color value with respect to each reference color. A confidence value may be obtained for a pair of color match scores that are closest in score value. Based on the confidence value, one of the reference colors is identified as a color of the optical fiber.

Abstract: An improved deepwater optical fiber cable with abrasion protection and techniques for manufacturing the same are provided. For example, the abrasion protected deepwater cable may be a modification or enhancement of an existing special application (SPA) optical fiber cable. One or more additional layers of metallic tape and jackets may be added to the outermost layer of the SPA cable. The tape and jacket layers may have different thicknesses and may be made from different materials to optimize protection against man-made objects or otherwise naturally occurring materials in deep water environments, such as fish aggregation devices (FADs).

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and techniques for extending distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) range in undersea optical cables over multiple spans, as well as providing span-specific DAS information, are provided.

Abstract: A line monitoring system may include a laser source to launch a plurality of pulsed probe signals; an optical transmission system, comprising a plurality of loopbacks, to receive the plurality of pulsed probe signals, and direct the plurality of pulsed probe signals through the plurality of loopbacks. The system may include a receiver to receive a plurality of return signals, derived from the plurality of pulsed probe signals from the transmission system, and a perturbance detection system, coupled to the receiver, to measure a phase difference between a polarization of a pair of return signals of the plurality of return signals. The pair of return signals may be received from a pair of loopbacks of the plurality of loopbacks, from a first loopback and a second return signal from a second loopback. The perturbance detection system may determine a location of a perturbation, based upon the phase difference.

Abstract: An undersea fiber optic cable routing architecture including a branching unit coupled to three trunk cables capable of switching individual fibers in each fiber pair within a cable to either of the other two cables. The branching unit comprises a plurality of optical switches and a controller for receiving remote command signals and configuring the optical switches in accordance with the remote command signals.

Abstract: Disclosed is an undersea power routing device including a first coupling port, a high voltage converter a second coupling port. The first coupling port may be configured to be coupled to an electrical power conductor and fiber optical cables of an undersea branch cable. The high voltage converter may be coupled to the first coupling port and operable to connect to the electrical power conductor via the first coupling port. The high voltage converter may be further operable to convert a high voltage electrical power supplied by the electrical power conductor to an output voltage having a lower voltage electrical power than the high voltage electrical power. The second coupling port may be configured to couple the high voltage converter to an interconnect cable. The high voltage converter, when coupled to the interconnect cable, may be operable to distribute the lower voltage electrical power to the interconnect cable.