Abstract: A method and apparatus configured to incorporate system data for transmission as part of or concurrently with network data. The system data may comprise communication system data for use in controlling or monitoring a communication system. The system data may be is utilized to control or adjust the amplitude or intensity of the network data to thereby amplitude modulate the system data into or with the transmission of the network data. By monitoring the amplitude or intensity of the received network data signal, the system data may be recovered. An automatic gain control or bias loop may be monitored to detect the amplitude modulation of the network data. The system data may be encoded.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for optic signal power control to maintain a desired or optimum optic signal power level. During start-up, a default or target value from memory may be utilized to bias or otherwise control operation of an optic signal generator or driver. During operation, pre-stored values may continue to be utilized or an open loop or closed loop control system may be utilized. An open loop control system may incorporate a temperature module or a timer module to account for changes in environment or changes due to aging that may undesirably affect system operation. A closed loop control system may incorporate one or more feedback loops that generate a compensation value to account for detected changes. In one configuration one or more peak values of the actual optic signal, or a portion thereof, are detected and processed to generate the compensation signal.

Abstract: An optic module is disclosed having a memory configured to store data. To selectively control access to the memory and data stored in memory, a method and apparatus for memory access control is provided which creates access levels. The access levels include associated passwords, and read/write capability control, and address access range. During use a technician or other party would enter a password via an interface and the entered password is compared to the password associated with each access level. If a match is not found, then access to the memory, a hence data within the memory is denied. If a match is found the technician gains access to the data stored in the memory address range associated with the access level. Read and write access may also be granted or denied.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for optic signal power control to maintain a desired or optimum optic signal power level. During start-up, a default or target value from memory may be utilized to bias or otherwise control operation of an optic signal generator or driver. During operation, pre-stored values may continue to be utilized or an open loop or closed loop control system may be utilized. An open loop control system may incorporate a temperature module or a timer module to account for changes in environment or changes due to aging that may undesirably affect system operation. A closed loop control system may incorporate one or more feedback loops that generate a compensation value to account for detected changes. In one configuration one or more peak values of the actual optic signal, or a portion thereof, are detected and processed to generate the compensation signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for optic signal power control to maintain a desired or optimum optic signal power level. During start-up, a target value from memory may be utilized to control one or more power levels of an optic signal. There may comprise 2 or more different power levels for the optic signal. During operation, target values may continue to be utilized or an open loop or closed loop control system may be utilized. Compensation may occur for both additive noise/distortion and multiplicative noise/distortion. The compensation for one power level may be expanded or extrapolated to compensate for additive noise/distortion and multiplicative noise/distortion that affect other power levels.

Abstract: A method and system for performing sequence time domain reflectometry over a communication channel to determine the location of line anomalies in the communication channel is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system generates a sequence signal and transmits the sequence signal over an optical channel. The system receives one or more reflection signals over the optical channel and performs reflection signal processing on the reflection signal. In one embodiment, the optical reflection is transformed to an electrical signal and correlated with the original sequence signal to generate a correlated signal. The time between the start of the reflection signal and a subsequent point of correlation and the rate of propagation reveals a line anomaly location. In one or more embodiments sequence signal time domain reflectometry occurs during data transmission.

Abstract: A method and system for performing sequence time domain reflectometry to determine the location of line anomalies in a communication channel is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system generates a sequence signal and transmits the sequence signal over a channel that is the subject of the sequence time domain reflectometry analysis. The system monitors for and receives one or more reflections, collectively a reflection signal, and presents the reflection signal to a reflection processing module. In one embodiment, the reflection signal is correlated with the original sequence signal to generate a correlated signal. The system may perform signal analysis on the correlated signal to determine a time value between the start of the reflection signal and the subsequent points of correlation. Based on the time value and the rate of propagation of the signals through the channel, the reflection processing module determines a distance to a line anomaly.

Abstract: A method and system for performing sequence time domain reflectometry over a communication channel to determine the location of line anomalies in the communication channel is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system generates a sequence signal and transmits the sequence signal over an optical channel. The system receives one or more reflection signals over the optical channel and performs reflection signal processing on the reflection signal. In one embodiment, the optical reflection is transformed to an electrical signal and correlated with the original sequence signal to generate a correlated signal. The time between the start of the reflection signal and a subsequent point of correlation and the rate of propagation reveals a line anomaly location. A circulator, beam splitter, or any other similar device may direct the reflection signal to the apparatus configured to perform reflection signal processing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for adaptively determining threshold values in a decision device, such as a decision slicer. In one embodiment, a slicer receives one or more updated threshold values during operation to adaptively accommodate changes in the received signal or the channel that may occur over time. The updated threshold value is based on a MIN value and a MAX value. The MIN values represent a value related to a recently received input that was determined to qualify for a particular slicer output and was less than the particular slicer output value. The MAX values represent a value related to a recently received input that was determined to qualify for a particular slicer output and was greater than the particular slicer output value. In one embodiment, the MAX and MIN value computation is based on scaling factors that dampen the rate of change of the threshold value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for adaptively determining threshold values in a decision device, such as a decision slicer. In one embodiment, a slicer receives one or more updated threshold values during operation to adaptively accommodate changes in the received signal or the channel that may occur over time. The updated threshold value is based on a MIN value and a MAX value. The MIN values represent a-value related to a recently received input that was determined to qualify for a particular slicer output and was less than the particular slicer output value. The MAX values represent a value related to a recently received input that was determined to qualify for a particular slicer output and was greater than the particular slicer output value. In one embodiment, the MAX and MIN value computation is based on scaling factors that dampen the rate of change of the threshold value.

Abstract: A method and system for performing sequence time domain reflectometry over a communication channel to determine the location of line anomalies in the communication channel is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system generates a sequence signal and transmits the sequence signal over an optical channel. The system receives one or more reflection signals over the optical channel and performs reflection signal processing on the reflection signal. In one embodiment, the optical reflection is transformed to an electrical signal and correlated with the original sequence signal to generate a correlated signal. The time between the start of the reflection signal and a subsequent point of correlation and the rate of propagation reveals a line anomaly location. In one or more embodiments sequence signal time domain reflectometry occurs during data transmission.

Abstract: A method and system for performing sequence time domain reflectometry to determine the location of line anomalies in a communication channel is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system generates a sequence signal and transmits the sequence signal over a channel. The system receives one or more reflection signals, and performs reflection signal processing on the reflection. In one embodiment, the reflection signal is correlated with the original sequence signal to generate a correlated signal. The system determines a time value between the start of the reflection signal and the subsequent points of correlation to determine a location of a line anomaly. In one embodiment preprocessing and post-processing occurs to counter the effects of a communication device, such as a DMT modulator/demodulator. In one embodiment sampling of the sequence and reflection signal may occur at different times or at a different phase to provide greater resolution of the line anomaly location.

Abstract: A method and system for performing sequence time domain reflectometry over a communication channel to determine the location of line anomalies in the communication channel is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system generates a sequence signal and transmits the sequence signal over an optical channel. The system receives one or more reflection signals over the optical channel and performs reflection signal processing on the reflection signal. In one embodiment, the optical reflection is transformed to an electrical signal and correlated with the original sequence signal to generate a correlated signal. The time between the start of the reflection signal and a subsequent point of correlation and the rate of propagation reveals a line anomaly location. A circulator, beam splitter, or any other similar device may direct the reflection signal to the apparatus configured to perform reflection signal processing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for processing a signal to remove or reduce the unwanted effects of transmission through the transmission line. To reverse, negate or counter the attenuating properties of transmission through a transmission line the method and apparatus described herein determines the amount of amplification or a gain value required to restore one or more aspect of the signal to a desired or a pre-transmission level. Characterization of the line, based on the gain value, determines one or more filter coefficients. Based on the one or more coefficients, a filtered modifies the signal to reverse the effects of the channel. In one embodiment the peak value or an average magnitude of the received signal is detected to determine the gain value. Dampening may optionally be included to limit the amount of filter modification that may occur on the signal in a clock cycle.

Abstract: A method and system for performing sequence time domain reflectometry to determine the location of line anomalies in a communication channel is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system generates a sequence signal and transmits the sequence signal over a channel. The system receives one or more reflection signals, and performs reflection signal processing on the reflection. In one embodiment, the reflection signal is correlated with the original sequence signal to generate a correlated signal. The system determines a time value between the start of the reflection signal and the subsequent points of correlation to determine a location of a line anomaly. In one embodiment preprocessing and post-processing occurs to counter the effects of a communication device, such as a DMT modulator/demodulator. In one embodiment sampling of the sequence and reflection signal may occur at different times or at a different phase to provide greater resolution of the line anomaly location.

Abstract: A method and system for performing sequence time domain reflectometry to determine the location of line anomalies in a communication channel is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system generates a sequence signal and transmits the sequence signal over a channel that is the subject of the sequence time domain reflectometry analysis. The system monitors for and receives one or more reflections, collectively a reflection signal, and presents the reflection signal to a reflection processing module. The module also has access to the original sequence signal that was transmitted over the channel. Various methods of processing the reflection signal are available to determine the location of the line anomalies. In one embodiment, the reflection signal is correlated with the original sequence signal to generate a correlated signal. The system performs signal analysis on the correlated signal to determine a time value between the start of the reflection signal and the subsequent points of correlation.