1. Introduction

OTDR View - is the special software developed by SVYAZPRIBOR Co Ltd. This software is designed specially for measuring (using remote OTDR), viewing, and editing of SOR files (Bellcore GR-196/SR-4731 version 2.0).

2. Using OTDR View

   1. Application Window

Application window is separated on several working areas: main menu, tool bar, control panel, status bar and, properly, main trace view.

2. Main Trace View

Main trace view contains the area with trace(s) corresponding current displacement of the axes "dB" and "km" according to current zoom. Using control panel, user can determine how many traces will be present in the view at a time, and which trace will be main (reference).

All changes, viewing of events etc. can be performed using main (reference) trace only (see trace list). Depending on measure mode, main trace view can look some differently.

1. Using mouse, and working with cursors

In the main, all operations with cursors performed using mouse. To move cursor user should select it by pressing left mouse button and drag to some place on the trace.

Moreover, user can move cursors by using keyboard using left and right arrows. To switch cursor user should press Enter key. In this case input focus must be grabbed by main trace view.

2. Scaling trace

Using special tool bar buttons user can scale the trace:

These buttons allows perform scaling of the trace horizontally and vertically relative to current cursor.

More easy way to scale the trace - is zooming mode. Zooming mode is activated by pressing special switch button:

When this button is on, then mouse is used in zooming mode otherwise the default cursor management mode is turned.

Using the zoom mode, you can select and magnify arbitrary places of trace, directly with the mouse.

To return to initial scale (1:1) following button of tool bar should be used:

3. Control Panel

The Control Panel is consists of three main blocks (up to down):

• information panel

• trace map

• trace list

1. Information panel

First three information fields (up to down):

• L, km – distance to the left main cursor in km;

• R, km – distance to the right main cursor in km;

• R-L, km – distance between main cursors in km.

The next two fields contain values depending on selected measuring mode:

2. Trace map

Trace map provides user easy way to navigate through entire trace, when trace is zoomed. Map shows entire main (reference) trace without zoom. Relative reference trace all other traces in selected trace list are shown in main trace view.

Color of the trace is the same for each trace views. With an increase in trace a rectangle on the map indicating the boundaries of the main screen.

When trace is zoomed, corresponding to main view rectangle will be drawn on the map. This rectangle shows the actual main screen bounds. Drag this rectangle using mouse to perform fast scrolling on the trace.

3. Trace list

Trace list - is the main view and report generation control tool. Using the trace list user can load several traces, for example, for their comparison. All traces are scaled in agreement with the main (reference) trace zoom. Main (reference trace) – is the current (selected) and checked trace in the trace list. If no selected trace in the trace list first checked trace will be main trace automatically.

Trace list popup dialog can be displayed by clicking right mouse button on trace list

This dialog allows rename traces, append empty slots to trace list, select or deselect one or all traces and close one or all traces files.

Morefore you can drag and drop files to the traces list from file manager directly to open it's in the program.

4. Main Menu

According with function of submenu

Main menu is divided according with functionality.

1. File

Menu file consist of following items:

1. Open…

Open the trace. After selecting this item or clicking corresponding item from tool bar, this window will be shown:

Using this window user can open its traces. Preview helps him to select and open proper trace from entire list. Note that the current trace slot of the trace list will be used to open the trace. Opened trace will marked as main (reference) trace automatically.

2. How to open several traces together

From the version 2.012 of Software, finally, new convenient feature is available. User can open several traces at a time. Habitually, holding “Shift” or “Ctrl”, in the file open dialog, user can select several files and open them by pressing button “Open” once:

After pressing the “Open” button, selected traces consequentially will be loaded into the trace list.

3. Close

Close current trace.

4. Close All

Often need to close all opened traces, exactly this menu item used for closing entire trace list.

5. Save

Save current trace in its file.

6. Save As…

Save current trace into the new file with other name. In this mode you can generate CSV files and PDF report files.

7. Save All

Save all unsaved traces from the traces list.

8. Batch Save…

Shows Batch Save Dialog provided for convenience saving the list of selected traces:

Traces may be renamed using specified rule, by entering the base name and starting index for increment counting. The index may be inserted in corresponding place of base name using special index mask. Also possible change the Fiber ID field in SOR file according to the actual index.

9. Printer Job Settings…

Shows the special fine-tuning printing job dialog:

This dialog allows user to select which parameters and elements will be used while printing, select whether trace will be printed colored or not. Additionally page header can be set to print at the top of each page. Furthermore, user can check "batch printing selected traces" item to perform printing of all selected traces (see trace list) separately each of them beginning on new page.

10. Page Setup …

Shows window like following:

Setting the page properties (like margins, orientation etc.) and printer selection.

11. Print…

Generates report (prints it), corresponding to the current trace view. Report consists of main trace view and some additional information about trace and events table.

12. Information…

Shows trace information dialog that consists of three tabs: Description, Instrument and Parameters tab. This dialog reflects information about main (reference) trace. Some fields of this dialog can be changed. To apply changes user should press “ok” button, but changes will stay in the RAM memory only, user should press “Save” or “Save As” menu item to store all changes.

Fields of the “Description” tab:

Fields of the “Instrument” tab:

Fields of the “Parameters” tab:

13. Template parameters…

This menu item used to open special dialog box – template (see “Information->Trace Type”) parameters dialog. Template is used in “Test Station” mode and in fiber monitoring system as a reference trace.

Template parameters are usable for creation of reference (template) traces. These templates can be used in the RFTS Terminal (SVYAZPRIBOR Co Ltd. optical fiber monitoring software) or directly at the instrument side using its special mode of SVYAZPRIBOR Co Ltd. OTDRs – known as “Test Station” (supported in OTDR GAMMA LUX/LITE). Loss, reflectance, attenuation and full loss deviations set to 0 will ignored in the trace analysis. But fiber break and elongation thresholds when set to zero will force using of internal SW algorithm values (as prior to 2.079 version).

"Event deviation test start (km)" and "Event deviation test end (km)" fields are provides selection of fiber frame to perform events deviation analysis on. So, non-zero value of "Event deviation test start (km)" field results in ignoring all events deviations (loss, reflectance and attenuation coefficient) with less distance. And non-zero value of "Event deviation test end (km)" field results in ignoring all events deviations (loss, reflectance and attenuation coefficient) with greater distance. But fiber break and full loss deviation will be measured on a full fiber independent on this limits. This helps, e.g., to ignore part of events laying in noisy trace area or dismiss reflection from connector.

14. Exit

Close application OTDR View.

2. Instrument

This menu is used for remote control and measuring using OTDR GAMMA series supplied by SVYAZPRIBOR Co Ltd.

Description of Instrument menu items:

1. Connect…

After selecting “Connect…” menu item following window will be shown:

This is “Connection Parameters Dialog” that allows user to set instrument IP address and port for TCP/IP connection. Leave default values if you unsure. These values must conform instrument settings.

IMPORTANT:

IP address of the instrument and your PC must be aligned using proper netmask otherwise connection problems may occur.

For example, for netmask 255.255.255.0, if PC IP is 192.168.1.4 then instrument IP should be of following format: 192.168.1.XXX, where XXX integer value from 1 to 254 (except values already used in your subnet).

If you have any problems with connection or using our production, you may ask us via our web forum http://svpribor.ru/conference.html or just can contact us by phone (see http://svpribor.ru/address.php). We always glad to help.

To start connection press “OK”. Following window will appear:

Connection handshake may take about ten seconds or little more. Information about connected OTDR module will appear after successful connection:

From now can work with remote instrument.

2. Disconnect…

Disconnects already connected instrument.

3. Start averaging measuring

Start measuring with averaging using current measurement parameters. Selecting this menu item, you'll see following averaging progress window:

To terminate averaging with stop measurement process just press “cancel”.

4. Start live measuring

Start measuring without averaging (live) using current measurement parameters, used for fast line estimate. Trace update interval depends on measurement parameters and can reach three seconds. To stop measure select menu item “Stop measuring”.

Measured trace will appear and continuously updated on the current trace slot (see trace list). So user can to compare measured and previously loaded traces.

5. Stop measuring

Stop current measuring process (averaging will be incomplete).

6. Test Station...

This option used to provide optical fiber monitoring, using reference trace (SOR file template). Before all, you need to measure reference trace, perform automatic and manual analysis on it. So you should to specify only events that you need to control. Then set template parameters that you need to control during your monitoring session. After selecting this menu option following dialog will be displayed.

• reference trace (SOR file) — your reference analyzed trace with template parameters set;

• the alarm traces path - directory to store fault traces SOR files;

• single measurement — perform only one measurement - test station mode;

• measure period — time which scheduler will wait after completion of the last measurement to start new one; option works only when single measurement is off (fiber monitoring mode);

• SNMP Trap (IP Address/Port) – Address to send SNMP trap messages when error detected or event deviation compared with reference trace exceeds the threshold;

• send report settings — send report settings policy:

  • don't send — do not send email report;

  • send each faulty — send report only when fault found;

  • send faulty hourly — send one report per hour if fault found;

  • send faulty daily — send one report per day if fault found;

  • send faulty once — send one report only if fault found;

  • send always — send email report in any case after each measurement;

• e-mail to — email address of recipient;

• e-mail from — email address of sender;

• SMTP server — SMTP server address (e.g. smtp.mail.ru, smtp.yandex.ru, etc. );

• SMTP port — SMTP server port (usual 465);

• login — email account login (often the same as email address of sender);

• password — email account password (often mail services required to enter application password for security policy reasons; application password may be simple generated as described in corresponding mail service);

• send trace — send measured trace in email attachment;

• send reference trace — send reference trace (template SOR file) in email attachment;

• send PDF report — generate and send PDF report in email attachment;

• send SMS – send SMS message on specified phone number when error or non-allowable deviation detected;

  • phone number – number of phone to send SMS;

  • SMPP server address – SMPP server address provided by cellular operator;

  • port – server port;

  • login – user name;

  • password – password for this user name;

• control port number (SSH) - SSH port number (usual 22) for administration control;

• start — start fiber monitoring;

• cancel — cancel monitoring and close dialog;

7. Break Test Station

Break Test Station session.

8. Information…

Show information about connected OTDR:

• OTDR module ID – ID of the OTDR measuring module;

• OTDR module serial number – unique factory serial number of the instrument;

• battery level, % - percentage of the battery level;

• OTDR daemon software version– version of the remote OTDR module software;

• OTDR daemon protocol version – service field;

• OTDR daemon protocol revision – service field;

Application performs monitoring of the power supply of connected instrument (if supported by device). In case of low power, following service message will appear:

9. Parameters…

Shows measuring parameters dialog:

1. channel number – the number of optical channel, used in measurements;

2. fiber type (wave length) – measurement wavelength (nm) selector. User can select several wavelengths to perform multi wavelength measurement;

3. auto measurement – special automatic mode, when all measurement parameters, except wavelength, will selected automatically during measurement process;

4. rough parameters - measuring in "Auto measurement" mode using rough parameters (e.g. resolution, pulse width). This method may be applied for problematic traces, e.g. when end of fiber can not be recognized with more precision measurement parameters selected.

5. range, km – measuring range in km. Note that measuring range must be about twice greater real optical fiber (OF) length;

6. resolution, m - the distance between the two readings of OTDR (sampling interval) in meters;

7. pulse width, ns – the duration in nanoseconds of the probe pulse;

8. backscatter coefficient, dB - part of the power of an optical pulse in dB dissipated in the OF and extending to its beginning. In the software supplied to the user usually, the following values are set :

• minus 81 dB for single-mode fiber and wavelength 1550 nm;

• minus 80 dB for single-mode fiber and wavelength 1310 nm.

The backscattering coefficient can be set in increments of 0.1 dB;

7. refractive index (n) – The value of the refractive index of OF; changes in increments of 0.00001;

8. number of averages – if selected the total number of trace averages is specified in the mode with averaging;

9. averaging time – if selected time averaging is enabled. If it is disabled – the averaging according to measurement number;

10. low power - the trace measurement mode with a reduced capacity of the laser radiation is enabled. This mode is reasonable for measuring high reflectivity values from the heterogeneities;

11. high resolution - in this mode, the bandwidth of the optical receiver is increased what allows to reduce the deadzone and better to distinguish between the close lying heterogeneities. However, in this mode the noise of the optical receiver increases;

12. filter user - the digital filtering of acquired trace is enabled/disabled.

13. check instrument power - control instrument power if supported by instrument.

14. file name template - file name generation according to naming convention selected in file name template dialog.

After setting the measurement parameters user can perform measurement using live or averaging methods.

1. File name template

File name template dialog allows use corresponding naming convention to produce name generation on measuring process.

User defined string applied with possible prefixes and postfixes provides corresponding file name for measuring trace according to current naming convention.

3. Mode

Following modes are available for user:

1. Two points loss measure

Two point method to measure event loss or attenuation coefficient in the fiber. This method usually used for distance measurement between cursors as well as loss measurement between two cursors. This method is not applicable for loss measurements on noisy areas of the trace.

2. LSA line approximation loss measure

Measure the long attenuation by two points. In contrast to the mode of "Two points loss measure" here a straight line approximation of the trace span between the cursors is performed using the least squares method. The so calculated value of the long attenuation is more correct, provided that the cursors are on a homogeneous part of the line.

3. Weld attenuation measure

This is the most accurate loss measurement method. Before reading results user have to set five markers (or cursors). Central cursor should be set at the left edge of the connection (at the beginning of the event). Left pair of cursors (relative central cursor) determines the left approximation span as well as right pair of cursors determines the right approximation span. Approximation spans should, wherever possible, have a maximum length and be uniform.

Result is show on information panel

Spl, дБ – event loss in dB;

Spl, км - distance to the event (central cursor) in km;

4. Reflectance

The application can determine the reflectance from the plug connection of the two optical fibers or from the end of the OF. Set the right cursor on the top of the reflected pulse, the left cursor – on the traces span directly in front of it.

5. ORL

The application allows estimate the value of Optical Return Loss (ORL) of the fiber line span or of the entire fiber line. ORL is the ratio of power supplied into the optic fiber, to the power coming back to the fiber start from the specified fiber line span or of the entire fiber line. Position the cursors at the ends of the measured span.

6. Refractive index…

Show “specification of refractive index” dialog. This dialog allows using known distances on the trace solve reverse task - determine refractive index with high accuracy.

Pressing up and down arrows user can change refractive index by ±0.00001 or simply enter refractive index value into the corresponding text field. So we can tune refractive index according with known distance (L, km; R, km or R-L, km).

Button "for all" allows to apply tuned refractive index to all selected traces.

4. Events

1. Fix event

Fix event and add them into events table using current measure mode and cursor location.

2. Delete events between cursors

Delete all events between two main cursors.

3. Events table

Determines whether or not displayed events table (list all events in the trace). On the screen a window will appear at top of screen with a list of events corresponding to inhomogeneities in the measured lines, ordered by distance from the line beginning:

The row of table contains full event information:

1. event type (reflective, non-reflective (may be gain) or end of fiber);

2. serial number of the event;

3. distance from the origin in km;

4. attenuation in the event if it exceeds the threshold value, dB;

5. reflectance in the event (if it exceeds the threshold value), dB;

6. attenuation coefficient of the span between this event and previous one, dB/km;

7. total attenuation from the start of fiber to the current event, dB.

8. event comment

Each event can be fixed with corresponding location (latitude, longitude). User can use “GPS data…” button to add, delete or edit GPS coordinates of the current event.

Also possible to change end of fiber by checking corresponding checkbox control. Note that after modifying end of fiber, all key events after new end of fiber will be deleted.

1. Working with online map

Using map, user can flexibly edit GPS coordinates of each event. Just click any location on the map and add or change GPS coordinates of the current event. To change the coordinates of the current event, just click on the map in the appropriate place. But, if kml or kmz file was imported to provide landmarks, than user can move labels only along a predefined path.

4. Do analysis

When this option is selected, the application analyzes the trace, it looks for irregularities, attenuation or reflection coefficient than the defined thresholds, determines the distance to them, attenuation areas between inhomogeneities. These data are entered into the event table and displayed as icons on the trace.

It should be borne in mind that in a long line when the next segment of the waveform distorted by noise, and their automatic analysis may be inaccurate, for example, welds of optical fiber with low attenuation may not be recognized in noise. These sections should be analyzed "by hand" by moving the mark, erasing wrong and placing new by selecting the measurement mode.

The thresholds at which the automatic analysis was carried traces are saved when you save the file with a trace.

If you already have on the trace events, when you start the automatic trace analysis are erased.

5. Batch analysis…

Shows Batch Analysis Dialog providing convenience method for analysis selected traces in the traces list

You may use analysis parameters stored in corresponding trace or specify common parameters for all selected traces, that causes analysis parameters of each selected trace will be updated.

6. Copy events…

Shows copy events dialog:

This function allows copy key events from source trace (between main cursors or from a whole trace area) and its full geodata to the destination traces, selected in the destination traces list. Ideally they should be measured on the same fiber and with the same measurement parameters as the source trace. The existing events of the destination traces may be deleted (totally or between main cursors only) before copying or will be overwritten if the same event propagation time is met. Also events may be recalculated after copying according to actual trace data.

1. Special using cases

To delete all key events between cursors on all traces do following:

1. Set the main cursors around the events will be deleted

2. Delete events between cursors by pressing corresponding tool button or menu item.

3. Open "Copy Events" dialog

4. Set checkboxes like following
   

5. Press "copy!" button

To copy all key events between cursors on all traces do following:

1. Check and modify if necessary key events on source trace to be copied

2. Set the main cursors around the events will be copied

3. Open "Copy Events" dialog

4. Set checkboxes like following
   

5. Press "copy!" button

7. Save events...

Generate and save the pivot table with events of selected traces. Events can be grouped by distance scattering (in meters) parameter:

8. Analysis parameters…

Threshold values are specified for the automatic trace analysis:

1. Loss threshold (LT) - loss threshold in heterogeneities, dB. Heterogeneities, in which the attenuation exceeds a given threshold, are displayed in the table of landmarks during trace analysis.

2. Reflectance threshold (RT) - reflectance threshold value, dB. Heterogeneities with reflectance above this threshold are displayed in the table of landmarks during analysis.

3. End-of-fiber threshold (ET) - attenuation threshold value, dB, to determine end of fiber. The first heterogeneity with attenuation greater than a threshold value ET, is determined during trace analysis as the end of OF, all subsequent heterogeneity are ignored.

4. Backscatter coefficient (ВС) - part of the power of an optical pulse in dB dissipated in the OF and extending to its beginning. The backscattering coefficient can be set in increments of 0.1 dB.

9. Two-way analysis (2W)

Bidirectional trace analysis. Provide the method of measuring real values of losses in the optical fiber. This method is based on analysis of two OTDR traces (direct and reverse). Each trace must measured using the same measurement parameters. After measuring user have to analyze each trace and save each trace in its own SOR file. After that user should open two analyzed traces (direct and reverse) on the different trace slots using trace list. Next, user must to choose "two-way analysis (2W)" menu item and software will perform all necessary calculations automatically:

Fields with averaged values contains the real values of attenuations and attenuation coefficients with corresponding units of measure (see ITU-T Telecommunication Recommendations G.650.3).

10. Geolocation management...

This menu item provides special functionality to manage trace landmarks.

Like following dialog will be shown:

If trace already has landmarks, user can delete all them. Also can import already prepared (e.g. in Yandex Maps, Google Earth or Google Maps) special kml or kmz file with linestring trace geometry, coresponding to real trace geodata:

After selecting proper linestring its will be applied to provide trace geodata (all existing key events automatically will obtain own landmark according to its location which can be moved to be corrected later).

5. Tools

1. Autosearch

Enable/disable the algorithm of automatic trace vertical scrolling. That allows automatically align OTDR trace vertically on the screen.

2. Fix cursors

Enable/disable synchronized movement of all available cursors. So user can move all cursors without changing distance between each other.

3. Copy cursors

If "on", copy cursors positions (if possible) when switching current trace in the trace list.

6. Look & Feel

This menu provides different styles of GUI (graphical user interface) that user can set for application. The available menu options depends on operating system and it settings.

Furthermore, user can switch current GUI language here, but application restart required to apply language changes.

In addition, user can change the default application font size to use in menus, dialog, graphics and other GUI controls:

Changing default font size requires application restart. Please note that changing the default font size may cause unwanted effects in the GUI.

To working with map in application, user can choose online map source used:

New online maps source will be applied after application restart.

7. Help

1. Show Help…

Show this window.

2. About OTDR View…

Show about dialog:

5. Toolbar

Toolbar items repeat significant functions of main menu with using the same icons.

6. Status bar

Status bar is located at the bottom of the program window and allows you to display information on the main trace (see list of traces).

As on picture, table contains description of status bar elements (from left to right):

3. Abbreviations

OTDR – optical time domain reflectometer

OF – optical fiber

ORL – optical return loss

SM – single mode