Case Studies

Fiber-Optic Data Transmission Test System

Digital Eye Pattern
Posted in LabVIEW, Semiconductor, Telecommunications, Test & Measurement Automation

Summary

DMC developed a digital-optical data transmission test system for evaluation of fiber-optic telecommunication components. The test measures eye pattern and carrier wavelength chirp to determine performance of the client's active optical components within a fiber optic network.

System Diagram

System Diagram

Chirp Measurement

Chirp Measurement

HTML Report

HTML Report

Solution

The customer's previous system consisted of two separate test stations, each requiring manual setup and operation.  Test results were manually entered into the database.  DMC collaborated with the client's engineering staff to define hardware and software specifications for the new system.  The new system uses one fully automated 12.5 Gb/s digital optical transmission test set to perform the functions of the two previous stations.  The new system is completely integrated with the database and includes historical reporting capabilities.

DMC's solution is based on National Instruments’ LabVIEW software, NI DAQ hardware, and commercial optical test equipment. The custom LabVIEW application controls all functions of the test station including: querying part-number specific information from a database, configuring device and instrument settings based on part number, actively optimizing and testing each device, performing pass/fail analysis on parts at test completion, recording all device operating parameters to an Oracle database, and generating HTML engineering reports.

Customer Benefits

  • Reduced setup and total test time resulting in time and cost savings
  • Increased traceability through fully automated reporting and data storage improve failure analysis

Technologies

  • NI LabView
  • NI DAQmx
  • NI PCI Multifunction Analog and Digital I/O
  • NI VISA
  • GPIB
  • RS232 Serial
  • JDSU Optical Switch
  • Agilent Digital Communications Analyzer
  • Agilent Programmable Pulse Generator
  • Oracle Database
  • SQL
  • HTML Reports