Optical switching apparatus with optical reflection monitor and reflection monitoring system

摘要

A method is provided for detecting an optical reflection position in an optical switching unit by using a measuring system. Multiple switching commands are provided in order to direct a test light to an input port and an output port of the optical switching unit. Status information regarding the internal path of the test light is stored in a memory, along with flags corresponding to the magnitude of reflected light generated when the test light is reflected from an abnormal position along the internal path selected. The status information is stored in the form of a reflection alarm information table where the flags are stored in association with each of the internal paths. A rearmost connection among the optical interconnections in the optical switching unit is detected as an abnormal position based on the reflection alarm information table and the interconnection control table.