US Patent 7011453 Method for determining fiber optic fault location

Methods and apparatus for detecting degradation of a fiber optic connector. In a preferred embodiment, the method includes transmitting a optical pulse in a first direction along the fiber optic cable such that a first portion of the optical pulse is either absorbed or reflected by the degradation. The method also includes determining the degradation's location within at most two connectors of the cable based on the first portion of the optical pulse. If the at most two connectors is two connectors then the method includes transmitting a second optical pulse in a second direction along the cable so that a portion of the second optical pulse is either absorbed or reflected by the degradation. A determination is made of the location of the degradation within one of the two connectors based on the first portion and the second portion of the optical pulses.