Optical tapping in an indexing architecture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10790899-B2
Application number	US-201816477781-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 11, 2018
Priority date	Jan 12, 2017
Publication date	Sep 29, 2020
Grant date	Sep 29, 2020

Abstract

An indexing system includes an indexing component; a redundant optical path; and a fiber tap arrangement. Multiple indexing components can be daisy-chained together in the indexing system. The redundant optical path is created between any forward port and any rearward port in the network. Multiple redundant optical paths can be created within the network. One or more tap arrangements can be disposed along each redundant optical path. Accordingly, feed signals in a bidirectional indexing environment can be supplied to each drop line along the redundant optical path from either direction without recabling.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
an indexing component having a demateable first multi-fiber connection location, a demateable second multi-fiber connection location, a demateable first output connection location, and a demateable second output connection location, the indexing component including a first optical fiber extending from the first multi-fiber connection location to the first output connection location, a second optical fiber extending from the second multi-fiber connection location to the second output connection location, and additional optical fibers indexed between the first and second multi-fiber connection locations, the first multi-fiber connection location being configured to receive feed signals in a forward direction and the second multi-fiber connection location being configured to receive feed signals in a reverse direction;
a redundant fiber path extending between the first output connection location and the second output connection location; and
a fiber tap arrangement disposed along the redundant fiber path, the fiber tap arrangement including a first coupler, a second coupler, and a 2×N optical splitter, the first coupler tapping off the feed signal from the redundant fiber path if the feed signal is carried in the first direction, the second coupler tapping off the feed signal from the redundant fiber path if the feed signal is carried in the second direction, the first and second couplers providing any tapped off feed signals to the 2×N optical splitter.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the redundant fiber path includes a first optical fiber coupled to the first output connection location and a second optical fiber coupled to the second output connection location.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first coupler of the fiber tap arrangement is disposed along the first optical fiber and the second coupler of the fiber tap arrangement is disposed along the second optical fiber.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the redundant fiber path includes a single optical fiber.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the first and second couplers of the fiber tap arrangement are disposed along the single optical fiber.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fiber tap arrangement is one of a plurality of fiber tap arrangements, each fiber tap arrangement including a respective first coupler, a respective second coupler, and a respective 2×N optical splitter, each first coupler tapping off the feed signal from the redundant fiber path if the feed signal is carried in the first direction, each second coupler tapping off the feed signal from the redundant fiber path if the feed signal is carried in the second direction, the first and second couplers providing any tapped off feed signals to the respective 2×N optical splitters.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein each first coupler is disposed along a first optical fiber of the redundant fiber path and each second coupler is disposed along a second optical fiber of the redundant fiber path.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein each of the first and second couplers is disposed along a single optical fiber of the redundant fiber path.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first multi-fiber connection location includes an adapter port or female connector.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first multi-fiber connection location includes a plug connector connector.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second multi-fiber connection location includes a port.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second multi-fiber connection location includes a connector terminating a stub cable.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first output port is one of a plurality of first output ports, each first output port being configured to receive a respective optical fiber extending from the first multi-fiber cable port.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the second output port is one of a plurality of second output ports, each second output port being configured to receive a respective optical fiber extending from the second multi-fiber cable port.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the indexing component is one of a plurality of indexing components, each indexing component having a respective first multi-fiber cable port, a respective second multi-fiber cable port, a respective first output port, and a respective second output port, each indexing component including an optical fiber extending from the first multi-fiber cable port to the first output port, another optical fiber extending from the second multi-fiber cable port to the second output port, and additional optical fibers indexed between the respective first and second multi-fiber cable ports, the indexing components being configured to be daisy-chained together.

16. A bi-directional indexing system in which signals supplied from a central office can be selectively routed in a forward or rearward direction, the system comprising:
a first terminal having a first multi-fiber cable port, a second multi-fiber cable port, a first output port, and a second output port, the first terminal including a first optical fiber extending from the first multi-fiber cable port to the first output port, a second optical fiber extending from the second multi-fiber cable port to the second output port, and additional optical fibers indexed between the first and second multi-fiber cable ports, wherein signals supplied in the forward direction are received at the first multi-fiber cable port;
a second terminal having a first multi-fiber cable port, a second multi-fiber cable port, a first output port, and a second output port, the second terminal including a first optical fiber extending from the first multi-fiber cable port to the first output port, a second optical fiber extending from the second multi-fiber cable port to the second output port, and additional optical fibers indexed between the first and second multi-fiber cable ports, the first multi-fiber cable port being configured to receive feed signals in a forward direction and second multi-fiber cable port being configured to receive feed signals in a reverse direction, wherein signals supplied in the rearward direction are received at the second multi-fiber cable port;
an optical cable optically coupling the second multi-fiber cable port of the first terminal to the first multi-fiber cable port of the second terminal;
a redundant fiber path extending between the first output port of the first terminal and the second output port of the second terminal; and
a fiber tap arrangement disposed along the redundant fiber path, the fiber tap arrangement including a first coupler, a second coupler, and a 2×N optical splitter, the first coupler tapping off the feed signal from the redundant fiber path if the feed signal is carried in the first direction, the second coupler tapping off the feed signal from the redundant fiber path if the feed signal is carried in the second direction, the first and second couplers providing any tapped off feed signals to the 2×N optical splitter.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the redundant fiber path includes a first optical fiber coupled to the first output port of the first terminal and a second optical fiber coupled to the second output port of the second terminal.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the first coupler of the fiber tap arrangement is disposed along the first optical fiber and the second coupler of the fiber tap arrangement is disposed along the second optical fiber.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the redundant fiber path includes

Assignees

• Commscope Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Gronvall Erik J

Classifications

• H04B10/27

  Arrangements for networking · CPC title

• H04B10/25751

  Optical arrangements for CATV or video distribution (adaptations of television systems for optical transmission H04N7/22) · CPC title

• H04B10/2589

  Bidirectional transmission · CPC title

• H04B10/035 Primary

  using loopbacks · CPC title

• H04B10/2581

  Multimode transmission · CPC title