Fiber optic network architecture with parallel indexed and non-indexed fiber paths

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11277205-B2
Application number	US-202117140421-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 4, 2021
Priority date	Nov 2, 2016
Publication date	Mar 15, 2022
Grant date	Mar 15, 2022

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a fiber optic network including a plurality of fiber distribution components daisy chained together to form a chain of fiber distribution components, the chain of fiber distribution components having a first set of optical fiber paths that are indexed along a length of the chain and a second set of optical fiber paths that are not indexed along a length of the chain.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fiber optic network comprising:
a plurality of fiber distribution components daisy chained together to form a chain of fiber distribution components, the chain including a first set of optical fibers and a second set of optical fibers, each of the fiber distribution components of the chain including a first pair of demateable multi-fiber connection locations between which at least one of optical fibers of the first set is indexed and a second pair of demateable multi-fiber connection locations between which the second set of optical fibers pass-through the terminal without indexing; and
a terminal optically coupled along the second set of optical fibers of the chain and not along the first set of optical fibers.

2. The fiber optic network of claim 1 , further comprising a splitter terminal optically coupled to the drop fiber of one of the fiber distribution components of the chain.

3. The fiber optic network of claim 1 , wherein the terminal does not include indexing functionality.

4. The fiber optic network of claim 3 , wherein the terminal is adapted to access certain ones of the optical fibers of the second set.

5. The fiber optic network of claim 1 , wherein each of the fiber distribution components of the chain includes a drop fiber extending to a demateable drop fiber connection location, the drop fiber extending from one of the demateable multi-fiber connection locations of the first pair.

6. The fiber optic network of claim 5 , wherein the drop fiber extends from a first of the demateable multi-fiber connection locations of the first pair.

7. The fiber optic network of claim 5 , wherein the drop fiber extends from a second of the demateable multi-fiber connection locations of the first pair.

8. The fiber optic network of claim 5 , wherein the drop fiber is one of a plurality of drop fibers extending to the demateable drop fiber connection location.

9. The fiber optic network of claim 5 , wherein the drop fiber is a forward drop fiber extending from a first of the demateable multi-fiber connection locations of the first pair; and wherein a rearward drop fiber extends from a second of the demateable multi-fiber connection locations of the first pair to a second demateable drop fiber connection location.

10. The fiber optic network of claim 9 , wherein the second demateable multi-fiber connection location, the demateable drop fiber connection location, and the second demateable drop fiber connection location are disposed at a housing.

11. The fiber optic network of claim 10 , wherein the first demateable multi-fiber connection location terminates a free end of a tether extending outwardly from the housing.

12. The fiber optic network of claim 2 , wherein the second pair of demateable multi-fiber connection locations includes a third demateable multi-fiber connection location and a fourth demateable multi-fiber connection location; and wherein the terminal includes first, second, and third demateable multi-fiber connection locations, wherein the first demateable multi-fiber connection location of the terminal is optically coupled to the fourth demateable multi-fiber connection location of one of the fiber distribution components and the second demateable multi-fiber connection location of the terminal is optically coupled to the third demateable multi-fiber connection location of an immediately downstream one of the fiber distribution components.

13. The fiber optic network of claim 12 , wherein the terminal includes a plurality of optical fibers indexed between the first and second demateable multi-fiber connection locations of the terminal and a drop fiber extending to the third demateable multi-fiber connection location of the terminal.

14. The fiber optic network of claim 12 , wherein the terminal includes a plurality of optical fibers extending between the first and second demateable multi-fiber connection locations without being indexed and at least one fiber extending to the third demateable multi-fiber connection location of the terminal.

15. The fiber optic network of claim 14 , wherein the at least one fiber is one of a plurality of optical fibers extending to the third demateable multi-fiber connection location.

16. The fiber optic network of claim 1 , wherein the terminal is an indexing terminal.

17. The fiber optic network of claim 1 , wherein one of the demateable multi-fiber connection locations of each pair of demateable multi-fiber connection locations terminates a respective tether cable extending outwardly from a respective housing.

18. The fiber optic network of claim 17 , wherein the other of the demateable multi-fiber connection locations of each pair of demateable multi-fiber connection locations is disposed at the respective housing.

19. The fiber optic network of claim 17 , wherein the tether cables are coupled together by a fanout.

20. The fiber optic network of claim 1 , further comprising a multi-use terminal optically coupled to the drop fiber of one of the fiber distribution components of the chain.

Assignees

• Commscope Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Gronvall Erik J

Classifications

• G02B6/44715

  Fan-out devices · CPC title

• H04B10/27 Primary

  Arrangements for networking · CPC title

• G02B6/44529 Primary

  Optical means for identifying patch-cords · CPC title

• H04Q11/06

  Time-space-time switching · CPC title

• H04B10/25

  Arrangements specific to fibre transmission · CPC title