Optical connection terminal having port mapping scheme

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9188759-B2
Application number	US-32338508-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 25, 2008
Priority date	Oct 14, 2008
Publication date	Nov 17, 2015
Grant date	Nov 17, 2015

Abstract

A fiber optic network device for optically coupling a fiber optic distribution cable with a fiber optic drop cables is disclosed. Disposed within the fiber optic network device is a plurality of optical fibers optically coupled to the distribution cable. A plurality of ports opens into the fiber optic network device. Predetermined ones of the plurality of ports are operable for optically coupling respective predetermined ones of the plurality of optical fibers each to at least one drop cable external to the fiber optic network device. At least one of the predetermined ones of the plurality of ports is a pass-through port operable for optically coupling at least one of the respective pre-determined ones of the plurality of optical fibers to the at least one drop cable through another fiber optic network device. A pass-through connector comprising a plurality of connection ports adapted for receiving in a predetermined alignment the respective pre-determined ones of the plurality of optical fibers may be seated within the pass-through port. The fiber optic network device may be an optical connection terminal and/or a distribution closure. The fiber optic network device may further include one or more splitters. The predetermined ones of a plurality of ports may be operable for optically coupling at least one of the respective predetermined ones of the plurality of optical fibers to a drop cable through one or more splitters.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fiber optic network device for optically coupling a fiber optic distribution cable with fiber optic drop cables, the device comprising:
a plurality of optical fibers configured to be optically coupled to the distribution cable, wherein the plurality of optical fibers is disposed within the fiber optic network device; and
a plurality of ports opening into the fiber optic network device, wherein ones of the plurality of ports are operable for optically coupling respective ones of the plurality of optical fibers each to at least one drop cable external to the fiber optic network device according to a first predetermined port mapping scheme.

2. The fiber optic network device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the ones of the plurality of ports is a pass-through port operable for optically coupling at least one of the respective ones of the plurality of optical fibers to the at least one drop cable through another fiber optic network device optically connected between the pass-through port and the at least one drop cable according to a second predetermined port mapping scheme.

3. The fiber optic network device of claim 2 , further comprising a pass-through connector seated within the pass-through port, wherein the pass-though connector comprises a plurality of connection ports adapted for receiving in an alignment the respective ones of the plurality of optical fibers according to a second predetermined port mapping scheme.

4. The fiber optic network device of claim 3 , wherein the first predetermined port mapping scheme and the second predetermined port mapping scheme are the same.

5. The fiber optic network device of claim 1 , wherein the fiber optic network device comprises an optical connection terminal.

6. The fiber optic network device of claim 1 , wherein the fiber optic network device comprises a plurality of optical connection terminals, and wherein at least two of the plurality of optical connection terminals are interchangeable in a fiber optic network based on the ones of the ports and the respective ones of the plurality of optical fibers based on at least one of the first predetermined port mapping scheme and the second predetermined port mapping scheme.

7. The fiber optic network device of claim 1 , wherein the fiber optic network device comprises a distribution closure associated with an optical connection terminal.

8. The fiber optic network device of claim 1 , further comprising a splitter, wherein at least one of the ones of a plurality of ports is operable to optically couple at least one of the respective ones of the plurality of optical fibers to one of the at least one drop cable according to a third predetermined port mapping scheme, and wherein the at least one of the respective ones of the plurality of optical fibers inputs to the splitter, and an optical fiber outputs from the splitter and connects to the at least one of the ones of the plurality of ports according to the third predetermined port mapping scheme.

9. The fiber optic network device of claim 8 , wherein the splitter comprises a 1×4 splitter.

10. The fiber optic network device of claim 8 , wherein the splitter comprises a 1×8 splitter.

11. The fiber optic network device of claim 8 , wherein the splitter comprises a plurality of splitters, and wherein at least one of the plurality of splitters is a 1×4 splitter, and wherein at least one of the plurality of splitters is a 1×8 splitter adapted to receive at least one of the ones of the plurality of optical fibers as an output from the 1×4 splitter.

12. An optical connection terminal for optically connecting a fiber optic distribution cable with fiber optic drop cables, the optical terminal comprising:
an enclosure defining an exterior surface and an interior cavity, wherein the enclosure has a cable opening in the exterior surface configured for receiving a first segment of a branch cable having a plurality of optical fibers optically coupled to the fiber optic distribution cable; and
a plurality of ports disposed in the exterior surface, wherein the optical connection terminal is configured such that ones of the plurality of ports are operable for optically coupling ones of the plurality of optical fibers each to at least one drop cable external to the optical connection terminal according to a predetermined port mapping scheme.

13. The optical connection terminal of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of ports comprises at least one drop port and at least one pass-through port, and wherein the pass-through port is operable for optically coupling certain of the ones of the plurality of optical fibers to the at least one drop cable through another optical connection terminal external to the optical connection terminal according to the first predetermined port mapping scheme.

14. The optical connection terminal of claim 13 , wherein each of the at least one pass-through port has a pass-through connector seated therein, and wherein the pass-though connector comprises a plurality of connection ports adapted for receiving in an alignment according to the first predetermined port mapping scheme the certain of the ones of the plurality of optical fibers.

15. The optical connection terminal of claim 14 , wherein the another optical connection terminal comprises a second pass-through port having a second pass-through connector, and wherein the second pass-through connector has connection ports adapted for receiving a plurality of optical fibers in the alignment.

16. The optical connection terminal of claim 12 , further comprising a splitter, wherein at least one of the plurality of ports is operable to optically couple at least one of the plurality of optical fibers to a drop cable according to a second predetermined port mapping scheme, and wherein the at least one of the plurality of optical fibers inputs to the splitter, and an optical fiber outputs from the splitter and connects to the at least one of the plurality of ports.

17. The optical connection terminal of claim 16 , wherein the splitter comprises a 1×4 splitter.

18. The optical connection terminal of claim 16 , wherein the splitter comprises a 1×8 splitter.

19. The optical connection terminal of claim 16 , wherein the splitter comprises a plurality of splitters, and wherein at least one of the plurality of splitters is a 1×4 splitter, and wherein at least one of the plurality of splitters is a 1×8 splitter adapted to receive at least one optical fiber output from the 1×4 splitter according to the second predetermined port mapping scheme.

20. A method for optically coupling a fiber optic distribution cable with fiber optic drop cables, the method comprising:
disposing a plurality of optical fibers optically coupled to the fiber optic distribution cable in a fiber optic network device;
providing a plurality of ports opening into the fiber optic network device; and
configuring the fiber optic network device wherein the ones of the plurality of ports are operable for optically coupling the ones of the plurality of optical fibers each to a drop cable external to the fiber optic device according to a first predetermined port mapping scheme.

21. A method for optically coupling a fiber optic distribution cable with fiber optic drop cables, the method comprising:
providing an optical connection terminal comprising an enclosure defining an exterior surface and an interior cavity, wherein the enclosure has a cable opening in the exterior surface for receiving a first segment of a branch cable having a plurality

Assignees

• Conner Mark E
• Corning Cable Sys Llc

Inventors

• Conner Mark E

Classifications

• G02B6/4472

  Manifolds · CPC title

• G02B6/4475

  with provision for lateral branching (G02B6/4431 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B6/44524 Primary

  with frame parts or auxiliary devices mounted on the frame and collectively not covering a whole width of the frame or rack (cassettes G02B6/4453) · CPC title

• G02B6/44515

  Fibre drop terminals with surplus length (without surplus length G02B6/4472) · CPC title

• G02B6/44528

  Patch-cords; Connector arrangements in the system or in the box (routing arrangements H04Q1/00) · CPC title