Passive distribution system using fiber indexing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9348096-B2
Application number	US-201414285949-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2014
Priority date	Mar 30, 2012
Publication date	May 24, 2016
Grant date	May 24, 2016

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to systems and method for deploying a fiber optic network. Distribution devices are used to index fibers within the system to ensure that live fibers are provided at output locations throughout the system. In an example, fibers can be indexed in multiple directions within the system. In an example, fibers can be stored and deployed form storage spools.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fiber optic network architecture comprising:
a plurality of fiber optic lines routed at least partially along a route that extends past a plurality of drop locations;
a plurality of multi-fiber optical connectors positioned along the route, the fiber optic lines extending through the multi-fiber optical connectors, the multi-fiber optical connectors each having a plurality of consecutive fiber positions for receiving optical fibers corresponding to the fiber optic lines, each of the multi-fiber optical connectors including a hardened multi-fiber connector including an environmental seal and including a rotatable fastening mechanism for a robust mechanical connection;
the fiber optic lines including first fiber lines that are indexed in a first indexing direction along the consecutive fiber positions of the multi-fiber optical connectors as the first fiber optic lines extend in a first route direction along the route, the first fiber optic lines being progressively dropped from the route to subscriber connection points at the drop locations by progressively indexing the first fiber optic lines to one of the consecutive fiber positions that is a first predetermined drop position; and
the fiber optic lines including second fiber lines that are indexed in a second indexing direction along the consecutive fiber positions as the second fiber optic lines extend in a second route direction along the route, the second fiber optic lines being progressively dropped from the route to subscriber connection points at the drop locations by progressively indexing the second fiber optic lines to another of the consecutive fiber positions that is a second predetermined drop position, the second predetermined drop position being a different one of the consecutive fiber positions as compared to the first predetermined drop position, the first indexing direction being opposite from the second indexing direction, and the first route direction being opposite from the second route direction.

2. The fiber optic network architecture of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of consecutive fiber positions include at least 6 consecutive fiber positions.

3. The fiber optic network architecture of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of consecutive fiber positions include at least 12 consecutive fiber positions.

4. The fiber optic network architecture of claim 1 , wherein the first fiber optic lines and the second fiber optic lines are part of a fiber loop.

5. The fiber optic network architecture of claim 1 , wherein the first fiber optic lines and the second fiber optic lines extend to a common location.

6. The fiber optic network architecture of claim 5 , wherein the common location is a central office.

7. A fiber optic network architecture comprising:
a plurality of fiber optic lines routed at least partially along a route that extends past a plurality of drop locations;
a plurality of multi-fiber optical connectors positioned along the route, the fiber optic lines extending through the multi-fiber optical connectors, the multi-fiber optical connectors each having a plurality of consecutive fiber positions for receiving optical fibers corresponding to the fiber optic lines, each of the multi-fiber optical connectors including a hardened multi-fiber connector including an environmental seal and a rotatable fastening mechanism for a robust mechanical connection;
the fiber optic lines including first fiber lines that are indexed in a first indexing direction along the consecutive fiber positions of the multi-fiber optical connectors as the first fiber optic lines extend in a first route direction along the route, the first fiber optic lines being progressively indexed toward one of the consecutive fiber positions that is a first predetermined drop position;
the fiber optic lines including second fiber lines that are indexed in a second indexing direction along the consecutive fiber positions as the second fiber optic lines extend in a second route direction along the route, the second fiber optic lines being progressively indexed toward another of the consecutive fiber positions that is a second predetermined drop position, the second predetermined drop position being a different one of the consecutive fiber positions as compared to the first predetermined drop position, the first indexing direction being opposite from the second indexing direction, and the first route direction being opposite from the second route direction; and
at least some of the first predetermined drop positions and at least some of the second predetermined drop positions being coupled to subscriber locations.

8. The fiber optic network architecture of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of consecutive fiber positions include at least 6 consecutive fiber positions.

9. The fiber optic network architecture of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of consecutive fiber positions include at least 12 consecutive fiber positions.

10. The fiber optic network architecture of claim 7 , wherein the first fiber optic lines and the second fiber optic lines are part of a fiber loop.

11. The fiber optic network architecture of claim 7 , wherein the first fiber optic lines and the second fiber optic lines extend to a common location.

12. The fiber optic network architecture of claim 11 , wherein the common location is a central office.

13. A method for operating the fiber optic network architecture of claim 7 , comprising:
directing first signals through the first fiber lines in the first route direction; and
directing second signals through the second fiber lines in the second route direction.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising directing the first signals from the first predetermined drop locations to subscriber locations, and directing the second signals from the second predetermined drop locations to subscriber locations.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first and second signals are directed to the first and second fiber lines from a central office.

16. The fiber optic network architecture of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable fastening mechanism includes a threaded fastener.

17. The fiber optic network architecture of claim 7 , wherein the rotatable fastening mechanism includes a threaded fastener.

Assignees

• Commscope Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Kmit Paul
• Parsons Thomas
• Gronvall Erik J
• Ellens Douglas C
• Toundas Panayiotis
• Badar Timothy G
• Smith Trevor D

Classifications

• H04Q11/0067

  Provisions for optical access or distribution networks, e.g. Gigabit Ethernet Passive Optical Network (GE-PON), ATM-based Passive Optical Network (A-PON), PON-Ring · CPC title

• H04B10/27

  Arrangements for networking · CPC title

• H04J14/0205

  Select and combine arrangements, e.g. with an optical combiner at the output after adding or dropping · CPC title

• G02B6/4457 Primary

  Bobbins; Reels · CPC title

• G02B6/3885 Primary

  Multicore or multichannel optical connectors, i.e. one single ferrule containing more than one fibre, e.g. ribbon type (optical ribbon cable G02B6/4403, G02B6/448) · CPC title