Traceable optical fiber cable and filtered viewing device for enhanced traceability

An optical communication cable for use with a system for tracing the optical communication cable comprising:

• a cable body including a first end, a second end, an outer surface, an inner surface, and a channel defined by the inner surface and extending a length between the first end and the second end;
• an optical communication element located in the channel;
• an elongate light emitting element extending along at least a portion of the length of the cable body;
• and
• a plurality of light transmitting windows spaced periodically along the length of the cable body, wherein the light emitting element passes through the plurality of light transmitting windows, wherein the cable body includes a plurality of opaque sections located between adjacent light transmitting windows, wherein the light emitting element passes through the plurality of opaque sections, wherein the plurality of light transmitting windows are formed from a light transmitting polymer material.

A traceable optical communication cable comprising:

• a cable body including a first end, a second end, an outer surface, an inner surface, and a channel defined by the inner surface and extending a length between the first end and the second end;
• an optical communication element located in the channel;
• and
• an elongate light emitting element extending along at least a portion of the length of the cable body and embedded in the cable body between the inner surface and the outer surface of the cable body;
• wherein the cable body includes a plurality of light transmitting windows spaced from each other along the length of the cable body, wherein the light emitting element passes through the plurality of light transmitting windows;
• wherein the cable body includes a plurality of opaque sections located between adjacent light transmitting sections, wherein the light emitting element passes through the plurality of opaque sections, and wherein the plurality of light transmitting windows are formed from a light transmitting polymer material.

A method of tracing a path of a first cable within a group of cables comprising:

• emitting light from an outer surface of a cable body of the first cable along at least a portion of a length of the first cable, wherein the emitted light has a wavelength range, wherein the cable body comprises a first end, a second end, the outer surface, an inner surface, and a channel defined by the inner surface and extending the length between the first end and the second end, wherein the cable body comprises a plurality of light transmitting windows spaced periodically along the length of the cable body, wherein a light emitting element passes through the plurality of light transmitting windows such that the light emitted from the outer surface of the cable body is transmitted out of the cable body through the plurality of light transmitting windows, wherein the cable body includes a plurality of opaque sections located between adjacent light transmitting windows, wherein the light emitting element passes through the plurality of opaque sections, wherein the plurality of light transmitting windows are formed from a light transmitting polymer material;
• filtering light within the wavelength range from ambient light;
• and
• detecting the filtered light to identify the first cable within the group of cables.