US 11,579,382 B2 · System of large scale robotic fiber cross-connects using multi-fiber trunk reservation

Abstract

A large scale, non-blocking fiber optic cross-connect system consists of multiple stages, including a central multifiber per connection system. The number of ports of this cross-connect system scales to over 10,000, in an incremental, modular, field expandable approach. Two separate arrays of “edge” cross-connect systems using KBS methodology are positioned on opposite sides of a central core cross-connect system, wherein the core system is comprised of switchable blocks of multi-fiber trunk lines, each terminated in a single connector that is reconfigurable by robotic means. The trunk lines between edge cross-connects are controlled by a trunk line management system to provision/deprovision blocks of multiple connections at a time in a “core” cross-connect circuit block between edge cross- connects. The core system is configured to controllably interconnect the physically separate edge cross-connect systems which concurrently direct data along selected paths to and from the central core circuit block.

Claims16

Dependent claims

An optical fiber signal distribution system which transfer signals via groups of fibers, a group being moveable as a unit with respect to other groups, comprising:

an elongated bar spanning a number of signal junction locations spaced apart along the bar, each junction location including a female receptacle facing on a first side thereof and a coupling to an external circuit on the opposite side thereof;
a changeable number of elongated signal terminals removably engaged in individual ones of the signal junctions in the female receptacles therein, each signal terminal having a length of less than 10 cm and a transverse width of less than 20 mm, and encompassing a number of optical fibers within a flexible sleeve, the fibers extending away from the elongated bar to signal input sources;
and
a plurality of support elements individually coupled to the elongated bar in individual alignment and adjacency to the signal terminals and extending along at least a majority of the length of the signal terminals.

1 more element

An optical fiber terminal switching system for changing a location of a selected optical fiber in a two-dimensional distributed planar array of connector receptacles spaced apart in a two-dimensional grid of columns and rows to receive optical fibers from an entry side, the system comprising:

a plurality of optical fiber lines, each encompassing a selected number of optical fibers in individual housings and each terminating in a length of rigid housing of limited diameter and length for engagement in a selected connector receptacle;
and
a fiber positioning system controllable in position and dimension to fit between the columns in the receptacle array on the entry side, said fiber positioning system including a fiber terminal housing, engagement mechanism responsive to control signals to selectively control the position of the optical fiber terminal housing in a chosen connector receptacle,
wherein the fiber positioning system extends downwardly from the engagement mechanism and comprises:
a laterally slidable frame mounted on the positioning system and slidable parallel to the optical fiber lines and mounted for insertion/retraction operation of the frame by the positioning system, wherein the slidable frame comprises a solenoid operated mechanism selectively engaging the terminal length of an optical fiber line to be received in a selected connector, and a motor constructed and adapted to increment the frame on shafts laterally to engage or disengage a selected optical fiber housing in a connector receptacle at that location.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System of large scale robotic fiber cross-connects using multi-fiber trunk reservation

Life of this patent

System of large scale robotic fiber cross-connects using multi-fiber trunk reservation

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16