Method and system for identifying optical fibers and buffer tubes
OwnerDean J. Rattazzi, Nicholas V. Nechitailoinventors
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Abstract
A method and device for coding and locating fibers in a cable is provided. The cable includes a plurality of buffer tubes each containing a plurality of fibers and a jacket circumscribing the buffer tubes. The method includes the step of color coding each fiber of the cable with a layered color coding system. Each fiber has a unique combination of colored layers, so as to be easily distinguishable from the other fibers in the cable.
Claims14
A method for coding and locating fibers in a cable including a plurality of buffer tubes each containing a plurality of fibers, and a jacket circumscribing said buffer tubes, comprising the steps of:
- color coding the cable with a color coding system in which at least said fibers include multi-color layers;
- scanning an image of a cross-sectional end of the cable;
- displaying the scanned image of the cross-sectional end of the cable into a digital image;
- assigning a unique identification code to each of said fibers based on the color coding system;
- and
- navigating the digital image to locate one of said fibers based on the identification code thereof.
A cable, comprising:
- a plurality of fibers;
- and
- at least two different colored coatings disposed on each of said plurality of fibers, so that each of said plurality of fibers has a unique combination of colored coatings.
A method for color coding a fiber optic cable, comprising the steps of:
- supplying a fiber optic cable having fibers therein;
- applying a first colored coating on one of said fibers;
- and
- applying a second colored coating on said first colored coating.
A color identification system for use in a structure having a plurality of discrete components, comprising:
- a first colored coating disposed on each of the plurality of discrete components;
- and
- a second colored coating layered on each of said first colored coatings to form a layer combination,
- wherein each of the plurality of discrete components has a unique layer combination.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.