User-configurable optical fiber link
AssigneeAvago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
InventorNikolaus W. Schunk
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An optical fiber connector includes a connector body and a submodule having a user-selectable configuration, such as a splitter or coupler. The connector body has a submodule mounting region. A first end of the connector body has a pluggable optical fiber port. A second end of the connector body has at least one body fiber guide. The submodule is releasably mounted in the submodule mounting region. The submodule has at least one submodule fiber guide aligned with at least one body fiber guide and at least one submodule fiber guide aligned with the pluggable optical fiber port. One or more optical fibers are routed through the connector body in accordance with the submodule configuration.
Claims20
An optical fiber connector, comprising:
- a connector body elongated in a direction of a longitudinal axis between a first end and a second end, the connector body having a submodule mounting region between the first end and the second end, the first end of the connector body having a pluggable optical fiber port, the second end of the connector body having at least one body fiber guide;
- and
- a submodule releasably mounted in the submodule mounting region, the submodule having at least one submodule fiber guide aligned with the at least one body fiber guide and having at least one submodule fiber guide aligned with the pluggable optical fiber port.
A method for connecting a fiber network comprising at least one optical fiber using a connector comprising a connector body and a submodule, the connector body elongated in a direction of a longitudinal axis between a first end and a second end, the connector body having a submodule mounting region between the first end and second end, the first end of the connector body having a pluggable optical fiber port, the second end of the connector body having at least one body fiber guide, the submodule releasably mounted in the submodule mounting region, the submodule having at least one submodule fiber guide aligned with the at least one body fiber guide and having at least one submodule fiber guide aligned with the pluggable optical fiber port, the method comprising:
- selecting a submodule from among a plurality of selectable submodule types;
- mounting the submodule in the submodule mounting region;
- securing a release mechanism to secure the submodule in the submodule mounting region;
- and
- installing at least one optical fiber along a continuous optical path including the at least one body fiber guide, the at least one submodule fiber guide, and the pluggable optical fiber port.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.