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

An optical fiber signal distribution sub-combination for systems 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.

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 including vertically separated horizontal shafts 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 stepper motor constructed and adapted to increment the frame on the shafts laterally to engage or disengage a selected optical fiber housing in a connector receptacle at that location.