# US 9,575,258 B2 · Switching patch cord fibers > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,575,258 B2 - Document ID: US9575258B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/653,279 - Filed: 2013-12-08 - Published: 2015-11-19 - Granted: 2017-02-21 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-20 - Assignees: Wave2Wave Solution Inc. - Applicants: Wave2Wave Solution Inc. - Inventors: Hai Pedut; Yossi Halfon; Amnon Segal; Ariel Yemini; Yonatan Silberman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9575258B2 ## CPC - G02B 6/3504: {Rotating, tilting or pivoting the waveguides, or with the waveguides describing a curved path (rotary joint G02B6/3628)} - G02B 6/3508: {Lateral or transverse displacement of the whole waveguides, e.g. by varying the distance between opposed waveguide ends, or by mutual lateral displacement of opposed waveguide ends} - G02B 6/3556: {NxM switch, i.e. regular arrays of switches elements of matrix type constellation} - G02B 6/356: {in an optical cross-connect device, e.g. routing and switching aspects of interconnecting different paths propagating different wavelengths to (re)configure the various input and output links (switching polarized beams G02B6/3594; power equalizers G02B6/356 and G02B6/3594; path selecting means H04Q11/0001)} - G02B 6/3574: {Mechanical force, e.g. pressure variations} - G02B 6/3895: {identification of connection, e.g. right plug to the right socket or full engagement of the mating parts (keying element on the plug or adapter G02B6/3831; keying element on the ferrule G02B6/3851; keying element for electrical connection H01R13/64)} - G02B 6/3898: {Tools, e.g. handheld; Tuning wrenches; Jigs used with connectors, e.g. for extracting, removing or inserting in a panel, for engaging or coupling connectors, for assembling or disassembling components within the connector, for applying clips to hold two connectors together or for crimping (tools for cleaning, G02B6/3866; tools in general B25B)} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract Provided herein are switching methods and systems for switching a patch cord fiber in a fiber management system having non-tensioned patch cord fibers, from a first adapter to a second adapter. Switching comprises disconnecting the patch cord fiber connector from the first adapter; distinguishing the disconnected patch cord fiber, at a region removed from the connector, from other patch cord fibers according to a position of the patch cord fiber in the fiber management system; pulling the distinguished patch cord fiber at the handling region to receive and clasp the disconnected connector, wherein the pulling is carried out to disentangle the pulled patch cord fiber from the other patch cord fibers; and connecting the clasped connector to the second adapter. The patch cord fibers are thus manages at edges thereof only, with no slack control required. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of switching, from a first adapter to a second adapter, a patch cord fiber in a fiber management system having a plurality of non-tensioned patch cord fibers, the patch cord fiber having a connector connected at the first adapter, the method comprising: disconnecting the connector from the first adapter; distinguishing the disconnected patch cord fiber, at a handling region removed from the connector, from other patch cord fibers according to a position of the patch cord fiber in the fiber management system; pulling the distinguished patch cord fiber at the handling region to receive and clasp the disconnected connector, wherein the pulling is carried out to disentangle the pulled patch cord fiber from the other patch cord fibers; and connecting the clasped connector to the second adapter wherein the method is carried out by a robotic unit, and wherein the disconnecting and the connecting are carried out at an adapter handling region and the distinguishing and the pulling are carried out at a cord handling region. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the connecting comprises establishing a partial or a full connection of the clasped connector to the second adapter. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the adapter handling region and the cord handling region are located on a rotatable support, and the method further comprises rotating the rotatable support to at least partially match the adapter handling region and the cord handling region. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the adapter handling region and the cord handling region are located on a rotatable support, and the method further comprises rotating the rotatable support to carry out the pulling. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the adapter handling region and the cord handling region are located on a vertical rotatable support, and the connecting is carried out to place the connected patch cord fiber on top of the other patch cord fibers. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising approaching specific adapters through paths between radially arranged adapters. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising approaching specific patch cord fibers at the handling region through paths between radially arranged patch cord fiber positions. ### Claim 8 A patch cord fiber switching system comprising: a cord support comprising a plurality of adapters; a robotic unit comprising a robotic arm and a controller thereof, arranged to: disconnect a connector of a patch cord fiber from a first adapter, the patch cord fiber one of a plurality of non-tensioned patch cord fibers in a fiber management system; distinguish the disconnected patch cord fiber, at a handling region removed from the connector, from other patch cord fibers according to a position of the patch cord fiber in the fiber management system; pull the distinguished patch cord fiber at the handling region to disentangle the pulled patch cord fiber from the other patch cord fibers and to receive and clasp the disconnected connector; and connecting the clasped connector to a second adapter, wherein the robotic unit is arranged to perform the disconnecting and the connecting at an adapter handling region and to perform the distinguishing and the pulling at a cord handling region. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The patch cord fiber switching system of claim 8, wherein: the cord support is a rotatable disc having an operative face with the adapters in a predefined adapter sector thereon, the disc further comprising a predefined cord sector arranged to let the patch cord fibers through openings in the disc to the operative face; and the handling region is the cord sector on the operative face. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The patch cord fiber switching system of claim 9, wherein the controller is further arranged to rotate the disc to match at least partially the adapter handling region and the cord handling region. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The patch cord fiber switching system of claim 9, wherein the controller is further arranged to rotate the disc to pull the distinguished patch cord fiber through a pulling arm of the robotic unit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The patch cord fiber switching system of claim 9, wherein the adapters are positioned in the adapter handling sector in a radial manner, leaving paths between adjacent radial rows of adapters, and wherein the robotic unit is arranged to move the robotic arm through the paths to disconnect and to connect respective connectors. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The patch cord fiber switching system of claim 9, wherein the openings are positioned in the cord handling sector in a radial manner, leaving paths between adjacent radial rows of openings, and wherein the robotic unit is arranged to move the robotic arm through the paths to distinguish and to pull respective cords. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The patch cord fiber switching system of claim 9, wherein the rotatable disc is vertically positioned and the connecting is carried out to place the connected patch cord fiber on top of the other patch cord fibers. ### Claim 15 A fiber management system comprising: a rotatable cord support comprising a plurality of adapters, radially arranged on an operative face of the rotatable cord support, and a plurality of radially arranged openings through the rotatable cord support; a plurality of non-tensioned patch cord fibers passing through the openings to the operative face and having connectors connected to the adapters in the rotatable cord support; and a robotic unit comprising a robotic arm and a controller thereof, arranged to: disconnect a selected connector of a corresponding patch cord fiber from a corresponding first adapter; distinguish the disconnected patch cord fiber at the corresponding opening; pull the distinguished patch cord fiber to disentangle the pulled patch cord fiber from the other patch cord fibers and to receive and clasp the disconnected connector; and connecting the clasped connector to a target adapter. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The fiber management system of claim 15, further comprising a user interface arranged to receive patch cord fiber selections and target adapters therefor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The fiber management system of claim 15, further comprising a patch panel from which the patch cord fibers originate and to which the adapters are connected via auxiliary cords. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The fiber management system of claim 15, wherein the robotic unit is arranged to perform the disconnecting and the connecting at an adapter handling region and to perform the distinguishing and the pulling at a cord handling region. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The fiber management system of claim 18, wherein the rotatable cord support is a disc controlled by the controller, which is further arranged to rotate the disc to match at least partially the adapter handling region and the cord handling region. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The fiber management system of claim 15, wherein the adapters and the connectors are arranged to have a fully engaged state and a partially engaged state in which the connector is mechanically but not optically engaged to the adapter.