System and method for providing large scale, automated, fiber-optic, cross-connection
US7747124B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 30, 2008 |
| Grant date | Jun 29, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 11, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/3801
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A system and method for automatically inserting optical-fiber (fiber-optics) cable jumpers into a patch panel to connect optical signal source equipment to optical signal destination equipment, and for automatically removing those jumpers from that patch panel to disconnect that equipment. This is accomplished robotically under computer control. Large scale fiber-optical splicings can be made, on the order often thousand (10,000) separate optical splices or more. Previous embodiments required hand insertion of these jumpers. Embodiments of the present invention permit any un-occupied port to be connected to any other un-occupied port, regardless of their input or output port status, where previous embodiments required only unoccupied input ports to be connected to unoccupied output ports.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.