Intelligent fiber port management

• US 10,225,628 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2017
• Issued: 03/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fiber Mountain, Inc. (Green Lambda Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fiber Mountain, Inc. (Green Lambda Corp.)
• Inventors: Raza, Mohammad H., Stone, David G, Lorenzo, Aristito, Ly, Phuc Minh
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh V
• Application Number:
  US15/705,084
• Publication Number:
  US 20180077472A1
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 340687, 3406861, 340653, 34081545, 385134-139
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3879 Linking of individual connector plugs to an overconnector, e.g. using clamps, clips, common housings comprising several individual connector plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3885 Multicore or multichannel optical connectors, i.e. one single ferrule containing more than one fibre, e.g. ribbon type optical ribbon cable G02B6/4403, G02B6/448
• CPC Class Codes: 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
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4246 Bidirectionally operating package structures
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/428 containing printed circuit boards [PCB]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4292 the light guide being disconnectable from the opto-electronic element, e.g. mutually self aligning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4452 Distribution frames
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4472 Manifolds
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/13 Patch panels for monitoring, interconnecting or testing circuits, e.g. patch bay, patch field or jack field; Patching modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/148 Identification strips for distribution frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2201/804 in optical transmission systems

Abstract

A fiber port management system that can be connected between network devices and network appliances is provided. The fiber port management system includes a housing, one or more hydra cables within the housing, one or more indicators and a controller. The housing has a front panel with a plurality of low density fiber connectors and a rear panel with a plurality of high density fiber connectors. The hydra cable is positioned within the housing and connects one of the plurality of high density fiber connectors to two or more of the plurality of low density fiber connectors. The one or more indicators are associated with each of the plurality of low density fiber connectors and each of the plurality of high density fiber connectors. The controller is located within the housing and is used to control the operation of the indicators.

Claims

1. A networking system comprising:

at least one network device;

at least one network appliance; and

a fiber port management system having a high density side in communication with the at least one network device, and a low density side in communication with the at least one network appliance, wherein the fiber port management system comprises;

a housing having a front panel with a plurality of low density fiber connectors forming the low density side, and a rear panel with a plurality of high density fiber connectors forming the high density side;

at least one hydra cable within the housing and connecting one of the plurality of high density fiber connectors to at least two of the plurality of low density fiber connectors;

at least one indicator associated with each of the plurality of low density fiber connectors;

at least one indicator associated with each of the plurality of high density fiber connectors; and

a controller within the housing and used to control the operation of the at least one indicator associated with each of the plurality of low density fiber connectors and the at least one indicator associated with each of the plurality of high density fiber connectors.

2. The networking system according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of low density fiber connectors comprise single fiber connectors.

3. The networking system according to claim 2 wherein the single fiber connectors comprise one of LC, SC or FC/PC connectors.

4. The networking system device according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of low density fiber connectors comprise connectors having a density that is less than the density of the plurality of high density fiber connectors.

5. The networking system according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of high density fiber connectors comprise multi-fiber connectors.

6. The networking system according to claim 5 wherein the multi-fiber connectors comprise one of MPO, MXC or MTP connectors.

7. The networking system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one indicator associated with each of the plurality of low density fiber connectors comprises an LED.

8. The networking system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one indicator associated with each of the plurality of high density fiber connectors comprises an LED.

9. The networking system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one network device facilitates data center or network communications.

10. The networking system according to claim 9 wherein the at least one network device comprises one of a network switch or patch panel.

11. The networking system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one network appliance facilitates user interaction with the networking system.

12. The networking system according to claim 11 wherein the at least one network appliance comprises one of a network data storage device or network server.