Connector and receptacle containing a physical security feature
First Claim
1. An optical network comprising:
- a plurality of different optical fiber receptacles for facilitating an optical connection to different information networks requiring different access authorization, each different optical fiber receptacle optically coupled to one and only one different information network, each optical fiber receptacle having an inner surface with a first geometry, said first geometry comprising at least a slot, a certain number of optical fiber receptacles having different first geometries in which the slots are in different positions; and
a plurality of different optical fiber plugs for optically coupling with said different optical fiber receptacles, each optical fiber plug having a second geometry, said second geometry comprising at least a key in a certain position, said certain number of optical fiber plugs having different second geometries in which the keys are in different positions, each different first geometry corresponding to one and only one second geometry such that the optical fiber plugs and receptacles of corresponding first and second geometries are mating pairs.
12 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An optical network comprising: (a) a plurality of different optical fiber receptacles for facilitating an optical connection to different information networks requiring different access authorization, each different optical fiber receptacle optically coupled to one and only one different information network, each optical fiber receptacle having an inner surface with a first geometry, the first geometry comprising at least a slot, a certain number of optical fiber receptacles having different first geometries in which the slots are in different positions; and (b) a plurality of different optical fiber plugs for optically coupling with the different optical fiber receptacles, each optical fiber plug having a second geometry, the second geometry comprising at least a key in a certain position, the certain number of optical fiber plugs having different second geometries in which the keys are in different positions, each different first geometry corresponding to one and only one second geometry such that the optical fiber plugs and receptacles of corresponding first and second geometries are mating pairs.
24 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. An optical network comprising:
-
a plurality of different optical fiber receptacles for facilitating an optical connection to different information networks requiring different access authorization, each different optical fiber receptacle optically coupled to one and only one different information network, each optical fiber receptacle having an inner surface with a first geometry, said first geometry comprising at least a slot, a certain number of optical fiber receptacles having different first geometries in which the slots are in different positions; and
a plurality of different optical fiber plugs for optically coupling with said different optical fiber receptacles, each optical fiber plug having a second geometry, said second geometry comprising at least a key in a certain position, said certain number of optical fiber plugs having different second geometries in which the keys are in different positions, each different first geometry corresponding to one and only one second geometry such that the optical fiber plugs and receptacles of corresponding first and second geometries are mating pairs. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. In a family of connectors comprising a standard optical fiber plug and a standard optical fiber receptacle a secure connector system for providing discriminating mating among secure and standard optical fiber plugs and optical fiber receptacles, said secure connector system comprising:
-
at least a first optical fiber plug and a second optical fiber plug, said first optical fiber plug comprising a first key in a first position, said second optical fiber plug comprising a second key in a second position, said first and second positions being different, said first and said optical fiber plugs each comprising a secondary key, said secondary key being in the same relative position on said first and second optical fiber plugs, said first and second optical fiber plugs being physically the same except for the position of their respective key;
wherein said first optical fiber plug is configured to mate with a first receptacle, said first optical fiber —
receptacle having a first slot in a first position and a secondary key, said first slot adapted to receive said first key and said secondary slot adapted to receive said secondary key to allow said first optical fiber plug to mate with said first optical fiber receptacle to form a mating pair, said first key interfering with second optical fiber receptacle to prevent said first optical fiber plug from mating with said second optical fiber receptacle; and
wherein said second optical fiber plug is configured to mate with said second receptacle, said second receptacle having a second slot in a second position and a secondary, slot, said secondary, slots of said first and second optical fiber receptacles being in the same relative position, said second slot being adapted to receive said second key and said secondary slot being adapted to receive said secondary key to allow said second optical fiber plug to mate with said second optical fiber receptacle to form a mating pair, said second key interfering with said first optical fiber receptacle to prevent said second optical fiber plug from mating with said first optical fiber receptacle;
wherein said standard optical fiber plug and optical fiber receptacle do not have a secondary, slot and key, respectively;
wherein said first and second keys of said first and second plugs interfering with said standard optical fiber receptacle to prevent said first and second optical fiber plugs from mating with said standard optical fiber receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
- 13. (canceled)
Specification