Optical fiber power splitter module apparatus

• US 20060165366A1
• Filed: 01/24/2005
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Furukawa Electric North America Incorporated (Furukawa Electric Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Furukawa Electric North America Incorporated (Furukawa Electric Company Limited)
• Inventors: Zhang, Hongbo, Hendrickson, Daniel, Feustel, Clay A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,218,828 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/1215 Splitter
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2804 forming multipart couplers without wavelength selective elements, e.g. "T" couplers, star couplers
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4453 Cassettes

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention include an optical power splitting module apparatus. The module apparatus includes at least one input port, one or more multi-fiber output ports, and an optical fiber-splitter device coupled therebetween. The optical splitter device has a first end configured as at least one single optical fiber, and a second end configured as one or more multi-fiber groups. The first end of the splitter device is coupled to the input port and the second end of the splitter device is coupled to the output ports. The first end of the splitter device is, e.g., an LC connector. The second end of the splitter device is, e.g., one or more Multi-fiber Push On (MPO) connectors. The optical splitter device is, e.g., a 1×N planar lightwave circuit (PLC) splitter, such as a 1×32 PLC splitter with an LC input connector and four 8-fiber MPO output connectors.

Claims

1. A module apparatus for splitting optical power, the module comprising:

at least one input port configured for coupling to an optical fiber;

at least one multi-fiber output port, the output port configured for coupling to a plurality of optical fibers;

an optical splitter coupled between the input port and the plurality of output ports, the optical splitter having a first end configured as a single fiber and a second end coupled as a plurality of multi-fiber groups, wherein the first end is coupled to the input port and the second end is coupled to the plurality of multi-fiber output ports.

2. The module apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the input port further comprises a single fiber connector.

3. The module apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the input port is configured for coupling to a single fiber connector.

4. The module apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the input port further comprises an adapter configured for coupling a pair of single fiber connectors.

5. The module apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one multi-fiber output port further comprises a Multi-Fiber Push-On (MPO) connector.

6. The module apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one multi-fiber output port is configured for coupling to a Multi-Fiber Push-On (MPO) connector.

7. The module apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one multi-fiber output port further comprises an adapter for coupling a pair of Multi-Fiber Push-On (MPO) connectors.

8. The module apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one multi-fiber output port further comprises a plurality of multi-fiber output ports.

9. The module apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the optical splitter further comprises a 1×

N fiber planar light circuit (PLC) splitter.

10. The module apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the optical splitter further comprises a 1×

N fiber planar lightwave circuit (PLC) splitter, where N is a multiple of 8, and wherein the at least one multi-fiber output port further comprises a corresponding multiple of 8-fiber Multi-Fiber Push-On (MPO) connectors.

11. The module apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the optical splitter further comprises a 1×

32 planar lightwave circuit (PLC) splitter, and wherein the at least one multi-fiber output port further comprises four 8-fiber Multi-Fiber Push-On (MPO) connectors.

12. The module apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the least one multi-fiber output port is configured to interconnect at least one multi-fiber connector to the second end of the 1×

N optical splitter.

13. The module apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a module housing dimensioned to house the optical splitter, the module housing including a connection panel, wherein the input port and the at least one multi-fiber output port are coupled to the connection panel.