SCALABLE AND MODULAR AUTOMATED FIBER OPTIC CROSS-CONNECT SYSTEMS

• US 20100316334A1
• Filed: 08/21/2008
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telescent Inc.
• Original Assignee: Anthony Kewitsch
• Inventors: Kewitsch, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 8,068,715 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/78
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3502 involving direct waveguide displacement, e.g. cantilever type waveguide displacement involving waveguide bending, or displacing an interposed waveguide between stationary waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3556 NxM switch, i.e. regular arrays of switches elements of matrix type constellation
• CPC Class Codes: 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
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3564 Mechanical details of the actuation mechanism associated with the moving element or mounting mechanism details
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4452 Distribution frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/145 with switches arranged in a matrix configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0005 Switch and router aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0058 Crossbar; Matrix

Abstract

This invention discloses highly scalable and modular automated optical cross connect switch devices which exhibit low loss and scalability to high port counts. In particular, a device for the programmable interconnection of large numbers of optical fibers (100'"'"'s-1000'"'"'s) is provided, whereby a two-dimensional array of fiber optic connections is mapped in an ordered and rule-based fashion into a one-dimensional array with tensioned fiber optic circuit elements tracing substantially straight lines there between. Fiber optic elements are terminated in a stacked arrangement of flexible fiber optic circuit elements with a capacity to retain excess fiber lengths while maintaining an adequate bend radius. The combination of these elements partitions the switch volume into multiple independent, non-interfering zones, which retain their independence for arbitrary and unlimited numbers of reconfigurations. The separation into spaced-apart zones provides clearance for one or more robotic actuators to enter the free volume substantially adjacent to the two-dimensional array of connectors and mechanically reconfigure connectors without interrupting other circuits.

Claims

1. An automated patch-panel system for fiber optic networks, the system being responsive to signal commands for reconfiguration of system interconnections between first and second networks and comprising:

an input array of dual ended terminals accessible to input optical lines from a first network on one side thereof, the input terminals being disposed in at least one dimension in a first plane with spaces between the terminals on a second side opposite the side of the first network, said second side defining one boundary of an interconnection volume;

a plurality of optical fiber lines removably coupled to the individual terminals of the input array and extending into the interconnection volume;

a second, intermediate array of coupling elements in a plane spaced apart from the input array and adjacent the intervening interconnection volume for collecting optical fiber lines from the input array in predetermined converging sets, the sets being disposed in the intermediate array at different levels relative to the input array;

a number of variable length fiber buffers in modular form disposed at different levels adjacent the intermediate array;

the buffers each coupling a number of fiber lines from the intermediate fiber line sets to a second network of the system, and compensating for length variations in the fibers while maintaining more than a minimum curvature therein;

a controller having a database storing vector data as to existing fiber line interconnections within the interconnection volume for generating position commands, and

an automated positioner adjacent the first plane, the positioner including a fiber line engagement mechanism for transferring fiber lines from selected target locations to destination locations within the input array in response to position commands from the controller.

2. A system as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein the controller generates position commands in response to the database to drive the engagement mechanism selectively through existing interconnections dependent on their local vectors such as to avoid entanglements with existing lines.

3. A system as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein the variable length fiber buffers comprise individual modular bodies of low height, each having a number of separate compliant elements within the body that are configured to maintain individual fiber lines at greater than a minimum bend radius and under a predetermined range of tension.

4. A system as set forth in claim 3 above, including in addition a number of splice trays in modular form interconnected to couple the fiber lines from the buffers to the second network, and wherein the system comprises a number of individual buffers and splice tray modules, whereby the system is readily scalable by the stacking of buffer modules and splice tray modules to accommodate additional fiber lines.

5. A system as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein the input array further includes a plurality of docking terminals distributed in non-interfering positions relative to the double ended terminals in the input array to permit temporary retention of a fiber line in a docking terminal when its input location is being reconfigured.

6. A system as set forth in claim 3 above, wherein the individual modules are configured with individual input panels, each having a row of double ended terminals and cooperative with a different buffer module, the spaces therebetween defining an intermediate interchange volume between the terminals and the buffers, such that the fiber lines therebetween principally follow substantially linear vectors in three dimensional space between different elevations in a stacked array of buffers.

7. A system as set forth in claim 3 above, wherein the input array comprises separate row panels having a number of terminals disposed in each row, the terminals in the row panels defining columns and rows with interstices therebetween, wherein the row elements are laterally movable over a selected distance, and the system also includes row shifters responsive to signal commands and coupled to the row panels, for enabling the positioner to interweave a signal line through existing fiber line interconnections without entangling.

8. A system as set forth in claim 7 above, wherein the second, intermediate array for collecting fibers comprises a backbone arrangement of low friction, substantially linearizing fiber guide sets each coupling a number of fiber lines to a different buffer.

9. A system as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein the system includes a voltage generator and probe at the system and the positioner, the voltage generator being coupled to the voltage probe and responsive to signals returned from a terminal, to ascertain the existing configuration of interconnections.

10. A system as set forth in claim 9 above, wherein the terminals include ID tags having unique signal response patterns for returning identifiable signals from the different terminals.

11. A system as set forth in claim 7 above, wherein the input array comprises a plurality of docking terminals, each aligned with a different column of terminals and outside the field thereof, wherein the row shifters comprise signal actuated linear actuators responsive to commands from the controller to facilitate interweaving a fiber line through existing interconnections.

12. A system as set forth in claim 7 above, wherein the controller provides elevation and lateral commands to the positioner and row shifting commands to the linear actuators in integrated sequences to interweave the gripper and the engaged optical fiber in a non-engaging pattern through the vectors of existing fiber lines in the interconnection volume.

13. A system as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein the fiber lines include end connectors for engaging in the terminals and the positioner comprises a gripper element transversely engageable to the end connector of a selected fiber line and the gripper is signal controlled for engagement/disengagement of the end connector in selected terminals of the array.

14. A system as set forth in claim 13 above, wherein the positioner includes a video camera scanning the immediate area of the first plane for generating an image thereof.

15. A system as set forth in claim 14 above, wherein in addition the input array includes positional indicia on the input array side facing the camera, and wherein the positioner places the gripper at a coarse target position in accordance with the signal command and the gripper is then positioned more precisely by servo control of the gripper in response to local positional indicia on the array.

16. A system as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein the terminals in the input array are disposed in columns and rows, with inter-columnar spacings greater than the width of the fiber line engagement mechanism, and wherein the system includes a plurality of docking ports intermediate the terminal columns, and the positioner includes a mechanism for laterally shifting a fiber line from a docking port in one column to the adjacent docking port at that elevation in the next column.

17. A system as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein the automated positioner comprises at least two linear mechanisms mounted in parallel spaced apart relation along and adjacent the input array and the input array comprises orthogonally disposed columns and rows of terminals and where the positioner mechanism includes a connector gripper mechanism actuable under signal command to translate a fiber line between columns laterally and to shift to parallelism along the columns for movement along the columns transverse to the rows without interference with existing connections.

18. A system as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein the input array comprises orthogonally disposed columns and rows of terminal positions, and the automated positioner comprises at least two linear mechanisms aligned with the columns and each supporting at least one individual fiber line engagement mechanism, the linear mechanism driving the engagement mechanism therealong to different row positions, the positioner further including a mechanism for rotating the linear mechanisms about their columnar axes, and a transfer device disposed between the linear mechanisms for translating a fiber line between fiber line engagement mechanisms.

19. An automated patch panel responsive to signal commands for controlling the interconnection of optical fiber strands between networks comprising:

an input array body including dual ended terminals, the input array body being disposed in at least two dimensions in a first plane and accessible to external input strands from a first network, the terminals being arranged with intervening adjacent spaces permitting physical movement between the terminals;

a plurality of interior optical fiber strands engaged reconfigurably into the interior side of individual terminals in the input array;

a second array in a plane spaced apart from the input array for coupling the strands to a second network;

a number of variable length strand buffers coupled between the second array and the second network for compensating for length variations in fiber strands from the input array as the interconnections are reconfigured, and

an automated positioner receiving the signal commands and movable adjacent the interior side of the input array to transfer fiber strands in two dimensions from selected input terminals in the input array to destination terminals within the input array.

20. A system as set forth in claim 19 wherein the input array is two-dimensional with columns and rows separated by interstices receiving the positioner, the positioner being sized to pass in the interstices between existing strands engaged in the terminals of the input array.

21. An automated patch panel as set forth in claim 19 above, wherein the input array strand buffers comprise a number of modular bodies, each having a relatively small height dimension and the panel further being configured to define a strand line interconnection volume between the input array and the second array, such that the modular bodies can occupy different elevations relative to the input array.

22. An automated patch panel as set forth in claim 21 above, wherein the input array includes a number of strand guides open to the interconnection volume along a backbone axis for collecting a number of strands for passage to the strand buffers.

23. A system as set forth in claim 22 above, wherein the terminals of the input array are arranged in rows, and the system includes shifter mechanisms responsive to signal commands and coupled to each of the rows of terminals, such that the rows of the input array are laterally shiftable in response to signal commands and wherein the positioner is movable along the interstices between columns and the strands are interwoven around existing strands by movement under signal command of both the positioner along columns, and movement of rows of terminals as the positioner moves among columns.

24. A system as set forth in claim 19 above, wherein the positioner includes a mechanism for transporting strands comprising at least two columnar transports positioned in adjacent columnar interstices, and a lateral transport mechanism for transferring the selected connector from one columnar transport to the other, said lateral transport mechanism including a mechanism for pivoting into parallelism with the columns.

25. A system as set forth in claim 19 above, wherein the system is configured with a two-dimensional input array and a one-dimensional output array.

26. A system as set forth in claim 19 above, wherein the system is configured with a two-dimensional input array and a two-dimensional output array.

27. A system as set forth in claim 19 above, wherein the system is configured with a one-dimensional input array and a one-dimensional output array.

28. A system for automated interconnection of fiber optic line strands in paths which can have different lengths, between an input array connected to a first network and an output connected to receive the lines, the input array having double ended ports coupled to receive inputs of external fiber optic lines from a first network, and internal fiber optic lines which intercouple the lines in sets to different elevations in a second array, the ports of the input array being distributed axially with predetermined spaces between the ports;

a fiber optic line positioner responsive to signal commands and operable adjacent the interior plane of the input array, the positioner having a fiber optic line engagement/disengagement device movable between the spaces between the ports in the input array, and

a controller, including data storage retaining data as to interconnections between the array, coupled to operate the positioner in response to signal commands, to remove a fiber optic line from one position in the input array and interweave it through existing connections between the array to a different position in the input array without entanglement with other lines between the two arrays,

wherein the controller includes circuits for updating interconnections as to the positions of the connections between the input array and the second array.

29. A system as set forth in claim 28 above, wherein the system further includes, coupled between the second array and the second network, variable length adjustment mechanisms for compensating for length variations in the fiber optic lines in different reconfiguration geometries, and the adjustment mechanisms maintain the fiber optic lines at more than a predetermined minimum bend radius regardless of length.

30. A system as set forth in claim 29 above, wherein the input array is in columns and rows separated by column and row spaces, and wherein the signal commands direct the positioner to follow a pattern which traverses above or below preexisting connections dependent upon the directional vectors of pre-existing connections from the input array to the second array.

31. A system as set forth in claim 29 above, wherein the system controller further includes a database retaining vectorial and positional information as to existing connection vectors between the first and second arrays, and wherein the system controller further operates in response to the database and in accordance with a predetermined algorithm to interweave a connector being transported between an origination point and a destination point.

32. A three-dimensional fiber optic interconnect structure for parallel communication of signals, comprised of a multiplicity of fiber optic strands suspended in nominally straight line vectors in a common volume between a first and second plane, and the strands being spatially ordered by processor control, wherein location of each strand endpoint within the first plane is computed by processor prior to insertion of each strand into the common volume to maintain a non-repeating braid structure for which strands remain disentangled for all interconnect configurations.

33. The interconnect structure in accordance with claim 32 above wherein the strands are either positive or negative non-repeating braids.

34. A fiber optic cable patch panel system for retaining a two-dimensional array of fiber optic union adapters aligned according to spaced apart rows and columns at a common plane and providing low loss interconnection between front-side cables and back-side cables connected thereto, wherein each row of adapters is physically detached from other rows and free to linearly translate within the common plane from a nominal central position by half a column width in either direction, the patch panel system including independent linear actuators each coupled to a different row, and wherein the system includes a processor operating the rows of adapters in relation to existing interconnections between front-side cables and back-side cables to facilitate non-entangling reconfiguration.

35. A fiber optic cable patch panel in accordance with claim 34, wherein the panel system includes a robotic gripper movable in a direction substantially parallel to, but offset from, the columns of connectors, and the programmed translation of each linear actuator is accomplished in programmed relation to the columnar motion of the robotic gripper.

36. A control system including a processor for positioning a gripper mechanism to engage and disengage optical fiber terminals in addressable terminal ports distributed in a two-dimensional planar array, comprising:

a processor controlled driver system engaged to the gripper mechanism for translating, with coarse precision, the gripper mechanism and any optical fiber terminal held therein, to selected port addresses on a first side of the two-dimensional array;

the array including unique location indicia physically proximate each different port and on the first side of the array facing the gripper mechanism;

a video camera device mounted on the gripper mechanism and viewing location indicia on the first side of the array to provide localized image data including location indicia;

a machine vision system coupled to receive image data from the video camera and controlling the driver system to position the gripper mechanism precisely relative to the selected port address, and

an engagement control mechanism coupled to the driver system and responsive to precision positioning of the gripper mechanism to effect engagement and disengagement of a fiber terminal held in the gripper mechanism with respect to any selected port in the array.

37. A system as set forth in claim 36 above, wherein the location indicia on the array each include a numeric identifier and at least one fiducial mark and wherein the machine vision system includes means for decoding numeric or barcode identifiers and wherein the precision positioning is with reference to the fiducial mark.

38. A system as set forth in claim 36 above, wherein the gripper mechanism includes a \ spring-engagement mechanism oriented to engage a fiber terminal in a direction parallel to the plane of the array, and the driver system includes means for operating the gripper mechanism orthogonally relative to the plane of the array to insert and remove fiber terminals with respect to ports in the array.

39. A system as set forth in claim 36 above, wherein the fiber terminal includes an exposed conductive element, said conductive element extending in continuity with the length of the optical fiber and wherein the optical fiber includes a remote terminal identifier, and the gripper mechanism includes a conductive element in the engagement mechanism contacting the exposed conductive element in the fiber terminal and the system includes a signal generator coupled to the engagement mechanism for directing a signal along the conductive element to the terminal identifier.

40. A system as set forth in claim 39 above, wherein the system operates the positioner to engage different fiber terminals and the signals are sent to the terminal identifiers thereafter to map the system interconnections.

41. A system as set forth in claim 39 above, wherein the signals provide a measure of the electrical conduction through the conductive element, wherein the system further comprises at the positioner a voltage source and a response measurement device, and a control for providing a test voltage sequentially at each interconnection in the system.

42. A system as set forth in claim 37 above, wherein the system maps the connections in the system, and further comprises a central tone generator for transmission of test signals on the conductive element in the fiber optic line, and wherein the system serially scans interconnections of interest, and further includes remotely located signal responsive elements in each interconnection of interest.

43. A system for controllably receiving one or more lengths of optical fiber cables to extract and rewind the cables, while maintaining optical continuity and avoiding excessive stress and optical distortion in the cables, comprising:

a base unit including one or more cavities, including a central axis and a multilayer helically looped optical fiber disposed about the central axis within the associated cavity;

at least one rotatable body disposed concentric with each axis of the base unit and rotatable with respect thereto, each said rotatable body having a concentric surface with greater than a predetermined minimum radius for winding optical fiber thereon;

one or more coextensive fiber support structures, each disposed in a separate cavity and comprising a length of spring and a length of fiber in physical contact, each having multiple turns wound about the central axis and disposed in the base unit, the structure being helically wound on the rotatable body about the central axis, one end of the coextensive structure being fixed to the base unit at a given radius from the axis and the other end being coupled to the rotatable body at a radius greater than the given radius, and the coextensive structure being free to expand and contract circumferentially in response to angular displacement.

44. A system in accordance with claim 43, wherein each spring is spring or hard-tempered steel or stainless steel with 0.250 to 0.350 mm diameter and each fiber is single mode and or multimode with 0.125 mm diameter silica cladding and with a low friction flexible sleeve of 0.25 to 0.9 mm.

45. A system in accordance with claim 43, wherein each rotatable body is attached to a first end of a substantially helical coil spring and fixed at a second end to a central member of base unit.

46. A cartridge system for supplying and retracting optical fiber cable while maintaining optimal continuity along the optical fiber between a fixed port and a supply/extraction port on the cartridge, comprising:

a housing having an outer periphery including at least one spaced apart fiber cable port, one of which is a control port for extraction and refraction of cable;

a shaft disposed along a central axis in the housing and coupled to the housing;

a cable spool within the housing rotatable about said shaft, the spool including a cable winding support annulus concentric with the central axis and having a radius from the central axis greater than a predetermined minimum bending radius for the optical fiber;

the cable spool also including a pair of spaced apart generally planar elements transverse to the central axis and comprising a reel body and a reel cover spaced apart from a superior side of the reel body, the reel body including an inner transition aperture extending between superior and inferior surfaces of the reel body and within the annulus;

a power spring helically wrapped about the central axis within the annulus and having a fixed end engaged to the shaft and a movable end engaged to the annulus;

the system also including an annular mandrel on the inferior side of the cable spool and concentric with the central axis, the mandrel having a radius from the central axis that is greater than the predetermined minimum bending radius;

a first section of optical cable longitudinally coextensive with a wire spring element that is wrapped about the annulus, fixed along its length to the mandrel and the reel body, the second section being coupled to the first via the transition port in the reel body;

wherein when the free end of the cable is withdrawn from the control port and cable is unwound from the spool, the spool rotation winds up the power spring at the same time that the second section is wound to provide a compensating length of fiber within the housing by the variation in radius of the turns in the second section.

47. In a retractable/extendable device for fiber optic lines, a rotation buffering unit for providing a variable length section of fiber optic line enabling extension and retraction with optical continuity, as fiber optic line is unwound from or wound upon the device, comprising:

a body having a mandrel rotatable about a central axis, the mandrel having a radius from the central axis that is greater than a predetermined minimum bending radius for the optical fibers;

a coextensive spring carrier and optical fiber combination disposed on the body about the mandrel, the spring carrier comprising a wire of compliant material helically wound about a central axis, the wire having a diameter selected to maintain at least a minimum radius of curvature of the optical fiber carried therein, one end of the combination being fixed to the body and the other end being coupled to a fixed point at a greater radial distance from the central axis than the mandrel, the combination being radially and circumferentially movable between limits outside the mandrel, whereby extension and retraction of a length of the combination is accommodated by radial expansion or contraction of the combination between the two ends thereof.

48. A reconfigurable fiber optic cable coupling device whose attenuation is mechanically switchable between a substantially non-transmissive state and a transmissive state, the states relating to the partial and full insertion of a fiber optic connector into the coupling device, respectively, and comprised of:

a first fiber optic cable with connector terminated in a first ferrule;

a second fiber optic cable with connector terminated in a second ferrule;

a substantially cylindrical precision alignment split sleeve appropriately sized to passively align the first and second ferrules within a central cavity;

an outer body loosely retaining split sleeve;

a first receptacle into which a first connector mechanically latches upon longitudinal insertion;

a second receptacle including a first and second latching element, the first and second receptacles surrounding outer body, the first latching element engaged upon longitudinally inserting the second connector to an intermediate depth and the second latching element engaged upon longitudinally inserting the second connector to a maximum depth, both first and second latching elements providing sufficient holding force to retain second connector in coupling device even as tension is applied to second fiber optic cable, wherein the first depth of longitudinal insertion provides an air gap between first and second ferrules within split sleeve to produce optical attenuation>

10 dB, and second depth of longitudinal insertion eliminates the air gap to produce low insertion loss<

0.5 dB.

49. A coupling device in accordance with claim 48, wherein split sleeve includes a fiber stub longitudinally centered with central cavity, wherein fiber stub includes a segment of optical fiber matched to first and second fiber optic cables to prevent potential damage to first ferrule from being transferred to second ferrule.

50. A coupling device in accordance with claim 48, wherein the second receptacle is comprised in whole or part of a material which exhibits electrical conductivity.

51. A multi-functional robotic gripper apparatus for use in automated fiber optic cross-connect switching systems and attached to a three axis, processor controlled guidance system for engaging fiber optic connectors terminating optical fiber lines at an array of connector receptacles comprised of:

a compact gripper body;

an engagement clip into which fiber optic connectors may be repeatedly engaged and disengaged from a connector receptacle by a combination of two axis motion of the gripper in orthogonal directions;

an electrical conduction path where an electrical circuit is completed when said fiber optic connector is retained within the gripper by the engagement clip, and

a mini-video camera integrated in the gripper for feedback of positioning data of indicia associated with the connector receptacles to the guidance system.

52. A gripper apparatus in accordance with claim 51, the gripper further including an optical fiber receiving channel with an internal bend and a photodetector located within a wall of channel and facing the internal bend, wherein translation of robotic gripper relative to an optical fiber displaces optical fiber into the channel producing a controlled macrobend within the optical fiber, the macrobend radius sufficient to outcouple a portion of an optical signal passing within the fiber and direct it onto the photodetector.

53. A gripper apparatus in accordance with claim 52, wherein the macrobend radius is in the range of 1 to 10 mm and the length of the receiving channel is at least twice the macrobend radius.

54. A mechanism for robotic transfer of fiber optic terminals between different ports distributed across a two-dimensional planar array, the array including columnar interstices of greater than a predetermined minimum size between the ports, the fiber optic terminals being individually engaged in the ports on one side of the array and extending therefrom in a direction orthogonal to the plane of the array, the mechanism comprising:

a terminal gripper mechanism dimensioned to fit within the columnar interstices of the array and movable within the columnar interstices, the gripper mechanism having a clip element for topwise engagement of an individual selected fiber optic terminal in the array, and

a positioner mechanism movable in three dimensions relative to the planar array and fitting within the columnar interstices for columnar movement therealong, the positioner mechanism having a terminus supporting the gripper mechanism, and including a reciprocating device for movement of a fiber optic terminal toward and away from the plane of the array for engagement/disengagement movement of a fiber optic terminal relative to the array.

55. A mechanism as set forth in claim 54 above, wherein the clip elements include conductive surface portions for engagement with exposed conductive surfaces on the fiber optic elements and wherein the mechanism further includes circuits coupling the conductive surfaces to units external to the array, and the mechanism further includes a video device mounted thereon and directed to view a local area of the array and provide image data to units external to the array.

56. In a robotic patch panel system having an array with a multiplicity of ports each potentially receiving a fiber optic terminal, and a system for movement of a fiber optic terminal positioner under remote control between different ports, an inventory system using the positioner to map the pattern of fiber optic interconnections comprising:

a plurality of individual circuits, each coupled along a different interconnection in the patch panel system and including at least one externally accessible conductive element at the fiber optic terminal array;

conductive sensor elements on the positioner positioned to contact the externally accessible elements when engaging the interconnections;

a sequencer coupled to control the positioner to sequentially access selected fiber optic terminals in the array;

an emitter coupled to provide test signals to terminals via the positioner, and

a signal receiver deriving responsive signals to the test signals.

57. In an optical fiber management apparatus with orderly and deterministic fiber routing within a limited volume, an arrayed collection of optical fibers each in a substantially straight-line configuration, spanning an interconnect volume and a storage volume containing fiber tensioning and storage elements spaced apart in three dimensions, the optical fibers being continuous in length therebetween, comprising:

a multiplicity of terminals arrayed in two dimensions along a surface of the interconnect volume for receiving and latching to the proximal ends of the optical fibers;

an array of circumferential through ports along the plane separating the interconnect volume and the storage volume, the through ports including low friction surfaces engaging optical fibers;

a multiplicity of arrayed fiber tensioning and storage elements configured to limit fiber lengths sufficiently to maintain a substantially straight-line configuration.

58. An arrayed collection of optical fibers in accordance with claim 57 wherein the optical fibers are small diameter coated fibers with diameter less than 1 mm and are single mode and/or multimode in waveguide characteristics.

59. An arrayed collection of optical fibers in accordance with claim 57 wherein the array of through ports is substantially one-dimensional.

60. An arrayed collection of optical fibers in accordance with claim 57 wherein the number of terminals is greater than or equal to the number of substantially straight-line optical fibers.

61. An arrayed collection of optical fibers in accordance with claim 57, wherein the substantially straight-line configuration of each optical fiber may include arced segments of limited length with greater than a minimum bend radius at the terminal array and throughput port array.

62. For improved management of dense interconnections of signal carrying strands, a disentangled and physically ordered arrangement for interconnecting longitudinally extended strands residing within a limited volume bounded by a two-dimensional array of terminals with a height H₁ and array column spacing D at a first plane and by a one-dimensional port array of height H₂, parallel to the columns of two-dimensional array and located at a second plane spaced apart from the first plane by a distance Z, wherein

each strand, of cross-sectional dimension d_o, extends into the limited volume from a unique elevation along the one-dimensional port array and includes tensioning means coupled to each strand to provide a particular range of tension such that each strand follows a substantially linear path within the limited volume while connecting a terminal of the two-dimensional array to a port of the one-dimensional port array;

the range of said tension being adequate to separate the strands within the limited volume into spatially independent, three-dimensional, wedge-shaped zones;

the column spacing D being selected such that the width of each wedge-shaped zone at an intermediate location z=Z H₁/H₂ behind the first plane and within the limited volume is equal to D(1−

H₁/H₂), this width being sufficient to physically retain all strands residing within the zone.

63. An arrangement in accordance with claim 62, wherein the number of strands b within any zone is limited to less than or equal to

64. A system of spatially reconfigurable, cross-connected strands for carrying a multiplicity of independent signals across an intervening gap, the collection of strands defining a geometric braid within the gap, the geometric braid having a number of physically separate subbraids emerging from a common extended, linear origin in a first plane and separating out at diverging angles to a second plane comprised of a multiplicity of columns of parallel, spaced apart terminals, wherein each subbraid comprises:

the multiplicity of individual strands within each subbraid characterized by an ordered hierarchical relation and topologically equivalent to an ordered stack of separable layers, each strand residing within a layer of the stack and ordered such that all layers of the stack to one side of the individual layer are characterized by a superior relation, and all layers on the opposite side are characterized by an inferior relation,

whereby any individual strand of a first subbraid may pass through a second subbraid in a knot-free fashion by bifurcating the second subbraid such that the individual strand passes through the stack of layers at a location separating those layers in inferior relation and those layers in superior relation.

65. A system of cross-connected strands in accordance with claim 64, wherein each strand corresponds to an optical waveguide such as an optical fiber.

66. A system of cross-connected strands in accordance with claim 64, wherein each strand corresponds to a radio frequency waveguide such as a coaxial cable.

67. A fiber optic patch-panel system with live-fiber indicator lights for enhanced reliability and eye safety, for distributing and interconnecting optical fibers originating from different locations, having an array of integrated, dual optical connector and power measurement units for low loss optical connections between a first network and a second network, while simultaneously measuring the optical power passing between these networks without substantially decreasing the optical power, the units comprising:

an optical connector receptacle with an internal section of optical fiber having an optical fiber core which includes a polished endface, the polished endface of the optical fiber core having a patterned, electrically conductive and optically transmissive coating;

an internal electronic circuit element for monitoring the resistance of the transmissive coating, the electronic element providing electronic comparison for measuring the resistance of the transmissive coating and thereby determining the optical signal level passing through the coating;

a light emitting diode attached to the circuit element and illuminated when the electronic circuit element detects an optical signal of sufficient strength passing through the dual optical connector.

68. A system in accordance with claim 67, further including an electronic processor in communication with each of the dual optical connectors to read the individual power levels and relay the levels to a software monitoring system.