Crossconnect module having monitoring provisions

• US 6,259,850 B1
• Filed: 10/26/1999
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Furukawa Electric North America Incorporated (Furukawa Electric Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Crosby, Marshall E. Jr., Hergenroder, Ronald
• Primary Examiner(s): Spyrou, Cassandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHERRY, EUNCHA P
• Application Number:
  US09/426,606
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 385/15, 385/16, 385/24, 385/27, 385/28, 385/134, 385/135, 385/147
• US Class Current: 385/134
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3807 Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs
• 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

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a crossconnect module that comprises a housing adapted for mounting within a crossconnect panel. In an example embodiment, the module includes first and second transmitting connectors connected to each other with a first transmission path and first and second receiving connectors connected to each other with a second transmission path. Further included is a monitoring connector, a signal splitter disposed within the housing along one of the first and second transmission paths, and a third transmission path extending from the signal splitter to the monitoring connector. In use, a portion of a signal transmitted along one of the first and second transmission paths is diverted by the signal splitter to the third transmission path so that the diverted portion of the signal can be monitored via the monitoring connector.

Claims

1. A crossconnect module, comprising:

a housing adapted for mounting within a crossconnect panel;

pairs of first and second transmitting connectors mounted to said housing, each pair of first and second transmitting connectors being connected to each other via first transmission paths that extend between said transmitting connectors within said housing;

pairs of first and second receiving connectors mounted to said housing, each pair of first and second receiving connectors being connected to each other via second transmission paths that extend between said receiving connectors within said housing;

monitoring connectors mounted to said housing;

signal splitters disposed within said housing, one signal splitter disposed along each of said first transmission paths; and

third transmission paths extending from said signal splitters to said monitoring connectors;

wherein a portion of a signal transmitted along each one of said first transmission paths is diverted by one of said signal splitters to one of said third transmission paths so that the diverted portion of the signal is monitorable by connecting a monitoring device to one of said monitoring connectors.

2. The module of claim 1, wherein said first transmitting connectors are located on a front side of said housing and said second transmitting connectors are located on a rear side of said housing.

3. The module of claim 1, wherein said first receiving connectors are located on a front side of said housing and said second receiving connectors are located on a rear side of said housing.

4. The module of claim 1, wherein said monitoring connectors are located on a front side of said housing.

5. The module of claim 1, wherein the signal splitters divert approximately 10% of the signals to the monitoring connectors.

6. The module of claim 1, wherein said housing comprises at least one mounting flange that includes a fastener with which said module is mountable within the panel.

7. A crossconnect panel, comprising:

a plurality of panel stations each adapted to receive a crossconnect module; and

at least one crossconnect module housed within one of said panel stations, the module including

a housing,

first and second transmitting connectors mounted to said housing and being connected to each other via a first transmission path,

first and second receiving connectors mounted to said housing and being connected to each other via a second transmission path,

a monitoring connector mounted to said housing,

a signal splitter disposed within said housing along one of said first and second transmission paths; and

a third transmission path extending from said signal splitter to said monitoring connector.

8. The module of claim 7, wherein said signal splitter is disposed along said first transmission path.

9. A method of monitoring a transmission signal, comprising the steps of:

providing a crossconnect module having multiple circuits that carry multiple output signals and a signal splitting device for each circuit;

arranging the crossconnect module such that a portion of each output signal transmitted through the module is diverted by a signal splitting device to one of multiple monitoring connectors of the crossconnect module;

inserting the crossconnect module in a crossconnect panel; and

transmitting multiple output signals through said module and monitoring these signals via the monitoring connectors.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the crossconnect module is arranged so that an output signal is diverted by the signal splitting device.