Robotic optical cross-connect

• US 6,307,983 B1
• Filed: 02/01/2000
• Issued: 10/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Goossen, Keith W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spyrou, Cassandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Amari, Alessandro V.
• Application Number:
  US09/495,303
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 385/16, 385/17, 385/19, 385/24, 385/25, 385/26, 385/134, 385/135
• US Class Current: 385/16
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3504 Rotating, tilting or pivoting the waveguides, or with the waveguides describing a curved path rotary joint G02B6/3628
• 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 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0005 Switch and router aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0015 using splitting combining
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0024 using space switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0043 Fault tolerance

Abstract

A robotic optical cross-connect to operate with three motors irrespective of the number of input fibers. A preferred embodiment includes a ferrule loader arm operated by a first motor; a ferrule loader ring rotatably operated by a second motor; and a loading piston upon which the ferrule loader-ring is mounted. The first motor imparts a motion to the ferrule loader arm in a first direction. The loading piston imparts a motion to the ferrule loader ring in a second direction, the second direction being substantially orthogonal to the first direction. A plurality of connectorized patch fibers is connected at a first end (leaving a second end free) to a first fiber bundle arranged in a substantially circular fashion. A second fiber bundle is also arranged in a substantially circular fashion and is configured to receive connections from the free second end of the plurality of patch fibers. Ferrules are loaded from the ferrule loader arm onto the ferrule loader ring. By operating the second motor, the ferrule loader ring is rotated to an appropriate (arbitrary, prescribed) position within contact or within a free-space coupling region. Thereafter a connection between the fibers from the first fiber bundle and the second fiber bundle is established.

Claims

1. A robotic optical cross-connect comprising:

an assembler, comprising;

a ferrule conveyor arm comprising a plurality of ferrules, the ferrule conveyor arm driven by a first motor in a first direction;

a loading piston driven by a second motor in a second direction; and

a ferrule-loader ring rotatably driven by a third motor, the ferrule loader ring mounted on the loading piston so as to receive a motion in the second direction;

a first fixed fiber bundle arranged in a substantially circular fashion, the first fixed bundle comprising a first set of fibers, each one of the first set of fibers connectorized with a first type of connector at at least a first end;

a second fixed fiber bundle arranged in a substantially circular fashion, the second fixed bundle comprising a second set of fibers, each one of the second set of fibers connectorized with a first type of connector at at least a second end; and

a plurality of patch fibers, each one of the plurality of patch fibers having a third end and a fourth end and connectorized with a second type of connector at the third end and at the fourth end, each of the plurality of connectorized third ends being coupled to a corresponding connectorized end of the first fixed fiber bundle at the first end,

wherein the plurality of ferrules are loaded from the ferrule conveyor arm onto the ferrule loader ring in an arbitrary, prescribed fashion by rotating the ferrule loader ring to a suitable position for each ferrule, and the loading piston is moved in a direction so that each of the plurality of the fourth ends is brought within contact or within a free-space coupling region of a corresponding connector in the second set of fibers.

2. The robotic optical cross-connect of claim 1, wherein the first direction and the second direction are substantially orthogonal with each other.

3. The robotic optical cross-connect of claim 1, wherein the first direction and the second direction are non-overlapping.

4. The robotic optical cross-connect of claim 1, wherein the first type of connectors and the second type of connectors are adapted to mate with each other.

5. The robotic optical cross-connect of claim 4, wherein the first type of connector is a female and the second type of connector is a male.

6. The robotic optical cross-connect of claim 4, wherein the first type of connector is a male and the second type of connector is a female.

7. A method of coupling a first fiber bundle with a second fiber bundle using a plurality of connectorized patch fibers, each patch fiber having a first end and a second end, in an arbitrary, prescribed manner using non-overlapping orthogonal motions, the method comprising the steps of:

connectorizing the first fiber bundle;

arranging the connectorized first fiber bundle in a substantially circular fashion;

securing the first ends of the plurality of connectorized patch fibers to the first fiber bundle;

connectorizing the second fiber bundle;

arranging the connectorized second fiber bundle in a substantially circular fashion;

loading a ferrule conveyor arm with a plurality of ferrules;

mounting a ferrule loader ring on a loading piston;

loading the ferrule loader ring with the plurality of ferrules by driving the ferrule conveyor arm in a first direction;

rotating the ferrule loader ring to a suitable position;

driving a loading piston in a second direction, thereby bringing the ferrule loader ring in a position within contact or within a free-space coupling region; and

making a connection between the second ends of the plurality of the patch fibers and a corresponding fiber at the position in the second fiber bundle.

8. A method of providing uninterrupted service while reconfiguring robotic optical cross connect (ROXC), the method including the steps of:

arranging a first ROXC and a second ROXC in a parallel, redundant fashion;

connecting a first set of shutters to an output of the first ROXC;

connecting a second set of shutters to an output of the second ROXC;

splitting incoming traffic to pass through the first ROXC to the first set of shutters, and through the second ROXC to the second set of shutters;

blocking traffic through the first set of shutters, allowing traffic to be routed only through the second set of shutters;

reconfiguring the first ROXC;

blocking traffic through the second set of shutters, allowing traffic to be routed only through the first set of shutters; and

reconfiguring the second ROXC.