Telecommunications fiber optic infrastructure

• US 6,721,482 B1
• Filed: 09/10/1998
• Issued: 04/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thomas A. Glynn
• Original Assignee: Thomas A. Glynn
• Inventors: Glynn, Thomas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ullah, Akm Enayet
• Assistant Examiner(s): CONNELLY, MICHELLE R
• Application Number:
  US09/151,115
• Time in Patent Office: 2,042 Days
• Field of Search: 385/134-139
• US Class Current: 385/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4452 Distribution frames
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44526 Panels or rackmounts covering a whole width of the frame or rack
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44528 Patch-cords; Connector arrangements in the system or in the box routing arrangements H04Q1/00

Abstract

Proposed is an apparatus and process (collectively referred to as a “Fiber Center”) for deploying and managing a central office fiber optic telecommunications infrastructure in response to demand from either a customer location or another operating telephone company (OTC) location. Customer demand information and management parameters are entered into a software system. In response to the demand information, the software system describes the required standard components and prefabricated cables, assigns the standard components and prefabricated cables to a specific location and enters this information into a reference data base. Assembly of the fiber optic infrastructure is implemented according to an equipment order which is generated based on the description and location information in the reference data base.

Claims

1. A telecommunications fiber optic infrastructure, comprising:

a fiber center distributing frame which forms a cable interface from at least one remote equipment to at least one central office equipment, said fiber center distributing frame further comprising;

at least one fiber center distributing frame module having an outside plant portion, an inside plant portion, and an equipment cable port, said at least one remote equipment connecting to said outside plant portion and said at least one central office equipment connecting to said outside plant portion through said equipment cable port, and said outside plant portion being proximately located to said inside plant portion;

said inside plant portion of said fiber center distributing frame module further comprising a plurality of inside mounting positions wherein each one of said plurality of inside mounting positions includes the operating states of equipped, unequipped and spare and is in a designated one of the operating states including;

equipped, unequipped and spare; and

wherein said connector from said outside plant portion to said inside plant portion is made to any one of said plurality of inside mounting positions which is in said equipped operating state.

2. The telecommunications fiber optic infrastructure of claim 1, wherein said at least one central office equipment is coupled, using interconnect, to said outside plant portion.

3. The telecommunications fiber optic infrastructure of claim 2, further comprising:

a plurality of standard equipment bays, wherein said inside mounting positions are included within said plurality of standard equipment bays.

4. The telecommunications fiber optic infrastructure of claim 3, wherein said plurality of standard equipment bays are aligned in parallel rows substantially perpendicular to said fiber center distributing frame.

5. The telecommunications fiber optic infrastructure of claim 4, wherein two of said parallel rows of standard equipment bays are proximately located to one fiber distributing frame.

6. The telecommunications fiber optic infrastructure of claim 4, wherein two of said parallel rows of standard equipment bays are proximately located to two fiber distributing frames.

7. The telecommunications fiber optic infrastructure of claim 5, further comprising:

a fiber cable pathway connecting said two parallel rows of standard equipment bays to said one fiber distributing frame.

8. The telecommunications fiber optic infrastructure of claim 6, further comprising:

a fiber cable pathway connecting said two parallel rows of standard equipment bays to said two fiber distributing frames.

9. The telecommunications fiber optic infrastructure of claim 3, further comprising:

a standard length connector jumper connecting said at least one central office equipment to an equipment bay connector, said equipment bay connector being proximately located to an equipment bay corresponding to an inside mounting position on which said at least one central office equipment is located; and

an equipment cable coupled, using an interconnect, between said equipment bay connector and said outside plant portion.

10. The telecommunications fiber optic infrastructure of claim 9, wherein said equipment cable is deployed along a fiber cable pathway.

11. The telecommunications fiber optic infrastructure of claim 10, wherein said equipment cable comprises:

a standard length first section having a length to reach a farthest connector on said outside plant portion;

a second section having a length which spans a distance from said fiber center distributing frame to an equipment bay benchmark; and

a third standard length section having at length which spans from said equipment bay benchmark to said equipment bay connector.

12. The telecommunications fiber optic infrastructure of claim 11, wherein said equipment cable includes at least one reference mark to facilitate deploying said equipment cable along said fiber cable pathway.

13. The telecommunications fiber optic infrastructure of claim 11, wherein said standard length first section further comprises a plurality of spliced standard length fiber jumpers.

14. The telecommunications fiber optic infrastructure of claim 1, wherein a ratio of outside plant portion termination connections to inside plant portion termination connections is less than 1 to 1.

15. The telecommunications fiber optic infrastructure according to claim 1, wherein said connection from said outside plant portion to said inside plant portion is made by interconnection rather than cross-connection.

16. The telecommunication fiber optic infrastructure according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of outside plant portion termination connections to inside plant portion termination connections is 1:

2.

17.The telecommunication fiber optic infrastructure according to claim 1, wherein the at least one fiber center distribution frame module include a plurality of fiber center distribution frame shelves arranged so that all equipped fiber span configurations within the plurality of fiber center distribution frame shelves are interconnectable.

17. The telecommunication fiber optic infrastructure according to claim 17, wherein the plurality of fiber center distribution frame shelves are each configured to accommodate 72 fiber spans.

18. The telecommunication fiber optic infrastructure according to claim 17, wherein the plurality of fiber center distribution frame shelves are each configured to accommodate 144 inside plant portion termination connections.

19. The telecommunication fiber optic infrastructure according to claim 17, wherein the fiber span configuration include at least one of a point-to-point span configuration and a ring fiber spans configuration.