Fiber optic cable identification kit and its method

• US 6,888,996 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2003
• Issued: 05/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jim Hwang, Memiee Hwang, Richard Hwang, Wayne Hwang
• Original Assignee: Jim Hwang, Memiee Hwang, Richard Hwang, Wayne Hwang
• Inventors: Hwang, Jim, Hwang, Memiee, Hwang, Wayne, Hwang, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Kianni, Kareh C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kalivoda, Christopher M.
• Application Number:
  US10/423,652
• Publication Number:
  US 20040213522A1
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 385/53, 385 76- 78, 385/100, 385134-137, 385/139, 385/147, 356/73.1, 359/73.1
• US Class Current: 385/139
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/562 locatable, e.g. using magnetic means

Abstract

A kit for identifying fiber optic connections in a fiber optic cabling system comprises a plurality of indication optic terminators and at least one test light generator. The fiber optic system comprises a patching device, a plurality of ports furnished on the patching device, a plurality of outlets remote from the patching device, and a plurality of fiber optic cables for optically connecting the ports and the outlets. Plurality of indication optic terminators are attached onto each of the ports of the patching device. By using the test light generator to apply a test light to one of the outlets, the test light reaches a corresponding connected port of the patching device through the connection of fiber optic cable so as to make the corresponding indication optic terminator attached onto that connected port to light. Therefore, by repeating the process of distinguishing the light of the indication optic terminator one by one, all of the fiber optic connections between the connected ports and outlets can be identified. After completing the job of fiber optic connection identification, all of the indication optic terminators can be detached and kept for re-use.

Claims

1. A kit for identifying fiber optic connections in a fiber optic cabling system, said fiber optic system comprising a patching means, a plurality of ports furnished on the patching means, a plurality of outlets remote from the patching means, and a plurality of fiber optic cables for optically connecting the ports and the outlets, said kit comprising:

a plurality of indication optic terminators for attachment onto the ports of the patching means; and

a test light generator for applying a test light to at least one of the outlets;

wherein said test light applied at the outlet reaches a corresponding connected port of the patching means through the connection of fiber optic cable and causes a corresponding indication optic terminator attached onto that connected port to light;

wherein each of the indication optic terminators further comprises;

an attaching means attachable to the port and being able to receive test light from the test light generator, the attaching means being merely a rod-shaped structure in a shape just capable of being plugged into the port, the attaching means having a length longer than the depth of the port;

a short-length optic fiber furnished in a center of the attaching means for the test light received by the attaching means to transmit through; and

a hemisphere-shaped structure formed at one end of the short-length optic fiber and made of transparent material for dispersing test light transmitted by the short-length optic fiber so as to make the test light visible.

2. The kit of claim 1, wherein the test light generator further comprises:

a connecting means for optical attachment onto one of the outlets remote from the patching means;

a light emitting means connected to the connecting means; and

a power source to power the light emitting means enabling light to be transmitted through the connecting means.

3. The kit of claim 2, wherein said connecting means is selected from a group comprising of a test connector and a test adapter.

4. The kit of claim 2, wherein said light emitting means is selected from a group comprising of an LED, a light bulb and a laser.

5. The kit of claim 2, wherein said power source is a DC battery.

6. The kit of claim 1, wherein said kit comprises at least two test light generators, the test light from each of the test light generators are of different light frequencies so to be differentiable when being utilized simultaneously.

7. The kit of claim 1, wherein said ports of the patching means are of a type selected from a group comprising of fiber optic connector and fiber optic adapter.

8. The kit of claim 1, wherein said outlets are of a type selected from a group comprising of fiber optic connector and fiber optic adapter.

9. The kit of claim 1, wherein the attaching means is selected from a group comprising of fiber optic connector and fiber optic adapter.

10. The kit of claim 1, wherein the indication optic terminator further comprises:

a housing, the attaching means being located at one end of the housing and away from the hemisphere-shaped structure;

a light sensor located between the short-length optic fiber and the hemisphere-shaped structure, said light sensor being capable of detecting the test light transmitted by the short-length optic fiber; and

a lamp means furnished in the housing and coupled with the light sensor, said lamp means including a lamp located adjacent to the hemisphere-shaped structure and a battery coupled with said lamp, said lamp means being capable of emitting light when the light sensor detected the test light transmitted by the short-length optic fiber.

11. A method of using a kit to identify fiber optic connections in a fiber optic cabling system, said fiber optic system comprising a patching means, a plurality of ports furnished on the patching means, a plurality of outlets remote from the patching means, and a plurality of fiber optic cables for optically connecting the ports and the outlets so as to define the fiber optic connections between the outlets and the ports of the patching means;

said kit comprising a plurality of indication optic terminators for attachment onto the ports of the patching means and a test light generator for applying a test light to at least one of the outlets;

wherein each of the indication optic terminators further comprises;

an attaching means attachable to the port and being able to receive test light from the test light generator, the attaching means being merely a rod-shaped structure in a shape just capable of being plugged into the port, the attaching means having a length longer than the depth of the port;

a short-length optic fiber furnished in a center of the attaching means for the test light received by the attaching means to transmit through; and

a hemisphere-shaped structure formed at one end of the short-length optic fiber and made of transparent material for dispersing test light transmitted by the short-length optic fiber so as to make the test light visible;

said method comprising the steps of;

a. attaching each port of the patching means with one indication optic terminator, so that the fiber optic connections desired to be identified are optically connected to the indication optic terminators;

b. using the test light generator to apply test light to one of the remote outlet to be tested, said test light reaching one of the ports which is connected therewith by the fiber optic cable and causing the indication optic terminator which is attached thereon to light;

c. identifying the fiber optic connection between the connected port and outlet which makes the indication optic terminator to light;

d. choosing another remote outlet to test;

e. repeating steps “

b.”

through “

d.”

sequentially until all fiber optic connections between the outlets and the ports of the patching means are identified; and

f. removing all of the indication optic terminators from the patching means.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said method needs to employ at least two workers, one of the workers is positioned at the location of the patching means while another worker is positioned at one of the remote outlets.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising a step between step “

c.” and

step “

d.”

;

c1. the worker at the patching means communicating the fact of a successful identification to the other worker who is at the remote outlet.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said kit comprises at least two test light generators, the test light from each of the test light generators are of different colors so to be differentiable when being utilized simultaneously.

15. A method of using a kit to identify fiber optic connections in a fiber optic cabling system, said fiber optic system comprising a patching means, a plurality of ports furnished on the patching means, a plurality of outlets remote from the patching means, and a plurality of fiber optic cables for optically connecting the ports and the outlets so as to define the fiber optic connections between the outlets and the ports of the patching means;

said kit comprising a plurality of indication optic terminators for attachment onto the ports of the patching means and a test light generator for applying a test light to at least one of the outlets;

wherein each of the indication optic terminators further comprises;

an attaching means attachable to the port and being able to receive test light from the test light generator, the attaching means being merely a rod-shaped structure in a shape just capable of being plugged into the port, the attaching means having a length longer than the depth of the port;

a short-length optic fiber furnished in a center of the attaching means for the test light received by the attaching means to transmit through; and

a hemisphere-shaped structure formed at one end of the short-length optic fiber and made of transparent material for dispersing test light transmitted by the short-length optic fiber so as to make the test light visible;

said method comprising the steps of;

a. attaching each port of the patching means with one indication optic terminator, so that the fiber optic connections desired to be identified are optically connected to the indication optic terminators;

b. using the test light generator to apply test light to one of the remote outlet to be tested, said test light reaching one of the ports which is connected therewith by the fiber optic cable and causing the indication optic terminator which is attached thereon to light;

c. identifying the fiber optic connection between the connected port and outlet which makes the indication optic terminator to light;

d. choosing another remote outlet to test, and removing the indication optic terminator which has been identified; and

e. repeating steps “

b.”

through “

d.”

sequentially until all fiber optic connections between the outlets and the ports of the patching means are identified.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said kit comprises at least two test light generators, the test light from each of the test light generators are of different colors so to be differentiable when being utilized simultaneously.

17. An indication optic terminator for use with a kit for identifying fiber optic connections in a fiber optic cabling system, said fiber optic system comprising a patching means and a plurality of pre-selected type of fiber optic connectors furnished on the patching means, said indication optic terminator further comprising:

a housing;

an attaching means located at one end of the housing, the attaching means being attachable to said fiber optic connector, the attaching means being able to receive light from the fiber optic connector,

a short-length optic fiber furnished in a center of the attaching means for the light received by the attaching means to transmit through;

a lamp means furnished in the housing, said lamp means including a lamp and a battery coupled with said lamp, said lamp means being capable of emitting light according to a switching status; and

a light sensor located adjacent to one end of the short-length optic fiber and coupled with the lamp means, the light sensor being able to detect the light received from the attaching means and control said switching status according to the detection.

18. The indication optic terminator of claim 17, wherein said fiber optic cabling system further comprises a plurality of outlets remote from the patching means and a plurality of fiber optic cables for optically connecting the fiber optic connectors and the outlets;

wherein said kit comprises;

a plurality of indication optic terminators for attachment onto the fiber optic connectors of the patching means; and

a test light generator for applying a test light to at least one of the outlets;

wherein said test light applied at the outlet reaches a corresponding connected fiber optic connector of the patching means through the connection of fiber optic cable and causes a corresponding indication optic terminator attached onto that connected fiber optic connector to light.