Optical fiber connectors with identification circuits and distribution terminals that communicate therewith

• US 7,123,810 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2004
• Issued: 10/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Parrish, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Font, Frank G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mooney, Michael P.
• Application Number:
  US10/838,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20050249477A1
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• Field of Search: 385/139, 385/134, 385/147, 385/55, 385/14, 385/16, 385/17, 385/24, 385 88- 89, 385/92
• US Class Current: 385/139
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/385 Accessories for testing or observation of connectors means for centering or aligning the light guide within the ferrule with auxiliary facilities for movably aligning or adjusting the fibre within its ferrule, measuring position, eccentricity G02B6/3843; mechanical features associated with the optical testing of optical fibres G01M11/088
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3895 identification of connection, e.g. right plug to the right socket or full engagement of the mating parts keying element on the plug or adapter G02B6/3831; keying element on the ferrule G02B6/3851; keying element for electrical connection H01R13/64

Abstract

An optical fiber connector can include an optical fiber interface, an identification circuit, and an electrical interface that is communicatively connected to the identification circuit. The identification circuit may be a non-volatile memory such as, for example, a read only memory, a magnetic random access memory and/or a flash-random access memory. The identification circuit may include a housing that can be releasably connected to a Light Guide Cross Connect (LGX). The identification circuit may generate an electrical signal that identifies a fiber, a fiber bundle, a fiber type, a connector type, who manufactured an optical fiber, when an optical fiber was manufactured, and/or when an optical fiber was installed.

Related optical fiber distribution terminals are also discussed.

Claims

1. An optical fiber connector comprising:

an optical fiber interface configured to conduct signals to an optical interface of an optical fiber distribution terminal;

an identification circuit including a non-volatile memory connected to the optical fiber interface; and

an electrical interface that is connected to conduct signals between the identification circuit and an electrical interface of the optical fiber distribution terminal.

2. The optical fiber connector of claim 1, wherein the non-volatile memory comprises a read only memory.

3. The optical fiber connector of claim 1, wherein the non-volatile memory comprises a magnetic random access memory and/or a flash-random access memory.

4. The optical fiber connector of claim 1, further comprising a housing that is configured to be connected to a Light Guide Cross Connect (LGX).

5. The optical fiber connector of claim 1, wherein the identification circuit is configured to generate a fiber identifier electrical signal conducted through the electrical interface of the optical fiber connector.

6. The optical fiber connector of claim 1, wherein the identification circuit is configured to generate a fiber bundle identifier electrical signal conducted through the electrical interface of the optical fiber connector.

7. The optical fiber connector of claim 1, wherein the identification circuit is configured to generate a fiber type identifier electrical signal conducted through the electrical interface of the optical fiber connector.

8. The optical fiber connector of claim 1, wherein the identification circuit is configured to generate a connector type identifier electrical signal conducted through the electrical interface of the optical fiber connector.

9. The optical fiber connector of claim 1, wherein the identification circuit is configured to generate an electrical signal conducted through the electrical interface of the optical fiber connector that identifies at least one of who manufactured an optical fiber, when an optical fiber was manufactured, andlor when an optical fiber was installed.

10. An optical fiber distribution terminal comprising:

a plurality of terminal connectors, each of the terminal connectors comprising an electrical interface and an optical interface and configured to connect to an optical fiber connector having an electrical interface and an optical interface, and wherein each of the terminal connectors is configured to communicatively couple its electrical interface and optical interface to a respective electrical interface and optical interface of a connected optical fiber connector; and

a controller that is configured to conduct signals through the electrical interface of at least one of the terminal connectors and an electrical interface of a connected optical fiber connector to read identification information from a non-volatile memory in the connected optical fiber connector.

11. The optical fiber distribution terminal of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to read fiber identification information from the connected optical fiber connector.

12. The optical fiber distribution terminal of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to read fiber bundle identification information from the connected optical fiber connector.

13. The optical fiber distribution terminal of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to read fiber type identification information from the connected optical fiber connector.

14. The optical fiber distribution terminal of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to read connector type identification information from the connected optical fiber connector.

15. The optical fiber distribution terminal of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to read information from the connected optical fiber connector that identifies at least one of who manufactured an optical fiber, when an optical fiber was manufactured, and/or when an optical fiber was installed.

16. The optical fiber distribution terminal of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to communicate through the electrical interface of the terminal connector and an electrical interface of the connected optical fiber connector to write information to the connected optical fiber connector.

17. The optical fiber distribution terminal of claim 10, wherein the optical fiber distribution terminal comprises a Light Guide Cross Connect (LGX).

18. The optical fiber distribution terminal of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to communicate the identification information from the connected optical fiber connector to a central repository of fiber record information through a network.

19. The optical fiber distribution terminal of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to communicate the identification information from the connected optical fiber connector to a Trunk Information Record Keeping System (TIRKS).

20. The optical fiber distribution terminal of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to obtain system identification information from an optical signal carried by the connected optical fiber connector.

21. The optical fiber distribution terminal of claim 20, wherein the system identification information comprises terminal identification (TID) information transmitted by a system.

22. The optical fiber distribution terminal of claim 20, wherein the controller is configured to communicate the system identification information to a central repository of fiber record information through a network.

23. The optical fiber distribution terminal of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to determine system identification information from an optical signal carried by the optical fiber and to communicate the system identification information and the identification information from the connected optical fiber connector through a network to a central repository of fiber record information.