Optical fiber interconnection devices and systems using same

• US 7,689,079 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2008
• Issued: 03/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Corning Cable Systems LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cooke, Terry L., Klavuhn, Tory A., Ugolini, Alan W., Dennis, Robert W., Burnham, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Font; Frank G
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEPISTO, RYAN A
• Application Number:
  US12/077,647
• Publication Number:
  US 20090180737A1
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 385/24, 385/51, 398/56
• US Class Current: 385/51
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3608 Fibre wiring boards, i.e. where fibres are embedded or attached in a pattern on or to a substrate, e.g. flexible sheets optical ribbon cables in support members G02B6/4401
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4453 Cassettes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4472 Manifolds

Abstract

Optical fiber interconnection devices, which can take the form of a module, are disclosed that include an array of optical fibers and multi-fiber optical-fiber connectors, for example, two twelve-port connectors or multiples thereof, and three eight-port connectors or multiples thereof. The array of optical fibers is color-coded and is configured to optically interconnect the ports of the two twelve-port connectors to the three eight-port connectors in a manner that preserves transmit and receive polarization. In one embodiment, the interconnection devices provide optical interconnections between twelve-fiber optical connector configurations to eight-fiber optical connector configurations, such as from twelve-fiber line cards to eight-fiber line cards, without having to make structural changes to cabling infrastructure. In one aspect, the optical fiber interconnection devices provide a migration path from duplex optics to parallel optics.

Claims

1. An optical fiber interconnection device, comprising:

first and second twelve-port connectors respectively having ports 1P₁₂(1) through 1P₁₂(12) and ports 2P₁₂(1) through 2P₁₂(12);

first, second and third eight-port connectors respectively having ports 1P₈(1) through 1P₈(8), ports 2P₈(1) through 2P₈(8), and ports 3P₈(1) through 3P₈(8); and

an array of optical fibers configured to connect the ports as follows (where {a1, b1 . . . }{a2, b2 . . . } denotes connecting a1 to a2, b1 to b2, etc);

i) {1P₈(1), 1P₈(3), 1P₈(5), 1P₈(7)}{1P₁₂(1), 1P₁₂(2), 1P₁₂(3), 1P₁₂(4)};

ii) {1P₈(2), 1P₈(4), 1P₈(6), 1P₈(8)}{1P₁₂(12), 1P₁₂(11), 1P₁₂(10), 1P₁₂(9)};

iii) {2P₈(1), 2P₈(3), 2P₈(5), 2P₈(7)}{1P₁₂(5), 1P₁₂(6), 2P₁₂(1), 2P₁₂(2)};

iv) {2P₈(2), 2P₈(4), 2P₈(6), 2P₈(8)}{1P₁₂(8), 1P₁₂(7), 2P₁₂(12), 2P₁₂(11)};

v) {3P₈(1), 3P₈(3), 3P₈(5), 3P₈(7)}{2P₁₂(3), 2P₁₂(4), 2P₁₂(5), 2P₁₂(6)}; and

vi) {3P₈(2), 3P₈(4), 3P₈(6), 3P₈(8)}{2P₁₂(10), 2P₁₂(9), 2P₁₂(8), 2P₁₂(7)}.

2. The optical fiber interconnection device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the eight-port connectors are twelve-port connectors, and wherein four of the twelve ports in said at least one eight-port connector are not used.

3. The optical fiber interconnection device of claim 1, wherein the optical fibers include first and second sets of twelve color-coded fibers.

4. The optical fiber interconnection device of claim 1, wherein for n integer and n≧

2, the device includes n sets of the two twelve-port connectors and n sets of the three eight-port connectors.

5. The optical fiber interconnection device of claim 1, wherein the device includes:

an enclosure that defines an interior region and that contains the array of optical fibers, and wherein the eight-port connectors and twelve-port connectors are connected to the enclosure.

6. The optical fiber interconnection device of claim 5, wherein the enclosure comprises a fiber cable jacket.

7. An optical fiber interconnection system, comprising:

the optical fiber interconnection device of claim 1; and

at least one twelve-fiber optical fiber cable connected to the device at one of the twelve-port connectors.

8. The optical fiber interconnection system of claim 7, wherein the twelve-fiber optical fiber cable includes color-coded optical fibers and further including:

six two-fiber connectors; and

an optical fiber interconnection module configured to optically interconnect the six two-fiber connectors to the optical fibers in the at least one twelve-fiber cable on a color-coded basis.

9. The optical fiber interconnection device of claim 8, further including:

at least one eight-fiber optical fiber cable connected to the module at one of the eight-port connectors.

10. The optical fiber interconnection system of claim 9, wherein the at least one eight-fiber optical fiber cable includes color-coded optical fibers and further including:

eight single-fiber connectors optically connected to the optical fibers in the at least one eight-fiber cable on a color-coded basis.

11. A method of optically interconnecting first and second twelve-port connectors having respective ports 1P₁₂(1) through 1P₁₂(12) and ports 2P₁₂(1) through 2P₁₂(12) to first, second and third eight-port connectors having respective ports 1P₈(1) through 1P₈(8), ports 2P₈(1) through 2P₈(8), and ports 3P₈(1) through 3P₈(8), the method comprising:

configuring an array of optical fibers to connect the ports as follows (where {a1, b1 . . . }{a2, b2 . . . } denotes a1 to a2;

b1 to b2;

etc);

i) {1P₈(1), 1P₈(3), 1P₈(5), 1P₈(7)}{1P₁₂(1), 1P₁₂(2), 1P₁₂(3), 1P₁₂(4)};

ii) {1P₈(2), 1P₈(4), 1P₈(6), 1P₈(8)}{1P₁₂(12), 1P₁₂(11), 1P₁₂(10), 1P₁₂(9)};

iii) {2P₈(1), 2P₈(3), 2P₈(5), 2P₈(7)}{1P₁₂(5), 1P₁₂(6), 2P₁₂(1), 2P₁₂(2)};

iv) {2P₈(2), 2P₈(4), 2P₈(6), 2P₈(8)}{1P₁₂(8), 1P₁₂(7), 2P₁₂(12), 2P₁₂(11)};

v) {3P₈(1), 3P₈(3), 3P₈(5), 3P₈(7)}{2P₁₂(3), 2P₁₂(4), 2P₁₂(5), 2P₁₂(6)}; and

vi) {3P₈(2), 3P₈(4), 3P₈(6), 3P₈(8)}{2P₁₂(10), 2P₁₂(9), 2P₁₂(8), 2P₁₂(7)}.

12. The method of claim 11, further including enclosing the array of optical fibers in an enclosure.

13. The method of claim 12, further including arranging the twelve-port and eight-port connectors on opposite sides of the enclosure.

14. The method of claim 12, further including:

connecting at least one twelve-fiber optical fiber cable to at least one of the twelve-port connectors; and

connecting at least one eight-fiber optical fiber cable to at least one of the eight-port connectors.

15. The method of claim 14, further including:

connecting eight single-fiber connectors to the at least one eight-fiber optical fiber on a color-coded basis; and

connecting six two-fiber connectors to the at least one twelve-fiber optical fiber on a color-coded basis.

16. The method of claim 11, including for n integer and n≧

2, providing n sets of the two twelve-port connectors and n sets of the three eight-port connectors so as to repeat said port configuration n times.

17. An optical fiber interconnection module comprising:

an enclosure defining an interior region;

at least one set of first and second twelve-port connectors operably connected to the enclosure and respectively having ports 1P₁₂(1) through 1P₁₂(12) and ports 2P₁₂(1) through 2P₁₂(12);

at least one set of first, second and third eight-port connectors operably connected to the enclosure and respectively having ports 1P₈(1) through 1P₈(8), ports 2P₈(1) through 2P₈(8), and ports 3P₈(1) through 3P₈(8);

at least one set of twelve first optical fibers having a color-code and contained within the interior region and optically connected to ports 1P₁₂(1) through 1P₁₂(12);

at least one set of twelve second optical fibers having said color code and contained within the interior region and optically connected to ports 2P₁₂(1) through 2P₁₂(12); and

wherein the at least one sets of first and second color-coded optical fibers are configured to connect the ports as follows (where {a1, b1 . . . }{a2, b2 . . . } denotes connecting a1 to a2, b1 to b2, etc);

i) {1P₈(1), 1P₈(3), 1P₈(5), 1P₈(7)}{1P₁₂(1), 1P₁₂(2), 1P₁₂(3), 1P₁₂(4)};

ii) {1P₈(2), 1P₈(4), 1P₈(6), 1P₈(8)}{1P₁₂(12), 1P₁₂(11), 1P₁₂(10), 1P₁₂(9)};

iii) {2P₈(1), 2P₈(3), 2P₈(5), 2P₈(7)}{1P₁₂(5), 1P₁₂(6), 2P₁₂(1), 2P₁₂(2)};

iv) {2P₈(2), 2P₈(4), 2P₈(6), 2P₈(8)}{1P₁₂(8), 1P₁₂(7), 2P₁₂(12), 2P₁₂(11)};

v) {3P₈(1), 3P₈(3), 3P₈(5), 3P₈(7)}{2P₁₂(3), 2P₁₂(4), 2P₁₂(5), 2P₁₂(6)}; and

vi) {3P₈(2), 3P₈(4), 3P₈(6), 3P₈(8)}{2P₁₂(10), 2P₁₂(9), 2P₁₂(8), 2P₁₂(7)}.

18. An optical fiber interconnection system comprising:

the optical fiber interconnection module of claim 17;

at least one twelve-fiber optical fiber cable having said color code and connected to at least one of the twelve-fiber connectors; and

at least one eight-fiber optical fiber cable having said color code and connected to at least one of the eight-fiber connectors.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

an electronics device having six dual-fiber connectors that correspond to said color code; and

an optical fiber interconnection module configured to optically interconnect the six dual-fiber connectors to corresponding single optical fibers in the at least one twelve-fiber cable based on said color code.

20. The system of claim 19, further including:

eight single-fiber connectors respectively connected to corresponding single fibers in the at least one eight-fiber optical fiber cable based on said color code.

21. An optical fiber interconnection device, comprising:

first and second twelve-port optical fiber connectors respectively having ports 1P₁₂(1) through 1P₁₂(12) and ports 2P₁₂(1) through 2P₁₂(12);

first, second and third eight-port optical fiber connectors respectively having ports 1P8(1) through 1P8(8), ports 2P8(1) through 2P8(8), and ports 3P8(1) through 3P8(8); and

an array of optical fibers configured to connect the ports as follows (where {a1, b1 . . . }{a2, b2 . . . } denotes connecting a1 to a2, b1 to b2, etc);

i) {1P₈(1), 1P₈(3), 1P₈ (5), 1P₈(7)}{1P₁₂(1), 1P₁₂(2), 1P₁₂(3), 1P₁₂(4)};

ii) {1P₈(2), 1P₈(4), 1P₈(6), 1P₈(8)}{1P₁₂(12), 1P₁₂(11), 1P₁₂(10), 1P₁₂(9)};

iii) {2P₈(1), 2P₈(3), 2P₈(5), 2P₈(7)}{1P₁₂(5), 1P₁₂(6), 2P₁₂(1), 2P₁₂(2)};

iv) {2P₈(2), 2P₈(4), 2P₈(6), 2P₈(8)}{1P₁₂(8), 1P₁₂(7), 2P₁₂(12), 2P₁₂(11)};

v) {3P₈(1), 3P₈(3), 3P₈(5), 3P₈(7)}{2P₁₂(3), 2P₁₂(4), 2P₁₂(5), 2P₁₂(6)}; and

vi) {3P₈(2), 3P₈(4), 3P₈(6), 3P₈(8)}{2P₁₂(10), 2P₁₂(9), 2P₁₂(8), 2P₁₂(7)};

wherein the device includes;

an enclosure that defines an interior region and that at least partially receives the array of optical fibers, and wherein the eight-port connectors and twelve-port connectors are connected to the enclosure.

22. The optical fiber interconnection device of claim 21, wherein at least one of the eight-port connectors are twelve-port connectors, and wherein four of the twelve ports in said at least one eight-port connector are not used.

23. The optical fiber interconnection device of claim 21, wherein the optical fibers include first and second sets of twelve color-coded fibers.

24. The optical fiber interconnection device of claim 21, wherein for n integer and n≧

2, the device includes n sets of the two twelve-port connectors and n sets of the three eight-port connectors.

25. The optical fiber interconnection device of claim 21, wherein said optical fibers are arranged as an optical fiber harness.

26. The optical fiber interconnection device of claim 21, wherein said optical fibers are associated with a substrate.

27. An optical fiber interconnection device with optical fiber connector arrays and optical fibers optically interconnecting at least some of the optical fiber connectors, comprising:

(a) at least first and second optical fiber connector arrays respectively comprising at least six ports each, a first array of optical fibers extending from the first optical fiber connector array, and a second optical fiber array extending from the second optical fiber connector array;

(b) at least first, second and third optical fiber connector arrays respectively having at least four ports each;

(c) said first at least four-port optical fiber connector array receiving optical fibers only from the first at least six-port optical fiber connector array;

(d) said second at least four-port connector array receiving at least two optical fibers from the first at least six-port optical fiber connector array;

(e) said second at least four-port connector array receiving at least two optical fibers from the second at least six-port optical fiber connector array; and

(f) said third at least four-port optical fiber connector array receiving at least two optical fibers from the second at least six-port optical fiber connector array.

28. The optical fiber interconnection device of claim 27, wherein said first and second at least six-port optical fiber connector arrays respectively include at least twelve ports.

29. The optical fiber interconnection device of claim 28, wherein said first, second, and third at least four-port optical fiber connector arrays respectively include at least eight ports.

30. The optical fiber interconnection device of claim 29, wherein at least one of said eight-port connector arrays includes unused connectors.

31. The optical fiber interconnection device of claim 29, wherein at least one of said twelve-port connector arrays includes unused connectors.

32. The optical fiber interconnection device of claim 27, wherein said third at least four-port optical fiber connector array receives optical fibers from only the second at least six-port optical fiber connector array.