Apparatus for splicing optical fibers

• US 7,690,850 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2008
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CCS Technology Inc. (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CCS Technology Inc. (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Heidler, Christian, Kossat, Rainer Matthias
• Primary Examiner(s): ROJAS, OMAR R
• Application Number:
  US12/221,260
• Publication Number:
  US 20090080842A1
• Time in Patent Office: 613 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 385/95
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2551 using thermal methods, e.g. fusion welding by arc discharge, laser beam, plasma torch

Abstract

An apparatus for splicing optical waveguides has a memory circuit in which data items which identify a state of the apparatus for splicing the optical waveguides are stored. The memory circuit is used to store data items which identify a state of the optical waveguides to be spliced. Stored data items indicate conditions of the environment in which a splice process has been carried out. The apparatus can be used to record a plurality of data items which can be evaluated for analysis of a splice process, in particular for an analysis of a fault which has occurred during the splice process.

Claims

1. An apparatus for splicing optical waveguides, comprising:

a memory circuit for storing data,

the apparatus being configured to determine a plurality of data items during a splice process for splicing the optical waveguides, the data identifying an operating state of the apparatus, the apparatus being configured to determine a data item which identifies a change in the operating state of the apparatus during the splice process, and

the apparatus being configured to combine the plurality of data items determined during the splice process, and the data item which identifies the change in the operating state of the apparatus to form a data record which is associated with the splice process, and to store the data record in the memory circuit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, the apparatus being configured to determine a plurality of further data items which identify a state of the optical waveguides to be spliced, and

the apparatus being configured to add the plurality of further data items to the data record to be stored.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, the apparatus being configured to determine data items which identify a position at which the apparatus is located during the splice process, and

the apparatus being configured to add data items which identify the position to the data record to be stored.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a control panel for setting up parameters, in particular for setting of at least one of a distance between the optical waveguides, a feed of the optical waveguides, a current for splicing the optical waveguides, a time during which the optical waveguides are heated for splicing, and a fiber type of the optical waveguides,

the splice process being controlled as a function of the set parameters, and

the apparatus being configured to add the set parameters to the data record to be stored.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a voltage generator circuit for generating an operating voltage for operating components of the apparatus,

the voltage level of the operating voltage, generated by the voltage generator circuit being determined, and

the apparatus being configured to add a data item which identifies the determined voltage level of the operating voltage to the data record to be stored.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a voltage detector device for determining a voltage level of a voltage,

a supply connection for supplying an external supply voltage,

the voltage detector device determining the voltage level of the external supply voltage, and

the apparatus being configured to add a data item which identifies the determined voltage level of the external supply voltage to the data record to be stored.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a voltage detector device for determining a voltage level of a voltage,

a battery for providing a voltage level of a supply voltage,

the apparatus being configured to add a data item which identifies the determined voltage level of the supply voltage provided by the battery to the data record to be stored.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a temperature detector device for determining a temperature of a component of the apparatus,

with the apparatus being configured to add a data item which identifies the determined temperature to the data record to be stored.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a position determination device for determining the position at which the apparatus is located during the splice process.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a measurement device for determining an air pressure or an air density,

the apparatus being configured to add a data item which identifies the determined air pressure or the determined air density to the data record to be stored.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, the apparatus being configured to add a fault message to the data record to be stored when a component of the apparatus behaves incorrectly during operation.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, the apparatus being configured to add a data item which identifies a state of a control program for controlling the apparatus to the data record to be stored.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an image recording device for recording an image of the optical waveguides to be spliced,

the image recording device recording at least one image during the splice process for splicing the optical waveguides, and

the apparatus being configured to add data items which identify the at least one recorded image to the data record to be stored.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, the apparatus being configured to determine a break angle or an axis angle or a respective eccentricity of one of the optical waveguides to be spliced, and with the apparatus being configured to add a data item which identifies the determined break angle, axis angle or the respective eccentricity to the data record to be stored.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, the apparatus being configured to determine any offset of the optical waveguides to be spliced, before aligning the optical waveguides to be spliced, and

the apparatus being configured to add a data item which identifies the determined offset to the data record to be stored.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, the apparatus being configured to add a data item which identifies a state of a shrinking oven, a state of a transmitted-light measurement station or a state of adjusting motors for moving the optical waveguides, to the data record to be stored.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a moveable holding device for holding one of the optical waveguides,

the holding device being moved in order to align one of the optical waveguides for the splice process,

the apparatus being configured to determine a movement distance over which the holding device is moved in order to align that one of the optical waveguides, and

the apparatus being configured to add a data item which identifies the determined movement distance to the data record to be stored.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, the apparatus being configured to store in the memory circuit the number of a plurality of data records which are each associated with one splice process, and

the apparatus being configured to delete from the memory circuit one of the data records which was stored in the memory circuit at a time before another of the data records, when the number of data records is stored in the memory circuit and a further data record must be stored.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a connection for connecting an external memory unit in particular, at least one of a hard disk memory, a memory card, a printer and a computer, to the apparatus,

the apparatus being configured to transfer the data record that has been stored in the memory circuit to the external memory unit, the printer and/or the computer.

20. A method for splicing of optical waveguides, comprising:

determining a plurality of data items during a splice process for splicing the optical waveguides, with the data identifying an operating state of an apparatus for splicing the optical waveguides, and determining a data item which identifies a change in the operating state of the apparatus for splicing the optical waveguides, during the splice process,

combining the plurality of data items determined during the splice process and the data item which identifies the changes in the operating state of the apparatus for splicing the optical waveguides, to form a data record which is associated with the splice process, and

storing the data record in a memory circuit of the apparatus for splicing the optical waveguides.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

determining a plurality of further data items which identify a state of the optical waveguides to be spliced, and

adding the plurality of further data items to the data record to be stored.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

determining of data items which identify a position at which the apparatus for splicing the optical waveguides is located during the splice process, and

adding the data items which identify the position to the data record to be stored.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

setting of parameters on the apparatus for splicing the optical waveguides, in particular setting of at least one of a distance between the optical waveguides, a feed of the optical waveguides, a current for splicing the optical waveguides, a time during which the optical waveguides are heated for splicing, and a fiber type of the optical waveguide,

controlling the splice process as a function of the set parameters, and

adding the set parameters to the data record to be stored.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

producing an operating voltage for operating components of the apparatus for splicing the optical waveguides,

determining a voltage level of the operating voltage that is generated,

adding a data item which identifies the determined voltage level of the operating voltage to the data record to be stored.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

determining a voltage level of an external supply voltage of the apparatus for splicing the optical waveguides, and

adding a data item which identifies the determined voltage level of the external supply voltage to the data record to be stored.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

providing a voltage level of a supply voltage of a battery, and

adding a data item which identifies the determined voltage level of the supply voltage that is provided by the battery to the data record to be stored.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

determining a temperature of a component of the apparatus for splicing the optical waveguides, and

adding a data item which identifies the determined temperature to the data record to be stored.

28. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

determining an air pressure or an air density,

adding a data item which identifies the determined air pressure or the determined air density to the data record to be stored.

29. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

adding a fault message to the data record to be stored when a component of the apparatus for splicing the optical waveguides behaves incorrectly during operation.

30. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

adding a data item which identifies a state of a control program for controlling the apparatus for splicing the optical waveguide to the data record to be stored.

31. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

recording at least one image of the optical waveguides to be spliced, during the splice process, and

adding data items which identify the at least recorded image to the data record to be stored.

32. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

determining at least one of a respective break angle, axis angle, and a respective eccentricity of the optical waveguides to be spliced,

adding a data item which identifies the determined break angle, the axis angle, and the eccentricity, respectively to the data record to be stored.

33. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

determining any offset of the optical waveguides to be spliced, before aligning the optical waveguides to be spliced, and

adding a data item which identifies the determined offset to the data record to be stored.

34. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

adding a data item which identifies a state of a shrinking oven, a state of a transmitted-light measurement station or a state of adjusting motors for moving the optical waveguides, to the data record to be stored.

35. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

determining a movement distance through which holding devices of the apparatus for splicing the optical waveguides are moved in order to align one of the optical waveguides, and

adding a data item with identifies the determined movement distance to the data record to be stored.

36. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

storing the number of a plurality of data records which are each associated with one splice process in the memory circuit of the apparatus for splicing the optical waveguides,

deleting one of the data records, which was stored at a time before another of the data records were stored in the memory circuit, from the memory circuit when the number of data records is stored in the memory circuit and a further data record must be stored.