Identifiable visible light sources for fiber optic cables

• US 8,797,518 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2010
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Bryan, Bartlett, Max, Shrove, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stock, Jr., Gordon J
• Application Number:
  US12/899,636
• Publication Number:
  US 20120086935A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,398 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 356/73.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/073 using an out-of-service signal H04B10/071 takes precedence

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a method including generating a plurality of identifiable visible light sources having at least one constant visible light source and at least one oscillating visible light source and selectively applying, such as one at a time, at least two identifiable visible light sources among the plurality of identifiable visible light sources to a fiber optic cable strand in order to remotely test a fiber optic cable having a plurality of strands including the fiber optic cable strand. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a plurality of signal sources to provide a plurality of signals;

a light source in communication with the plurality of signal sources to provide light of a constant wavelength;

a wireless receiver to receive a plurality of wireless commands from a wireless transmitter;

a switch selector in communication with the plurality of signal sources and the wireless receiver to selectively couple one of a first oscillating signal or a second oscillating signal of the plurality of signals to the light source responsive to receiving by way of the wireless receiver a first wireless command of the plurality of wireless commands from the wireless transmitter to generate one of a first strobe light source of the constant wavelength and first strobe frequency or a second strobe light source of the constant wavelength and a second strobe frequency, wherein one of the first strobe light source, the second strobe light source or a combination thereof oscillates at a speed indistinguishable to a naked eye, and to selectively couple a non-oscillating signal of the plurality of signals to the light source to generate a non-oscillating light source responsive to receiving by way of the wireless receiver a second wireless command of the plurality of wireless commands from the wireless transmitter to generate a non-strobe light source of the constant wavelength, wherein the first strobe light source and the second strobe light source are identifiable according to a respective one of the first strobe frequency and the second strobe frequency; and

an optical fiber connector to sequentially couple the first strobe light source, the second strobe light source and the non-strobe light source to a first end of a fiber optic strand collocated with the wireless receiver for identifiable detection of one of the first strobe frequency of the first strobe light source, the second strobe frequency of the second strobe light source or the non-strobe light source at a second end of the fiber optic strand collocated with the wireless transmitter.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the switch selector selectively couples a second oscillating signal of the plurality of signals to the light source responsive to receiving a third wireless command of the plurality of wireless commands to generate a second strobe light source of the constant wavelength and second strobe frequency and wherein the optical fiber connector is further adapted to sequentially couple the second strobe light source to the first end of the fiber optic strand.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a light emitting diode having a selectable light frequency.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a power source to selectively supply power to the light source and the plurality of signal sources.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the first strobe light source comprises a selectable strobe frequency ranging from 2 Hertz to 2 kilohertz.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the first strobe light source is detectable at the second end of the fiber optic strand using one of a human eye or a fiber optic identifier.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the first strobe frequency is distinguishable from the non-strobe light source at the second end of the fiber optic strand.

8. The device of claim 1, comprising connectors to mount the device at a frame in a central office of a fiber optic telecommunication system.

9. The device of claim 1, comprising a housing having a size, shape and weight that allows the device to be a portable visible fiber optic test fixture.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the non-strobe light source is a visual fault locator light.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless receiver is coupled to the switch selector to remotely switch among the plurality of signals.

12. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions, that when executed by a processor, facilitate performance of operations comprising:

selectively coupling one of a first oscillating signal or a second oscillating signal of a plurality of signals to a light source of a constant wavelength in response to a first remote request to generate one of a first strobe light source of the constant wavelength and a first strobe frequency or a second strobe light source of the constant wavelength and a second strobe frequency, wherein one of the first strobe light source, the second strobe light source or a combination thereof oscillates at a speed indistinguishable to a naked eye, the first strobe light source and the second strobe light source being identifiable according to the first strobe frequency and the second strobe frequency, and wherein one of the first strobe light source and the second strobe light source is communicatively coupled to a first end of a fiber optic strand for detection at a second end of the fiber optic strand; and

selectively coupling a non-oscillating signal from the plurality of signals to the light source in response to a second remote request to generate a non-strobe light source of the constant wavelength, wherein the non-strobe light source is communicatively coupled to the first end of the fiber optic strand for detection at the second end of the fiber optic strand, and wherein the first and second remote requests originate proximal to the second end of the fiber optic strand.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein selectively coupling the first oscillating signal and selectively coupling the non-oscillating signal are performed using a wireless receiver at the first end of the fiber optic strand coupled to a switch selector operable to switch among the plurality of signals, wherein the wireless receiver receives wireless commands from a wireless transmitter at the second end of the fiber optic strand.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 12, further comprising selectively coupling a second oscillating signal of the plurality of signals to the light source in response to a third remote request to generate a second strobe light source of a second strobe frequency, wherein the second strobe light source is communicatively coupled to the first end of the fiber optic strand.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the first strobe light source and the non-strobe light source are distinguishable at the second end of the fiber optic strand.

16. A method, comprising:

generating a plurality of electrical signals;

generating a light source of a constant wavelength;

receiving a wireless signal;

switchably coupling one of a first oscillating signal or a second oscillating signal from the plurality of electrical signals to the light source in response to a first command of the wireless signal, to generate one of a first strobe light source of the constant wavelength and a first strobe frequency or a second strobe light source of the constant wavelength and a second strobe frequency, wherein one of the first strobe light source, the second strobe light source or a combination thereof oscillates at a speed indistinguishable to a naked eye, wherein the one of the first strobe light source or the second strobe light source is communicatively coupled to a first end of a fiber optic strand for detection at a second end of the fiber optic strand, the one of the first strobe light source or the second strobe light source being identifiable at the second end of the fiber optic strand according to a respective one of the first strobe frequency or the second strobe frequency; and

switchably coupling a non-oscillating signal from the plurality of signals to the light source in response to a second command of the wireless signal, to generate a non-strobe light source of the constant wavelength, wherein the non-strobe light source is communicatively coupled to the first end of the fiber optic strand for detection at the second end of the fiber optic strand, and wherein the first and second commands of the wireless signal originate proximal to the second end of the fiber optic strand.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising switchably coupling the second oscillating signal from the plurality of signals to the light source in response to a third command of the wireless signal, to generate a second strobe light source of the constant wavelength and a second strobe frequency, wherein the second strobe light source is communicatively coupled to the first end of a fiber optic strand for detection at the second end of the fiber optic strand.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the first strobe light source and the non-strobe light source are detectable at the second end of the fiber optic strand using one of a human eye or a fiber optic identifier.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the light source comprises a light emitting diode.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of electrical signals are generated using a plurality of oscillating generator circuits.