Multi-fiber cable for efficient manageability of optical system

• US 20060133747A1
• Filed: 12/22/2004
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Mueller, Juergen
• Granted Patent: US 7,298,946 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/100
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4482 Code or colour marking

Abstract

One embodiment disclosed relates to a manufactured multi-fiber cable for optical systems. The multi-fiber cable is manufactured to include a plurality of individual fiber cables, each individual fiber cable including a single optical fiber surrounded by a protective covering. There is a main cable hose around the individual fiber cables, and there is a connector on each end of each individual fiber cable. The individual fiber cables in the multi-fiber cable are preconfigured to be visually distinct from each other. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A manufactured multi-fiber cable for optical systems, the multi-fiber cable comprising:

a plurality of individual fiber cables, each individual fiber cable including a single optical fiber surrounded by a protective covering;

a main cable hose around the individual fiber cables; and

a connector on each end of each individual fiber cable,

wherein the individual fiber cables in the multi-fiber cable are preconfigured to be visually distinct from each other.

2. The multi-fiber cable of claim 1, wherein distinctive colors are used on the coverings of the individual fiber cables so as to provide said visual distinctness.

3. The multi-fiber cable of claim 1, wherein distinctive patterns are used on the coverings of the individual fiber cables so as to provide said visual distinctness.

4. The multi-fiber cable of claim 1, wherein labels are attached to each end of the individual fiber cables during manufacture of the multi-fiber cable.

5. The multi-fiber cable of claim 1, wherein labels are attached to each end of the main cable hose during manufacture of the multi-fiber cable.

6. The multi-fiber cable of claim 1, wherein distinctive colors are used on coverings of the individual fiber cables so as to provide said visual distinctness.

7. The multi-fiber cable of claim 1, wherein the multi-fiber cable is manufactured to be of a standard length.

8. The multi-fiber cable of claim 7, wherein the standard length comprises a length from a group consisting of two meters, five meters, ten meters, fifteen meters, thirty meters, and one hundred meters.

9. The multi-fiber cable of claim 1, wherein the multi-fiber cable consists of a number of individual fiber cables from a group consisting of two, four, six, eight and sixteen individual fiber cables.

10. The multi-fiber cable of claim 1, wherein the individual fiber cables extend outward past the main cable hose by a fraction of a meter.

11. The multi-fiber cable of claim 1, wherein each connector comprises a precision ceramic ferrule.

12. The multi-fiber cable of claim 1, further comprising:

a protective reinforcement to the main cable hose.

13. The multi-fiber cable of claim 12, wherein the protective reinforcement comprises a metal spiral along the main cable hose.

14. The multi-fiber cable of claim 1, further comprising:

a spare individual fiber cable designed for use in circumstances where one of the other individual fiber cables fails.

15. A manufactured multi-fiber cable for Fiber Channel systems comprising:

a plurality of individual fiber cables, wherein each individual fiber cable comprises a single optical fiber surrounded by a covering;

a main cable hose around the individual fiber cables;

a protective reinforcement along the main cable hose;

a connector on each end of each individual fiber cable;

labels that are thermally attached to each end of the individual fiber cables during manufacture of the multi-fiber cable, and

labels that are thermally attached to each end of the main cable hose during manufacture of the multi-fiber cable,

wherein distinctive colors are used on the coverings of the individual fiber cables so as to provide said visual distinctness between the individual fiber cables of the multi-fiber cable,

wherein the individual fiber cables extend outward past the main cable hose by less than one meter, and

wherein each connector comprises a precision ceramic ferrule.

16. The multi-fiber cable of claim 15, wherein the multi-fiber cable is manufactured to be of a standard length.

17. The multi-fiber cable of claim 16, wherein the standard length comprises a length from a group consisting of two meters, five meters, ten meters, fifteen meters, thirty meters, and one hundred meters.

18. The multi-fiber cable of claim 15, wherein the multi-fiber cable consists of a number of individual fiber cables from a group consisting of two, four, six, eight and sixteen individual fiber cables plus a spare fiber cable.

19. A Fiber Channel system comprising:

a fiber channel fabric including a plurality of fabric ports;

a plurality of node systems, each node system including a node port; and

a multi-fiber cable including individual fiber cables, each individual fiber cable connecting a node port to a fabric port.

20. The Fiber Channel system of claim 19, wherein the multi-fiber cable further includes:

a main cable hose around the individual fiber cables; and

a connector on each end of each individual fiber cable,

wherein distinctive colors are used on the coverings of the individual fiber cables so as to provide said visual distinctness between the individual fiber cables of the multi-fiber cable, and

wherein the individual fiber cables extend outward past the main cable hose by less than one meter, and

wherein each connector comprises a precision ceramic ferrule.

21. The Fiber Channel system of claim 20, wherein the multi-fiber cable further includes

labels that are thermally attached to each end of the individual fiber cables during manufacture of the multi-fiber cable;

and

labels that are thermally attached to each end of the main cable hose during manufacture of the multi-fiber cable.

22. The Fiber Channel system of claim 19, a plurality of multi-fiber cables are laid to interconnect said ports.

23. The Fiber Channel system of claim 22, wherein a total number of individual fiber cables in the multi-fiber cables is at least one hundred.