Apical Filler Layers

• US 20160109036A1
• Filed: 12/17/2015
• Published: 04/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Elford, Michael L., Winterrowd, Michael P., Barnett, Thomas C. Jr., Schwengler, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 10,774,948 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 1/028 in the ground F16L1/026 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4442 Cap coupling boxes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/501 underground installation of connection boxes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/504 Installation in solid material, e.g. underground
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0003 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0067 Provisions for optical access or distribution networks, e.g. Gigabit Ethernet Passive Optical Network (GE-PON), ATM-based Passive Optical Network (A-PON), PON-Ring
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0064 Arbitration, scheduling or medium access control aspects
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4998 Combined manufacture including applying or shaping of fluent material

Abstract

Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing point-to-point fiber insertion within a passive optical network (“PON”) communications system. The PON communications system, associated with a first service provider or a first service, might include an F1 line(s) routed from a central office or DSLAM to a fiber distribution hub (“FDH”) located within a block or neighborhood of customer premises, via at least an apical conduit source slot, an F2 line(s) routed via various apical conduit components to a network access point (“NAP”) servicing customer premises, and an F3 line(s) distributed, at the NAP and from the F2 Line(s), to a network interface device or optical network terminal at each customer premises via various apical conduit components (e.g., in roadway surfaces). Point-to-point fiber insertion of another F1 line(s), associated with a second service provider or a second service, at either the NAP or the FDH (or outside these devices).

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

placing one or more lines in a channel in a ground surface;

placing one or more first layers of filler material in at least a portion of the channel over the one or more lines;

placing one or more additional layers of filler material in at least a portion of the channel over the one or more first layers of filler material, after the one or more first layers of filler material have set, with the one or more lines having floated on, adhered to, or been at least partially surrounded by the first layer of filler material prior to the first layer of filler material setting.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more lines comprises at least one of one or more telecommunications lines, one or more power lines, one or more cables, one or more optical fiber cables, or one or more conduits.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more first layers of filler material prevents the one or more lines from floating into any of the one or more additional layers of filler material.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more first layers of filler material comprises polyurea.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of one or more first layers of filler material comprises a soft material that can be cut or otherwise opened to expose the one or more lines without harm to the one or more lines.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein at least one of the one or more additional layers of filler material is a hard material that cannot easily be cut or otherwise opened to expose the one or more lines without harm to the one or more lines.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

subsequent to curing of the one or more first layers of filler material and the one or more additional layers of filler material;

digging into the ground surface to expose the one or more first layers of filler material;

cutting or otherwise opening the one or more first layers of filler material to expose at least one of the one or more lines; and

performing a service on the at least one of the one or more lines.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to placing one or more lines in the channel in the ground surface, determining whether there are spaces in the ground surface beyond or below an intended width or depth of the channel; and

based on a determination that there is at least one space in the ground surface that is beyond or below the intended width or depth of the channel, placing one or more second layers of the filler material in the at least one space in the ground surface, at least one of the one or more second layers of filler material comprising a structural foam that expands to fill the at least one space in the ground surface that is beyond or below the intended width or depth of the channel.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more additional layers of filler material comprises polyurea.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more additional layers of filler material comprises a shearable top coat that can be sheared without harming any of the one or more lines.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more lines disposed in a channel in a ground surface;

one or more first layers of filler material disposed in at least a portion of the channel over the one or more lines; and

one or more additional layers of filler material disposed in at least a portion of the channel over the one or more first layers of filler material.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least one of the one or more lines comprises at least one of one or more telecommunications lines, one or more power lines, one or more cables, one or more optical fiber cables, or one or more conduits.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least one of the one or more first layers of filler material prevents the one or more lines from floating into any of the one or more additional layers of filler material.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least one of the one or more first layers of filler material comprises polyurea.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least one of one or more first layers of filler material comprises a soft material that can be cut or otherwise opened to expose the one or more lines without harm to the one or more lines.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein at least one of the one or more additional layers of filler material is a hard material that cannot easily be cut or otherwise opened to expose the one or more lines without harm to the one or more lines.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the ground surface is a roadway surface.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

one or more second layers of filler material disposed in the ground surface beyond or below an intend width or depth of the channel, wherein at least one of the one or more second layers of filler material comprises a structural foam that expands to fill at least one space in the ground surface that is beyond or below the intended width or depth of the channel.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least one of the one or more additional layers of filler material comprises polyurea.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least one of the one or more additional layers of filler material comprises a shearable top coat that can be sheared without harming any of the one or more lines.