Lucent Technologies Inc.

Fitel USA Corporation

Daniel Harper, Jr

James R Petisce

Carl Raymond Taylor

John Michael Turnipseed

Priya L Tabaddor

A coated fiber strand including at least one heterogeneous region present in one or more coating layers. The heterogeneous region(s) preferably comprises a material useful for coding of the fiber. The optical fiber can include a primary coating layer and a secondary coating layer where the heterogeneous region(s) defines one or more colored stripes in or on the secondary coating layer. A method for forming a coated fiber, such as an optical fiber, includes introducing at least one coating layer onto a fiber strand such that one or more coating layers cover a portion of the surface of the strand. At least one heterogeneous region is introduced into or onto one or more coating layers, and the strand is cured to provide a desired product. A desired functionality, e.g., coding, can thus be introduced onto a fiber without adversely effecting subsequent processing steps, e.g., curing of the coating layer(s).

Methods for making coated fiber strands having one or more heterogeneous regions

A coated fiber strand includes one or more coating layers located directly or indirectly on the strand and at least one heterogeneous region present in or on one or more of the coating layer(s). The heterogeneous region(s) preferably comprises a material useful for coding of the fiber. One particularly preferred embodiment relates to an optical fiber having a primary coating layer and a secondary coating layer where the heterogeneous region(s) defines one or more colored stripes in or on the secondary coating layer. A method for forming a coated fiber, such as an optical fiber, includes introducing at least one coating layer onto a fiber strand such that one or more coating layers directly or indirectly cover at least a portion of the surface of the strand. The method further includes introducing at least one heterogeneous region into or onto a coating layer(s). The fiber can then be treated, e.g., cured so as to provide a desired product. By this method, a desired functionality, e.g., coding, can be introduced onto a fiber without adversely effecting subsequent processing steps, e.g., curing of the coating layer(s).

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Kennesaw, GA, United States of America

Daniel Harper, Jr