Fitel USA Corporation

Lucent Technologies Inc.

At&t Bell Laboratories

American Telephone & Telegraph Co., At&t Bell Laboratories

At&t Technologies, Inc.

Naif Taleb Subh

Norman Roger Lampert

Gregory Alen Sandels

Ian A White

Scott R Andrews

Yu Lu

Frank Salvatore Leone

Mark Richard Jennings

Sean L Jones

Clay A Feustel

Elizabeth J Driscoll

Bruce A Colombo

Robert Wayne Mock, Jr

Francis G McCormack

Ruben Travieso

Jeffrey Dale Nielson

John Francis May

Daniel Lee Stephenson

Daniel L Stephenson

Troy Barrett Mock

Connector systems for dynamically updating information related to a network and methods for developing the connector systems, are provided. A connector system for dynamically updating information related to the network, comprises: a connector; and an integrated circuit integrated in a surface of the connector. A method for developing the connector system comprises: obtaining a connector; and integrating an integrated circuit in a surface of the connector.

Connector systems for dynamically updating information related to a network and methods for developing the connector systems

Self-registration systems and methods for dynamically updating information related to a network, are provided. A self-registration system for dynamically updating information related to a network, comprises: a connector comprising an integrated circuit that stores a first block of information; an adapter coupled to the connector; a reader that receives the first block of information from the integrated circuit via the adapter; and a communication line coupled to the adapter via the connector, where the first block of information comprises a first block of information about network elements associated with the integrated circuit, and where the first block of information about network elements associated with the integrated circuit comprises information other than information identifying the connector, the adapter, the communication line and the integrated circuit.

Self-registration systems and methods for dynamically updating information related to a network

Adapter systems for dynamically updating information related to a network and methods for developing the adapter systems, are provided. An adapter system for dynamically updating information related to the network comprises: an adapter; and an antenna integrated in one of a surface of the adapter and in a tape overlay that can be affixed to the surface of the adapter. A method for developing an adapter system comprises: obtaining an adapter; and integrating an antenna in one of a surface of the adapter and in a tape overlay that can be affixed to the surface of the adapter.

Adapter systems for dynamically updating information related to a network and methods for developing the adapter systems

Robust fiber connector

An apparatus for tuning PM optical fiber connections has a first assembly including a light source which is connected to a first coupling stage having a rotatable polarizer, and a second assembly having a second coupling stage and a rotatable polarization analyzer for directing light transmitted through a terminated PM jumper cable coupled between the first and second coupling stages to a power meter. The output of the power meter is applied to a processing unit which, in turn, controls a rotation arrangement for the polarizing and analyzer. Crosstalk of this jumper is determined by ascertaining the angular positions of the maximum and minima outputs of the rotating analyzer, and the terminating connectors of the jumper are turned to the maximum value by aligning with a connector key. The process similarly applies to the connections between two jumper cables, with the alignment of the slow wave vectors thereof having achieved by determining the difference in the angular positions of the maximum output, and determining therefrom the positions of the reference keys of both connectors.

Polarization maintaining optical fiber connector and method of tuning (PM connector)

A connector plug for an optical fiber polarization maintaining connector has a front housing portion from which extends a cantilevered latching arm having a cross-sectional shape of a truncated wedge, and a rear housing portion. A barrel assembly having a flange thereon and a ferrule extending therefrom is housed within said first and second portions and is incrementally rotatable with respect to the first portion of the housing and hence to the latching arm. In a first embodiment the flange is seated in the front portion and prevented from turning with respect thereto. In a second embodiment the rear housing portion is an extender cap having resilient clamping arms which grip the flange. The extender cap is incrementally rotatable with respect to the first portion of the housing and, hence, the ferrule is incrementally rotatable with respect to the latching arm.

Polarization maintaining optical fiber connector plug

An adapter for receiving a connector plug terminating an optical fiber has a body member having at least one opening therein having sidewalls for receiving the plug. The opening has a longitudinally extending channel for receiving the latching arm of the connector plug, the side walls of the channel being angled inwardly to create a channel cross-section in the shape of a truncated wedge. In one of the sidewalls of the plug, preferably an outer side wall, is a cantilevered spring member biased inwardly toward the interim of the adapter for maintaining pressure upon the side of a connector plug when inserted therein. The exterior of the adapter body member has a flange thereon for bearing against a panel member or the like, and a metallic member straddles the body member and ahs cantilever leaf springs forming locking members for bearing against the opposite side of the panel from the flange.

Polarization maintaining optical fiber connector adapter

An optical cable tracing system is constructed using an optical/electrical (hybrid) cable containing both optical and electrical transmission media. This cable provides desirably high bandwidth via optical fibers while connection accuracy is provided via electrical wires , which are used to operate indicator lights at one or both ends of the cable. A hybrid plug connector terminates the cable at each end and includes a dielectric housing that encloses the optical fiber (glass or plastic), which extends through a front opening in the housing. A single cantilever latch is mounted on a top-side of the housing that is adapted to engage a mating jack receptacle in a locking relationship. A conductor-holding apparatus is molded into the bottom side of the housing where it holds a number of insulated electrical conductors and metallic blade terminals that pierce the insulation and make electrical contact with each of the conductors. The mating jack receptacle includes a row of spaced wire springs at the entrance of the optical connecting portion of the receptacle. The wire springs either extend to an opposite side of the receptacle to provide electrical interconnection between a pair of hybrid plug connectors, or the wire springs are arrayed to fit into a printed wiring board for interconnection with electrical circuitry thereon.

Optical/electrical plug connector

A tuning index tool for use in determining the degree of tuning necessary for a tunable optical fiber connector has a first stationary member having a connector adapter affixed thereto and a second movable member within the first member and spring loaded with respect thereto. The second member has a connector adapter affixed thereto axially aligned with the adapter in the first member. The movable member is incrementally rotatable with respect to the stationary member by being pulled against the spring force to disengage the ferrules of connectors in the adapters, which are aligned in a split sleeve. Rotation changes the orientation of the eccentricity vectors of the two connectors, and hence the insertion loss. Measurements of insertion loss are made, and the orientation of the connectors for minimum loss is noted. The number of incremental rotations of the tool indicates the incremental rotation of the ferrule of the connector under test, the eccentricity vector orientation of the other connector being known, that is necessary to achieve minimum insertion loss for the connector with connectors have a known eccentricity vector orientation.

Optical fiber connector tuning index tool

A plug type connector is adapted to be latched to a backplane wall in a fixed position and has a tapered front, nose or connector end for insertion into an adapter which plugs into the backplane wall. The adapter may be misaligned in any or all of the X, Y, Z axes. The tapered nose cams the X or Y misaligned adapter into axial alignment as the adapter and its mount are being inserted. A shortened front or connector end of the connector causes the ferrule of the connector to project beyond the optical plane of the connection so that it reaches a ferrule in a Z aligned adapter to complete the connection. A coil spring within the housing of the connector is tuned to allow counter movement of the ferrule where the ferrule in the adapter is too long, thereby shifting the position of the optical plane. The connector has a ferrule-barrel assembly within a housing and an insert member which has an enlarged diameter portion which is contained by openings in the housing to prevent rotation of the ferrule-barrel assembly.

Optical fiber connector for backplane

The present invention provides a connector for terminating an optical fiber. The connector comprises a one-piece housing, a ferrule assembly and an insert. The insert has keys formed thereon that are adapted to mate with keyways formed in the housing. The housing has a first opening formed therein that first receives the ferrule assembly and then the insert and a second opening opposite the first opening. The end of the ferrule assembly that holds the end of the optical fiber protrudes through the second opening. The insert has a flange thereon that has two oppositely located flat surfaces and two oppositely located keys. The keys each have a chamfered surface. The keys and the flat surfaces of the flange provide the flange with a substantially rectangular cross-section. The first opening formed in the housing has a substantially square cross-section. When the insert is inserted into the first end of the housing, the substantially square cross-section of the opening aligns with the oppositely located flat surfaces of the flange to thereby cause the keys of the flange to align with the keyways formed in the surfaces of the housing. The chamfered surfaces of the keys deflect the sides of the housing outwardly as the insert is inserted into the housing. The keys of the insert are then received by the keyways formed in the housing to lock the insert into place within the housing.

Optical connector having a one-piece housing

An optical fiber connector that is tunable despite being fully assembled has a assembly having an enlarged ferrule holding member or flange that has a multi-faceted periphery, preferably in the shape of a hexagon. The connector has a front housing portion that has a multi-faceted seating region for the flange. The flange is disengageable from the seating region for tuning rotation by being movable axially toward the rear of the housing against the force of a spring. The connector can be tuned by incremental rotations of the assembly when the flange is disengaged.

Tunable optical fiber connector

An optical connector ( ) includes a ferrule assembly ( ) which is adapted to be received in a plug frame ( ). The ferrule assembly is held in the plug frame by a cable retention assembly ( ) which is adapted to be secured to said plug frame. A leading end of the plug frame is symmetrical in an end cross-section which is normal to a longitudinal axis of the connector. After the ferrule assembly has been assembled to the plug frame, the direction of any eccentricity of the plug passageway or of an optical fiber terminated by the ferrule assembly is determined. Then the plug frame is assembled to a housing of a grip ( ) such that the direction of eccentricity is aligned with a key ( ) of the grip. The plug frame is capable of being assembled to the grip notwithstanding the rotational orientation of the plug frame with respect to the grip. An optical connection between optical fibers terminated by two connectors is made by inserting the grip of each of the two connectors into a coupling housing ( ) so that the keys are aligned. Advantageously, portions of the connector may be factory assembled which facilitates field use of the connector to terminate optical fiber.

Optical fiber ferrule connector having enhanced provisions for tuning

A tuning wrench for tuning optical fiber connectors has an enlarged portion from which extends a limiting portion having a diameter greater than the diameter of the opening in the ferrule housing portion of an optical connector. A tubular member protrudes from the limiting portion and has an internal diameter dimensioned to slide over the connector ferrule. The distal end of the tubular member has a pair of tangs adapted to fit within or openings in the front of the flange portion of the ferrule-barrel member of the connector. The distance from the face of the limiting member to the tangs is such that axial pressure on the wrench moves the flange rearwardly out of engagement with its housing but the face of the limiting member butts against the front of the housing before the spring member within the housing bottoms. Rotation of the wrench thus causes rotation of the ferrule-barrel assembly to alter the angular orientation of the eccentricity vector of the ferrule.

Growing community of inventors

Lawrenceville, GA, United States of America

Naif Taleb Subh