At&t Bell Laboratories

Tyco Telecommunications (us) Inc.

Tycom (us) Inc.

Robert F Gleason

Don A Hadfield

Alfred G Richardson

John S Logan, Jr

Stephen N Anctil

Robert L Lynch

Chung-Shin Ma

Craig Edward Murphy

Seymour Shapiro

William F Wright

John McLay

Nicholas Semitros

Daniel A Meade

Norman E McNerney

Lendall R Caverly, Jr

Martin Q Thornton

A method of repairing a slope-matched cable system that leaves the net chromatic dispersion of the system nominally unchanged comprises removing a portion of the slope-matched cable system that is faulted, either the cable or a repeater, and constructing a replacement cable portion from two N-P cable lengths having negative dispersion fibers and positive dispersion fibers and a P cable length having positive dispersion fibers. The N-P cable lengths are coupled on each side of the P cable length and the replacement cable portion is connected to the slope-matched cable where the faulted cable was removed. The method also accounts for the extra cable that necessarily has to be added during the repair and for the replacement of a faulted repeater. A cable repair can be made in a regular cable section or in a compensation cable section, in which case the replacement cable portion can also include a repair repeater with LBOs to leave the gain shape of the transmission spectrum nominally unchanged and allows for replacement of a gain equalizer if one was removed during the repair. Similarly, when a faulted repeater is removed the replacement portion can include a replacement repeater, as well as a repair repeater, to leave the gain shape of the transmission spectrum nominally unchanged.

Method of repairing a slope-matched cable system and replacement cable portion for use therein

An optical fiber cable is provided for undersea applications that include a hollow buffers tube with at least one optical fiber disposed therein. The buffer tube is formed from a plastic material. A water-blockable gel is located in the buffer tube and a series of strength members are configured in a close-packed arrangement around the buffer tube. A metal conductor surrounds the series of strength members and a plastic jacket encapsulating the metal conductor.

Undersea communications cable having centrally located, plastic buffer tube

A method for fabricating an optical attenuator includes the following steps. Measuring the magnitude of optical loss imposed on an optical signal transmitted through first and second abutted optical fibers. Aligning the abutted ends of the first and second optical fibers for minimum distributed optical signal loss through both optical fibers, as measured at the far end of the second optical fiber. Heating the abutted ends of the first and second optical fibers into a plastic state. Physically distorting the optical fiber ends until the measured optical signal loss increases by a desired additional lumped optical loss value. Cooling the abutted ends of the first and second optical fibers to form a fusion splice imposing the desired additional lumped optical loss value between the ends of the first and second optical fibers.

Method of making an optical fiber attenuator using a lossy fusion splice

There is disclosed a method for fabricating an undersea communications cable core containing optical fibers. The method includes heating a central strength member and extruding a first layer of thermoplastic elastomer onto the heated central strength member. Paying out the optical fibers from a plurality of bobbins. Helically laying the optical fibers onto the first layer of thermoplastic elastomer with a planetary motion. The optical fibers passing entirely enclosed through a separate part of a whipping prevention enclosure from the bobbins to a rotating closing die. Passing the central strength member, coated with the first layer of thermoplastic elastomer and helically wrapped with the optical fibers, through the closing die, which rotates with the rotation of the helix, applying to the optical fibers forces directed radially into the core but without applying to the optical fibers forces directed tangentially to the surface of the first layer of thermoplastic material. Extruding a second layer of thermoplastic elastomer over the fibers to merge with the first layer of thermoplastic elastomer.

Method for fabricating a cable core including optical fibers

There is disclosed an undersea communications cable containing optical fibers. The cable is fabricated so that fiber optical loss characteristics vary only slightly with changes in tensile strain in the cable.

Optical fiber cable including a strain equalizing adhesive which

There is disclosed a method for fabricating an undersea communications cable containing optical fibers. The cable is fabricated so that fiber optical loss characteristics vary only slightly with changes in strain in the cable. During fabrication an adhesive bonds the cable core containing the optical fibers to a layer of steel wire for preventing creep therebetween.

Method for fabricating an optical fiber cable

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Freehold, NJ, United States of America

Robert F Gleason