At&t Bell Laboratories

Robert M Kimball

Yinon Degani

George J Shevchuk

Richard T Kraetsch

Robert M Lien

Thomas F McIntosh

A network ring topology includes a plurality of entry and exit interfaces (100,110) disposed in administrative locations such as in an equipment room (53) and in riser and satellite closets (51, 57), and at stations. Interconnections between ports of sets of ports of the interfaces are made in the closets by jumpers (120--120) and either in a direct or in an inverted manner, the direct being between corresponding ports of corresponding sets of ports in interfaces. Inverted connections are made between two exit or between two entry interfaces in which input and output ports of corresponding rings are connected by jumpers. The interfaces are color coded and may be either entry or exit type to denote the arrangement of the ports. The interfaces and the color coding arrangement allow a craftperson to make connections in an administrative location without having to follow signals through the ring. For a dual ring counter rotating network, each interface necessarily include two sets of ports.

Administration arrangement for local area network architecture

An optical fiber connector pair is provided, which includes a plug assembly and a receptacle. An optical connection can be repeatedly made and broken by insertion and withdrawal, repectively, of the plug assembly relative to the receptacle. The final alignment of the mating fiber ends is provided by a pair of silicon blocks, each having a guiding groove formed in one surface. One block is included in the receptacle, and the other block is included in the plug assembly. One fiber end is affixed in each groove. The act of inserting the plug assembly in the receptacle brings the grooved surfaces together such that each fiber is captured by the opposing groove.

Article for connecting optical fibers

A fiber optical end connector is disclosed, comprising a grooved base member having mounted thereupon a grooved silicon block, and means for holding optical fibers in the grooves on the base member and on the silicon block.

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Brick, NJ, United States of America

Robert M Kimball