Optical waveguides – With disengagable mechanical connector
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-23
2001-10-02
Bovernick, Rodney (Department: 2874)
Optical waveguides
With disengagable mechanical connector
C385S025000, C385S026000, C385S057000, C385S055000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06296397
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to optical communication systems. More particularly, this invention relates to a method and apparatus for making connections between a first plurality of optical communications stations and a second plurality of optical communications stations.
2. The Prior Art
Switching of large optical communications networks is a complicated and expensive task. Typically, when one wishes to couple a first optical communications channel to a second optical communications channel, a technician must go to a patch panel, find the optical coupler connected to the first channel, find the optical coupler connected to the second channel and then connect the two optical couplers. This arrangement has the disadvantages of being time consuming, costly and prone to error.
Optical switching circuits have been developed that facilitate interconnection between optical channels. Such circuits are able to make connections very quickly and reliably. However, such circuits are expensive and, in many applications (such as changing optical computer network configurations), the speed of such circuits is unnecessary.
Therefore, there is a need for an inexpensive device for automatically connecting optical channels.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above-noted disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention, which in one aspect is an apparatus for making connections between a first plurality of optical channels and a second plurality of optical channels. Included in the apparatus is at least one fiber channel rotator, that includes a rotatable member, having a peripheral edge, disposed along a rotational plane and is rotatable about an axis. A first optical connector is optically coupled to a first optical channel and is in sliding engagement with the rotatable member adjacent to the peripheral edge. A rotational driver is coupled to the rotatable member so as to selectively cause the rotatable member to rotate about the axis and thereby direct the first optical connector to a selected angular position. The apparatus also includes at least one tower that includes a track, disposed adjacent to the rotatable member and transverse to the rotational plane of the rotatable member. A second optical connector, complementary to the first optical connector, is optically coupled to a second optical channel and is slidably engaged with the track so as to be able to move along the track. A linear driver drives the second optical connector along the track so as to cause the second optical connector to be moved to a selected linear position along the track. A controller, in control communication with rotational driver and the linear driver, causes the rotational driver to rotate the first optical connector to the selected angular position and causes the linear driver to move the second optical connector to the selected linear position, so that the first optical connector is adjacent the second optical connector. An actuator selectively causes the first optical connector and the second optical connector to engage, so that the first optical channel becomes optically coupled to the second optical channel.
In another aspect, the invention includes a plurality of fiber channel rotators and a plurality of spaced apart towers circularly disposed about the plurality of fiber channel rotators.
In another aspect, the invention is a method of coupling a first optical fiber channel, terminating in a first optical connector, to a second optical fiber channel, terminating in a second optical connector, in which the first optical connector is rotated about an axis to an angular position. The second optical connector is moved along a linear path to a linear position so that the second optical connector is adjacent to the first optical connector. The first optical connector is engaged with the second optical connector so that the first optical fiber channel is optically coupled to the second optical fiber channel.
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Bavington Stephen G.
Lindgren Bert A.
Bovernick Rodney
Needle & Rosenberg P.C.
Net-Hopper System, Inc.
Pak Sung
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