Self-reporting optical connector device

Abstract

To provide a self-reporting optical connector device.SOLUTION: A self-reporting optical connector device 115 may be configured to provide optical connectivity between optical fibers 114, 122 for supporting propagation of optical signals between the optical fibers. The self-reporting optical connector device may be deployed at customer premises 110 for supporting optical connectivity between an optical fiber originating in an optical communication network 120 and terminating at the customer premises 110 and an optical fiber deployed within the customer premises 110 between the self-reporting optical connector device and an optical termination device at the customer premises 110. The self-reporting optical connector device may be configured to support self-reporting of an optical fiber status of the optical fiber originating in the optical communication network 120 and terminating at the self-reporting optical connector device in the customer premises 110.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Various exemplary embodiments generally relate to communication systems, and more specifically, but not limited to, optical connector devices deployed in communication systems.

Background Art

[0002] In communication networks, various communication technologies can be used to support various types of communication.

Summary of the Invention

[0003] In at least some exemplary embodiments, an apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a first fiber receptacle configured to receive a first connector of a first optical fiber. The apparatus includes a photodetector configured to detect an optical signal. The apparatus includes a second fiber receptacle. The apparatus includes a receptacle cover configured to cover the second fiber receptacle. The receptacle cover is configured to support an open status in which the second fiber receptacle is configured to receive a second connector of a second optical fiber for transferring an optical signal between the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber. The receptacle cover is configured to support a closed status in which an optical signal received on the first optical fiber is redirected toward the photodetector. The apparatus includes a controller configured to determine a status of the first optical fiber based on whether the optical signal is detected by the photodetector and to provide an indication of the status of the first optical fiber. The inner surface of the receptacle cover may include a reflective element for redirecting an optical signal received on the first optical fiber toward the photodetector. The reflective element may be a mirror. The photodetector may be configured to detect optical signals in a wavelength range configured to support fiber-to-the-home service. The photodetector may be integrated with the controller. The controller may be a microcontroller. The controller may be configured to determine the status of the optical fiber and to periodically provide an indication of the status of the optical fiber. The controller may be configured to provide an indication of the status of the first optical fiber by initiating activation of a visual indicator. The controller may be configured to provide an indication of the status of the first optical fiber by initiating transmission of a message to a remote device. The message may be transmitted wirelessly. The message may be transmitted using a cellular device. The message may be transmitted using at least one of cellular transmission, WiFi transmission, or Bluetooth® transmission. The apparatus may further include a wireless chip configured to support wireless communication of an indication of the status of the first optical fiber.The device may further include a battery configured to supply power to at least the controller. The controller may be configured to determine the status of the battery and provide an indication of the status of the battery. The controller may be configured to provide an indication of the status of the battery by starting the activation of a visual indicator. The controller may be configured to provide an indication of the status of the battery by starting the transmission of a message to a remote device. The first optical fiber may be part of a passive optical network, and the second optical fiber may be a fiber located within the customer premises.

[0004] In at least some exemplary embodiments, an apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes an optical fiber receptacle having a receptacle cover, an optical detector configured to detect an optical signal, and a controller. The receptacle cover is configured to redirect an optical signal received via an optical fiber to the optical detector. The controller is configured to provide an indication of the status of the optical fiber based on whether the optical signal has been detected by the optical detector. The receptacle cover may be configured to support an open status in which the fiber receptacle is configured to receive a second optical fiber for transmitting an optical signal between the optical fiber and a second optical fiber. The receptacle cover may be configured to support a closed status in which an optical signal received on the optical fiber is redirected toward the optical detector. The inner surface of the receptacle cover may include a reflective element for redirecting an optical signal received on the optical fiber toward the optical detector. The reflective element may be a mirror. The optical detector may be configured to detect optical signals in a wavelength range configured to support fiber-to-the-home service. The optical detector may be integrated with the controller. The controller may be a microcontroller. The controller may be configured to determine the status of the optical fiber and periodically provide an indication of the status of the optical fiber. The controller may be configured to provide an indication of the status of the first optical fiber by initiating activation of a visual indicator. The controller may be configured to provide an indication of the status of the optical fiber by initiating transmission of a message to a remote device. The message may be transmitted wirelessly. The message may be transmitted using a cellular device. The message may be transmitted using at least one of cellular transmission, WiFi transmission, or Bluetooth® transmission. The apparatus may further include a wireless chip configured to support wireless communication of an indication of the status of the optical fiber. The apparatus may further include a battery configured to supply power to at least the controller.The controller may be configured to determine the status of the battery and provide an indication of the status of the battery. The controller may be configured to provide an indication of the status of the battery by starting the activation of a visual indicator. The controller may be configured to provide an indication of the status of the battery by starting the transmission of a message to a remote device. The optical fiber may be part of a passive optical network, and the second optical fiber may be a fiber located within the customer premises.

[0005] In at least some exemplary embodiments, the apparatus includes at least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to determine at least the status of an optical fiber provided and connected to an optical connector based on whether an optical signal is detected by a photodetector of the optical connector, and cause an indication of the status of the optical fiber connected to the optical connector to be provided by a controller of the optical connector. In at least some exemplary embodiments, the non-transitory computer-readable medium includes computer program instructions provided by a controller of the optical connector, and the computer program instructions, when executed by the apparatus, cause the apparatus to determine at least the status of an optical fiber connected to the optical connector based on whether an optical signal is detected by a photodetector of the optical connector, and cause an indication of the status of the optical fiber connected to the optical connector to be provided. In at least some exemplary embodiments, the method includes determining, by a controller of the optical connector, the status of an optical fiber connected to the optical connector based on whether an optical signal is detected by a photodetector of the optical connector, and providing, by the controller of the optical connector, an indication of the status of the optical fiber connected to the optical connector. In at least some exemplary embodiments, the apparatus includes means for determining, by a controller of the optical connector, the status of an optical fiber connected to the optical connector based on whether an optical signal is detected by a photodetector of the optical connector, and means for providing, by the controller of the optical connector, an indication of the status of the optical fiber connected to the optical connector.

[0006] The disclosure herein will be readily understood by considering the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007]

Figure 1

Figure 2A

Figure 2B

Figure 3A

Figure 3B

Figure 4

Figure 5

[0008] For ease of understanding, the same reference numbers are used throughout this specification wherever possible to denote elements common to the various figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Various exemplary embodiments of a self-reporting optical connector device are presented herein. The self-reporting optical connector device can be configured to provide an optical connection between optical fibers to support the propagation of optical signals between the optical fibers. The self-reporting optical connector device can be deployed within a customer premise to support an optical connection between an optical fiber starting in an optical communication network and terminating within the customer premise, and an optical fiber deployed within the customer premise between the self-reporting optical connector device and an optical termination device within the customer premise (e.g., a home in a fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) configuration, or other types of customer premises that may have an optical connector device). The self-reporting optical connector device can be configured to support self-reporting of the optical fiber status of an optical fiber starting in an optical communication network and terminating at the self-reporting optical connector device within the customer premise. The self-reporting optical connector device may be configured to support self-reporting of the optical fiber status of an optical fiber terminating at the self-reporting optical connector device, and the optical fiber status of the optical fiber terminating at the self-reporting optical connector device indicates whether the optical fiber terminating at the self-reporting receptacle device is inactive (e.g., no optical signal is detected within the optical fiber) or active (e.g., an optical signal is detected within the optical fiber).

[0010] Various exemplary embodiments of a self-reporting optical connector device can be configured to support various capabilities and functions for self-reporting of the optical fiber status of an optical fiber terminated with the self-reporting optical connector device. For example, the self-reporting optical connector device can be implemented as an active self-reporting optical connector device configured to actively (e.g., locally and / or remotely) monitor and report the optical fiber status of an optical fiber terminated with the self-reporting optical connector device. For example, the self-reporting optical connector device can be configured as an intelligent self-reporting optical connector device capable of various types of intelligence within the context of (e.g., intelligently determining when to perform an optical fiber status check, intelligently determining where to report the results of the optical fiber status check, and various combinations thereof). For example, the self-reporting optical connector device can be configured to operate as an Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled or IoT-like device that can autonomously monitor and report the optical fiber status of an optical fiber terminated with the self-reporting optical connector device. The self-reporting optical connector device can be configured to support various other capabilities and functions for supporting self-reporting of the optical fiber status of an optical fiber terminated with the self-reporting optical connector device.

[0011] Various exemplary embodiments of a self-reporting optical connector device may be configured to facilitate customer self-installation procedures by the customer within a customer premise where the self-reporting optical connector device is deployed. Many service providers that support FTTH struggle with the problem that even in a home pre-certified by the service provider to be "on-net" (i.e., where the fiber service is connected and active), the self-installation process (performed by the end user at home) often fails due to fiber connection problems. This is often due to fiber breaks (in the home and / or within the home), fiber cuts (often by competitors during a service swap between service providers), damaged receptacles, etc. In such situations, the end user cannot proceed with the installation and must report back to the service provider to schedule a technician to address the problem and complete the installation, which can often take several days or weeks. Service providers often refer to this situation as a "cold house" problem. Various exemplary embodiments of a self-reporting optical connector device may be configured to eliminate such situations where an unknown optical fiber interruption within the customer premise or on the customer premise would cause the customer's self-installation to fail, thereby eliminating the "cold house" problem.

[0012] These and various other exemplary embodiments of the self-reporting optical connector device, as well as the advantages or potential advantages of the exemplary embodiments of the self-reporting optical connector device, may be further understood by reference to the various figures discussed further below.

[0013] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a communication system including a self-reporting optical connector device configured to support self-reporting of the optical fiber status of an optical fiber connected to the self-reporting optical connector device.

[0014] The communication system 100 includes a communication device within the customer premise 110, a communication network 120 configured to support communication between the communication device and the customer devices within the customer premise 110, and a management device 130 configured to support management functions for the communication network 120 and the communication devices within the customer premise 110. It will be understood that the communication system 100 may include various other communication elements that are omitted for clarity when explaining the operation of the communication system 100 in FIG. 1.

[0015] The customer premise 110 includes a set of customer premise devices 111-1 to 111-N (collectively customer premise devices 111), an optical network device 113, and an optical connector device 115. The customer premise devices 111 may include customer end devices (such as smartphones, laptop computers, desktop computers, set-top boxes, smart TVs, game systems, home control devices, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, etc.), customer networking devices (such as wireless routers, switches, etc.) that can support communication of the customer end devices, and various combinations thereof. The customer premise devices 111-1 to 111-N are each connected to the optical network device 113 via a set of connections 112-1 to 112-N (collectively connections 112). The connections 112 between the customer premise devices 111 and the optical network device 113 may include wired connections, wireless connections, and various combinations thereof. The optical network device 113 is connected to the optical connector device 115 via a customer-side optical fiber 114. The optical connector device 115 is configured to provide an optical interface between the customer premise 110 and the communication network 120.

[0016] The communication network 120 may be configured to support the communication of the customer premise 110 (for example, the communication of the customer premise device 111 in the customer premise 110). The communication network 120 may be configured to support communication based on optical communication technologies, such as passive optical networks (PONs), active optical networks, and various combinations thereof. For example, the communication network 120 may be configured to operate as a gigabit-capable PON (GPON), XGS-PON, 25G-PON, next-generation PON (NG-PON), etc. The communication network 120 includes an optical network device 121 configured to interface with the customer premise 110 via a network-side optical fiber 122 (exemplarily, the network-side optical fiber 122 optically connects the optical network device 121 of the communication network 120 and the optical connector device 115 of the customer premise 110). For example, the optical network device 121 may be an OLT (optical line terminal), in which case the optical network device 113 of the customer premise 110 may be an ONU (optical network unit). It will be understood that the communication network 120 may include various other elements that may be used to support the communication of the customer premise 110.

[0017] The optical connector device 115 optically connects the network-side optical fiber 122 and the customer-side optical fiber 114 to support the propagation of optical signals. However, there may be problems with the optical connectivity between the network-side optical fiber 122 and the customer-side optical fiber 114. For example, this can be due to fiber cuts of the network-side optical fiber 122 (in and / or within the home), cuts of the network-side optical fiber 122 (often by competitors during service swaps between service providers), damaged receptacles, and the like. In this case, the self-installation process in which the customer connects the customer-side optical fiber 114 to the optical connector device 115 (completed by the end user at home) may fail due to problems with the fiber connectivity within or to the customer premise 110, even if the customer premise 110 is pre-approved by the service provider to be "on-net" (i.e., fiber service from the optical network device 121 to the customer premise 110 via the network-side optical fiber 122 is connected and active).

[0018] The optical connector device 115 can be configured to support self-reporting of the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 122, which can overcome the various problems discussed above. The optical connector device 115 monitors the network-side optical fiber 122 to determine whether an optical signal is propagating on the network-side optical fiber 122, determines the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 122 based on whether the optical signal is propagating on the network-side optical fiber 122, and can be configured to support self-reporting of the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 122 by initiating reporting of the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 122 locally (e.g., via one or more local indications in the optical connector device 115) and / or remotely (e.g., via transmission of one or more messages to one or more remote devices).

[0019] The optical connector device 115 may be configured to support self-reporting of the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 122 based on the optical connector device 115 being in a particular status. The optical connector device 115 may be configured to support self-reporting of the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 122 when the customer-side optical fiber 114 is not connected to the optical connector device 115. When the customer-side optical fiber 114 is not connected to the optical connector device 115, the optical connector device 115 redirects an optical signal that may be propagating within the network-side optical fiber 122 to an optical sensor of the optical connector device 115, and a controller of the optical connector device 115 determines the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 122 based on whether the optical sensor indicates detection of an optical signal propagating on the network-side optical fiber 122, and reports the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 122 locally (e.g., via one or more local indicators at the optical connector device 115) and / or remotely (e.g., via transmission of one or more messages to one or more remote devices), and initiates reporting of the status of the optical fiber of the network-side optical fiber 122.

[0020] As shown, the optical connector device 115 may be configured to support self-reporting of the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 122 using a controller 141, an optical redirect element 142, an optical detection element 143, a communication element 144, a local status indicator element 145, and a power source 146. It will be understood that the optical connector device 115 may include fewer or more elements, including different types of elements, to support self-reporting of the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 122 by the optical connector device 115.

[0021] The controller 141 may be configured to control the self-reporting of the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 122 by the optical connector device 115. The controller 141 may be configured to support the determination of the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 122 based on whether the photodetection element 143 detects an optical signal from the network-side optical fiber 122. The controller 141 may be configured to determine that the network-side optical fiber 122 is active (optical fiber status = active) based on the determination that the photodetection element 143 detects an optical signal from the network-side optical fiber 122, or to determine that it is inactive (optical fiber status = inactive) based on the determination that the photodetection element 143 does not detect an optical signal from the network-side optical fiber 122. The controller 141 may be configured to control the reporting of the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 122 locally (e.g., activating a local indication of the optical fiber status) and / or remotely (e.g., transmitting one or more messages including an indication of the optical fiber status). The controller 141 may be configured to support various other functions for controlling the self-reporting of the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 122 by the optical connector device 115.

[0022] The optical redirect element 142 is configured to redirect an optical signal from the network-side optical fiber 122 to the optical detection element 143. The optical redirect element 142 can be a reflection element (e.g., a mirror, a mirror-like reflection element, etc.), a lens, etc., as well as various combinations thereof. The optical redirect element 142 may be arranged to redirect an optical signal from the network-side optical fiber 122 to the optical detection element 143 when the optical connector device 115 is in a specific status. For example, the optical redirect element 142 may be arranged within the optical signal path of the optical signal from the network-side optical fiber 122 to redirect the optical signal from the network-side optical fiber 122 to the optical detection element 143 when the customer-side optical fiber 114 is not connected to the optical connector device 115. For example, the optical redirect element 142 may be arranged outside the optical signal path of the optical signal from the network-side optical fiber 122 when the customer-side optical fiber 114 is not connected to the optical connector device 115, thereby enabling the optical signal to pass between the network-side optical fiber 122 and the customer-side optical fiber 114. It will be understood that the arrangement of the optical redirect element 142 with respect to the optical signal path of the optical signal from the network-side optical fiber 122 can be further understood by referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B.

[0023] The light detection element 143 can be configured to determine whether an optical signal is received via the network-side optical fiber 122. The light detection element 143 is activated by the controller 141 and performs a detection operation to detect whether an optical signal is received via the network-side optical fiber 122. The light detection element 143 can be adjusted to support the detection of an optical signal at a wavelength known to be used on the network-side optical fiber 122 (for example, the FTTH wavelength in an FTTH arrangement). When operating in a detection mode for determining whether an optical signal is received via the network-side optical fiber 122, the light detection element 143 can be configured to indicate to the controller 141 whether an optical signal is received via the network-side optical fiber 122. The light detection element 143 may be an optical sensor, a photodetector, a photosensitive receptor, or the like. It will be understood that although the light detection element 143 is mainly presented as a stand-alone element, it may be integrated with the controller 141.

[0024] The communication element 144 can be configured to perform communication of the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 122. The communication element 144 can be configured to perform communication of the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 122 under the control of the controller 141, such as when the controller 141 starts transmitting the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 122 via the communication element 144. The communication element 144 can be a communication element configured to support communication of the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 122 to a remote element (e.g., the management device 130 and / or any other suitable element) that may be interested in receiving the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 122. The communication element 144 can be configured to support communication of the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 122 to a remote element using cellular communication, WiFi communication, Bluetooth® communication, etc., and various combinations thereof. For example, the communication element 144 can be a cellular chip configured to support cellular communication, a WiFi chip configured to support WiFi communication, a Bluetooth® chip configured to support Bluetooth® communication, etc. Although mainly shown as a stand-alone element, it will be understood that the communication element 144 may be integrated with the controller 141. It will be understood that the communication element 144 can be configured to support various other functions for supporting communication of the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 122.

[0025] The local status indicator element 145 can be configured to locally provide an indication of the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 122 in the optical connector device 115. The local status indicator element 145 can be configured to provide an indication of the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 122 under the control of the controller 141, such as when the controller 141 initiates the presentation of the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 122 via the local status indicator element 145. The local status indicator element 145 can be configured to provide an auditory indication of the status (such as using a different number of beep sounds to indicate different statuses, using a different sequence of beep sounds to indicate different statuses, etc.). For example, the local status indicator element 145 can include a bell or other element configured to provide an auditory indication (such as a tone, ringing, etc.) of the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 122. The local status indicator element 145 can be configured to provide a visual indication of the status (such as using a different number of flashlight lights to indicate the status, using lights of different colors to indicate different statuses, etc.). For example, the local status indicator element 145 can include a light-emitting diode (LED) or other element configured to provide a visual indication of the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 122. The local status indicator element 145 can include a display element configured to display characters indicating different statuses. It will be appreciated that the local status indicator element 145 can be configured to provide various combinations of such indications within the context of self-reporting of the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 122.

[0026] Power source 146 may be configured to provide power for the operation of optical connector device 115 to support self-reporting of the optical fiber status of network-side optical fiber 122. The power source 146 may be a battery of other suitable power sources. For example, the power source 146 may be a lithium-ion battery or other suitable type of battery. For example, the power source 146 may be a 2000 mAh lithium-ion battery that provides an estimated battery life of 7 to 10 years (based on the reporting of the optical fiber status of network-side optical fiber 122 once a week) before replacement is required. It will be appreciated that the reporting interval may be adjusted to support more frequent reporting (which is expected to result in a shorter battery life) or less frequent reporting (which is expected to result in a longer battery life). Customers within customer premise 110 can access the power source 146 (e.g., by removing the faceplate on the optical connector device 115) to replace the power source and manage end-of-life. It will be appreciated that the power source 146 may be implemented in various other ways to provide power for the operation of the optical connector device 115 to support self-reporting of the optical fiber status of network-side optical fiber 122. Although local status indicator element 145 is presented as being mainly used to indicate the optical fiber status of network-side optical fiber 122, it will be appreciated that it may also be used to provide an indication of the status of the power source 146 (e.g., battery level okay indication, battery level low indication, etc.).

[0027] It will be understood that the optical connector device 115 can be implemented in various ways including various implementation forms of the various elements of the optical connector device 115. In at least some exemplary embodiments, for example, the optical connector device 115 may include a fine-tuned photosensitive receptor and an intelligent microcontroller with a GSM cellular chip (e.g., an ESP32 microcontroller with a photosensitive receptor tuned to a specific wavelength used in an FTTH configuration to support the determination of the optical fiber status, and also equipped with a SIM800L chip for cellular communication of the optical fiber status). It will be understood that the optical connector device 115 can be implemented in various other ways including various other implementation forms of the various elements of the optical connector device 115.

[0028] The configuration and operation of the optical connector device 115 in supporting self-reporting of the optical fiber status can be further understood by referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B and FIGS. 3A and 3B.

[0029] The management device 130 is configured to provide various management functions within the communication system 100. For example, the management device 130 can be configured to provide various management functions for the communication network 120 (e.g., network provisioning functions, network monitoring functions, service provisioning functions, service monitoring functions, etc., as well as various combinations thereof). For example, the management device 130 can be configured to provide various management functions for the customer premise 110 (e.g., provisioning functions for the optical network device 113, monitoring functions for the optical network device 113, provisioning functions for the customer premise device 111, monitoring functions for the customer premise device 111, customer care management functions for the customer premise 110, etc., as well as various combinations thereof). It will be understood that the management device 130 can be configured to provide various other management functions within the communication system 100.

[0030] Figures 2A and 2B show exemplary embodiments of a self-reporting optical connector device configured to support self-reporting of the optical fiber status of an optical fiber connected to the self-reporting optical connector device, and the receptacle covers of the self-reporting optical connector device are in an open status and a closed status, respectively.

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the optical connector device 200 includes a housing 201, a receptacle 210 having a receptacle cover 211, a receptacle 220 having a receptacle cover 221, a controller 230, a photodetector 240, a status indicator element 250, and a communication element 260. It will be understood that the optical connector device 200 can support various other types of arrangements of the elements and can include various other elements, etc., as well as various combinations thereof. As will be further described below, FIG. 2A shows the optical connector device 200 when the optical connector device 200 is in a status configured to support the propagation of optical signals between a communication network within a customer premise and an optical network device, and FIG. 2B shows the optical connector device 200 when the optical connector device 200 is in a status configured to support the monitoring of a network-side optical fiber connected to the optical connector device 200.

[0032] As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the receptacle cover 211 is configured to support, with respect to the receptacle 210, a closed status in which the receptacle cover 211 covers the receptacle 210 and an open status in which the receptacle 210 can receive the fiber optic connector 212 of the customer-side optical fiber 213 for connecting the customer-side optical fiber 213 to the optical connector device 200. The receptacle cover 211 may be configured to prefer the closed status. For example, when the fiber optic connector 213 of the customer-side optical fiber 213 is removed from the receptacle 210, the receptacle cover 211 automatically returns to the closed status (e.g., based on a spring or other mechanism for keeping the receptacle cover 211 in the closed status unless pressure is applied to the outer surface of the receptacle cover 211). A gap is shown between the outer edge of the fiber optic connector 212 and the inner surface of the receptacle 210 for the purpose of indicating that the receptacle 210 is an opening, but it will be understood that the outer edge of the fiber optic connector 212 can contact the inner surface of the receptacle 210 when inserted into the receptacle 210.

[0033] As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the receptacle cover 221 is configured to support, with respect to the receptacle 220, a closed status in which the receptacle cover 221 covers the receptacle 220 and an open status in which the receptacle 220 can receive the fiber optic connector 222 of the network side optical fiber 223 for connecting the network side optical fiber 223 to the optical connector device 200. The receptacle cover 221 may be configured to prefer the closed status. For example, when the fiber optic connector 223 of the network side optical fiber 223 is removed from the receptacle 220, the receptacle cover 221 automatically returns to the closed status (e.g., based on a spring or other mechanism for keeping the receptacle cover 221 in the closed status unless pressure is applied to the outer surface of the receptacle cover 221). A gap is shown between the outer edge of the fiber optic connector 222 and the inner surface of the receptacle 220 for the purpose of showing that the receptacle 220 is an opening, but it will be understood that the outer edge of the fiber optic connector 222 can contact the inner surface of the receptacle 220 when inserted into the receptacle 220.

[0034] As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B and as described above, the optical connector device 200 includes elements configured to support self-reporting of the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 223 when the optical connector device 200 is in a particular status (exemplarily, and as described above, the controller 230, the photodetector 240, the status indicator element 250, and the communication element 260). It will be understood that the controller 230, the photodetector 240, the status indicator element 250, and the communication element 260 of FIGS. 2A and 2B can be configured to operate as the controller 141, the photodetection element 143, the communication element 144, and the local status indicator element 145 of FIG. 1, respectively. As further presented with respect to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the controller 230, the photodetector 240, the status indicator element 250, and the communication element 260 can cooperate to support self-reporting of the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 223 when the optical connector device 200 is in a particular status (exemplarily, when the customer-side optical fiber 213 is not connected to the receptacle 210 and the receptacle cover 211 is closed).

[0035] As shown in FIG. 2A, the optical connector 200 supports a status in which the optical path of the optical signal 290 that can propagate on the network-side optical fiber 223 continues toward the receptacle 210, and is configured such that the optical signal 290 is guided from the network-side optical fiber 223 to the customer-side optical fiber 213. As shown in FIG. 2A, the receptacle 210 is in an open state, and the fiber optic connector 212 of the customer-side optical fiber 213 is connected to the receptacle 210. As a result, the optical signal 290 propagating on the network-side optical fiber 223 continues toward the customer-side optical fiber 213 and is coupled thereto for further propagation to customer-premises equipment within the customer premises. In this status, in the optical connector device 200, determination and reporting of the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 223 are not activated (that is, the photodetector 240 is not activated to determine whether an optical signal has been detected, and thus, the controller 230 does not determine or report the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 223).

[0036] As shown in FIG. 2B, the optical connector 200 is configured to support a status that is used when determining the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 223, where the optical path of the optical signal 290 that can propagate through the network-side optical fiber 223 is redirected by the receptacle cover 211 towards the photodetector 240. As shown in FIG. 2B, the receptacle 210 is in a closed state such that the inner surface 215 of the receptacle cover 211 is arranged to redirect any optical signal 290 that can propagate on the network-side optical fiber 223 towards the photodetector 240 for use when determining the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 223. The controller 230 determines the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 223 based on whether the photodetector 240 has detected an optical signal from the network-side optical fiber 223. The controller 230 may determine that the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 223 is "inactive" based on a determination that the photodetector 240 has not detected an optical signal, or may determine that the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 223 is "active" based on a determination that the photodetector 240 has detected an optical signal. The controller 230 can then locally control the optical connector device 200 via the status indicator element 250 to notify the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 223, and / or remotely control the optical connector device 200 via the transmission of one or more messages using the communication element 260.

[0037] It will be appreciated that the optical connector device 200 may be configured in various other ways to support self-reporting of the optical fiber status by the optical connector device 200.

[0038] Figures 3A and 3B show exemplary embodiments of a self-reporting optical connector device to illustrate two views of the self-reporting optical connector device when the receptacle cover of the self-reporting optical connector device is in a closed state to support self-reporting of the optical fiber status of the optical fiber connected to the self-reporting optical connector device.

[0039] As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the optical connector 300 includes a housing 301 and a printed circuit board (PCB) 302. Of course, although the various elements of the optical connector 300 are depicted separately for the purpose of illustration, the PCB 302 may be integrated inside the housing 301 or connected in other ways. The optical connector 300 has a network-side optical fiber 320 connected to the end thereof via an optical fiber connector 322 (exemplarily, the housing 301 includes a first receptacle (not shown) into which the optical fiber connector 322 is inserted). The optical connector 300 has no customer-side optical fiber connected thereto (exemplarily, the housing 301 includes a second receptacle (not explicitly shown) that is covered by a receptacle cover 321 in a closed position so that the associated receptacle is blocked and the light from the network-side optical fiber 320 is contained within the housing 301). The receptacle cover 321 may be configured to automatically return to a closed state when no customer-side optical fiber is connected. The PCB 302 includes a controller 330 (which may operate in the same manner as, for example, controller 141 and controller 230), a photodetector 340 (which may implement a photodetection element 143 and be used to operate in the same manner as photodetector 240), and a communication element 360 (which can operate in the same manner as, for example, communication element 144 and communication element 260).

[0040] As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the optical connector 300 is shown from two different viewpoints. As shown in FIG. 3A, the light 390 propagating through the network-side optical fiber 320 exits the network-side optical fiber 320 inside the housing 301. The receptacle cover 321 in the closed status ensures that the light 390 stays within the housing 301, thereby preventing injury to the eyes of customers within the customer premises. As shown in FIG. 3B, the inner surface of the receptacle cover 321 includes a mirror 315 that redirects the light 390 exiting the network-side optical fiber 320 to the photodetector 340. The controller 330 determines the optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 320 based on whether the light 390 is detected by the photodetector 340, for example, the optical fiber status of "active" (or other appropriate types of status) where the light 390 is detected by the photodetector 340 during the status confirmation operation by the controller 330, or the optical fiber status of "inactive" where the light 390 is not detected by the photodetector 340 during the status confirmation operation by the controller 330. Then, the controller 330 can trigger a notification of the determined optical fiber status of the network-side optical fiber 320 (locally and / or remotely, based on the transmission of one or more messages via the communication element 360 and / or using one or more other local indicators that are omitted for clarity).

[0041] It will be appreciated that the optical connector 300 can be configured in various other ways to support self-reporting of the optical fiber status by the optical connector 300.

[0042] FIG. 4 shows an exemplary embodiment of a method for operating a self-reporting optical connector device to self-report optical fiber status related to the self-reporting optical connector device. Although presented herein primarily as being executed continuously, it will be understood that at least some of the functions of method 400 may be executed simultaneously or in an order different from that presented in FIG. 4. At block 401, method 400 begins. At block 410, based on whether an optical signal has been detected by a photodetector of the optical connector device, a controller of the optical connector device determines the status of an optical fiber connected to a fiber receptacle of the optical connector device. At block 420, a controller of the optical connector device provides an indication of the status of the optical fiber connected to the fiber receptacle of the optical connector device. At block 499, method 400 ends. It will be understood that various other functions presented herein as being supported by the optical connector device may be implemented within the context of method 400 of FIG. 4.

[0043] An exemplary embodiment is mainly presented regarding a fiber optic connector device that supports self-reporting of the fiber optic status of a network-side fiber optic cable connected to the fiber optic connector device based on whether a customer-side fiber optic cable is connected to the fiber optic connector device. It will be understood that, in at least some exemplary embodiments, the fiber optic connector device may be configured to support self-reporting of the fiber optic status of the network-side fiber optic cable connected to the fiber optic connector device regardless of whether a customer-side fiber optic cable is connected to the fiber optic connector device. For example, when a customer-side fiber optic cable is connected to the fiber optic connector device, the fiber optic connector device may support both passing through an optical signal propagating on the network-side fiber optic cable for coupling the optical signal to the customer-side fiber optic cable and redirecting at least a portion of the optical signal propagating on the network-side fiber optic cable toward an optical detection element for determining and reporting the fiber optic status of the network-side fiber optic cable. The customer-side fiber optic cable is connected to the fiber optic connector device. Thereby, it will be understood that it is possible to self-report the fiber optic status of the network-side fiber optic cable connected to the fiber optic connector device under various conditions, such as in response to the status detected by the fiber optic connector device periodically (e.g., once a day, once a week, once a month, etc.), remotely initiated requests received by the fiber optic connector device (e.g., received from a management system, a customer care system, etc.), and various combinations thereof. It will be understood that the fiber optic connector device may be configured to support self-reporting of the fiber optic status of the network-side fiber optic cable connected to the fiber optic connector device under various other conditions.

[0044] Various exemplary embodiments of the self-reporting optical connector device can provide various advantages or potential advantages. For example, various exemplary embodiments of the self-reporting optical connector device can be configured to support self-reporting of the status of optical fibers within the customer premises, thereby eliminating situations where an unknown fiber break within the customer premises causes a customer-installed failure within the customer premises (e.g., thereby eliminating the "cold house" problem). For example, various exemplary embodiments of the self-reporting optical connector device can eliminate the need to use expensive optical troubleshooting techniques (e.g., optical reflectivity measurement techniques such as optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR), optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR), etc.) for remote (i.e., not within the customer premises) testing of fiber connections, rather than active testing of the PON endpoint, which is generally applied for troubleshooting purposes and only provides verification of the PON segment while generally lacking visibility to verify service availability at the fiber termination jack (however, it will be understood that various such optical troubleshooting techniques can be used in combination with various exemplary embodiments of the self-reporting optical connector device). For example, various exemplary embodiments of the self-reporting optical connector device can be configured to enable integration of fiber status reporting into the communication service provider's mobile application and self-installation workflow, whereby the communication service provider can accurately prequalify the customer premises for self-installation, reduce or even eliminate the risk of installation failure due to fiber connectivity problems within the customer premises, and thus significantly improve the communication service provider's workflow and customer satisfaction at only a fraction of the cost of conventional service guarantee methods. Various exemplary embodiments of the self-reporting optical connector device can provide various other advantages or potential advantages.

[0045] It will be understood that the various references to "optical connector device" in this specification may alternatively be referred to as "fiber jack" or "fiber termination receptacle" (or other terms suitable for describing a device that optically couples a network-side optical fiber to an optical fiber within a customer premise).

[0046] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an exemplary embodiment of a computer suitable for use in performing the various functions presented herein.

[0047] Computer 500 includes a processor 502 (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a processor, a processor having a set of processor cores, a processor of a processor core, etc.) and a memory 504 (e.g., random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), etc.). In at least some exemplary embodiments, computer 500 may include at least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computer to perform the various functions presented herein.

[0048] Computer 500 may also include a collaborative element 505. The collaborative element 505 may be a hardware device. The collaborative element 505 may be a process that can be loaded into memory 504 and executed by processor 502 to implement the various functions presented herein (in this case, for example, the collaborative element 405 (including related data structures) can be stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium such as a storage device or other suitable type of storage element (e.g., a magnetic drive, an optical drive, etc.)).

[0049] Computer 500 may also include one or more input / output devices 506. The input / output devices 506 may include one or more of user input devices (such as keyboards, keypads, mice, microphones, cameras, etc.), user output devices (such as displays, speakers, etc.), one or more network communication devices or elements (such as input ports, output ports, receivers, transmitters, transceivers, etc.), one or more storage devices (such as tape drives, floppy drives, hard disk drives, compact disk drives, etc.), and various combinations thereof.

[0050] It will be understood that computer 500 may represent a general architecture and functionality suitable for implementing the functional elements described herein, portions of the functional elements described herein, and various combinations thereof. For example, computer 400 may provide a general architecture and functionality suitable for implementing one or more of the elements presented herein. For example, computer 500 may have a general architecture and functionality suitable for implementing customer premise device 111 or a portion thereof, optical network device 113 or a portion thereof, optical connector device 115 or a portion thereof (such as controller 141), optical network device 121 or a portion thereof, management device 130 or a portion thereof, optical connector device 200 or a portion thereof, controller 230 or a portion thereof, optical detector 240 or a portion thereof, status indicator element 250 or a portion thereof, communication element 260 or a portion thereof, optical connector 300 or a portion thereof, controller 330 or a portion thereof, optical detector 360 or a portion thereof, communication element 360 or a portion thereof, etc.

[0051] At least some of the features presented in this specification can be implemented in software (e.g., via software implementation on one or more processors, such as for execution on a general-purpose computer to provide a special-purpose computer, e.g., via execution by one or more processors) and / or in hardware (e.g., using a general-purpose computer, one or more application-specific integrated circuits, and / or any other hardware equivalents).

[0052] It will be appreciated that at least some of the features presented in this specification can be implemented in hardware, e.g., as circuitry that cooperates with a processor to perform various functions. Portions of the functions / elements described herein can be implemented as a computer program product, where computer instructions, when processed by a computer, adapt the operation of the computer such that the methods and / or techniques described herein are invoked or otherwise provided. Instructions for invoking the various methods can be stored on a fixed or removable medium (e.g., a non-transitory computer-readable medium), transmitted via a data stream in a broadcast medium or other signal-carrying medium, and / or stored in memory within a computing device operating in accordance with the instructions.

[0053] As used herein, the term "non-transitory" is understood to be a limitation of the medium itself (i.e., tangible rather than a signal), as opposed to a limitation of data storage persistence (e.g., RAM vs. ROM).

[0054] As used herein, "at least one of <list of two or more elements>" and "at least one of the following" will be understood to mean: <list of two or more elements> and similar phrases mean at least any one of the elements, or at least any two or more of the elements, or at least all of the elements when the list of two or more elements is joined by "and" or "or".

[0055] As used herein, the term "or" is to be understood to mean a non-exclusive "or" unless otherwise indicated (e.g., use of "or other" or "or alternative").

[0056] Although various embodiments incorporating the teachings presented herein are shown and described in detail herein, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many other various embodiments incorporating these teachings can still be readily devised.

Claims

1. A first fiber receptacle configured to receive a first connector of a first optical fiber; An optical detector configured to detect an optical signal; A second fiber receptacle; A receptacle cover configured to cover the second fiber receptacle and support an open status configured to receive a second connector of a second optical fiber for transferring an optical signal between the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber, and support a closed status in which an optical signal received via the first optical fiber is redirected toward the optical detector; A controller configured to determine a status of the first optical fiber based on whether an optical signal is detected by the optical detector and provide an indication of the status of the first optical fiber; An apparatus, wherein an inner surface of the receptacle cover includes a reflective element for redirecting the optical signal received on the first optical fiber toward the optical detector.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reflective element is a mirror.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical detector is configured to detect optical signals in a wavelength range configured to support fiber-to-the-home services.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical detector is integrated with the controller.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is a microcontroller.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine a status of the optical fiber and periodically provide an indication of the status of the optical fiber.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to initiate activation of a visual indicator to provide an indication of the status of the first optical fiber.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to initiate transmission of a message to a remote device to provide an indication of the status of the first optical fiber.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the message is transmitted wirelessly.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the message is transmitted using a cellular device.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the message is transmitted using at least one of cellular transmission, WiFi transmission, or Bluetooth (registered trademark) transmission.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a wireless chip configured to support wireless communication of an indication of the status of the first optical fiber.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a battery configured to supply power to at least the controller.

14. The controller The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the controller determines the status of the battery and provides an indication of the status of the battery.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to initiate activation of a visual indicator to provide an indication of the status of the battery.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to initiate transmission of a message to a remote device to provide an indication of the status of the battery.

17. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the first optical fiber is part of a passive optical network and the second optical fiber is a fiber within a customer premise.

18. A fiber optic receptacle having a receptacle cover, a photodetector configured to detect an optical signal, and a controller, wherein the receptacle cover is configured to redirect an optical signal received via an optical fiber to the photodetector, wherein the controller is configured to provide an indication of the status of the optical fiber based on whether the optical signal is detected by the photodetector, The apparatus, wherein an inner surface of the receptacle cover includes a reflective element for redirecting the optical signal received on the optical fiber toward the photodetector.

19. Determining, by a controller of the optical connector, a status of an optical fiber connected to the optical connector based on whether an optical signal is detected by a photodetector of the optical connector; providing an indication of the status of the optical fiber connected to the optical connector by the controller of the optical connector; The optical signal is redirected towards the photodetector by a reflective element provided on an inner surface of the receptacle cover.

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