Channel Equalization Enclosure for Fiber Length Variance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Financial institutions and stock exchanges face challenges in ensuring equal data transaction times across customers due to varying fiber optic cable lengths between their equipment and connected institutions, leading to potential advantages for some customers over others.
Innovation Solution
A channel equalization enclosure with multiple modules, each equipped with a spool of bulk fiber to accommodate specific fiber lengths, ensuring equalized communication channels by adjusting the length of fiber cabling between customer equipment and financial institutions, with tamper-resistant features to prevent alterations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If fiber optic cable lengths are allowed to vary between customers' equipment and financial institutions, then installation flexibility and ease of deployment are improved, but data transaction time equality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the fiber optic connection into two parts: the fixed-length cable from the financial institution to the enclosure, and the variable-length bulk fiber spool inside the enclosure. This segmentation allows the external installation to remain simple while the internal spool compensates for length variations to equalize total path lengths for all customers.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameter of fiber length by providing multiple spools with different lengths (e.g., 30 meters, 60 meters, 90 meters) to compensate for variations in cable lengths from the financial institution to different customers' equipment, thereby equalizing the total communication path length.
2Loss of time
If channel equalization modules are added to equalize cable lengths, then data transaction time equality is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-configuring multiple spools with specific fiber lengths before deployment. During installation, the appropriate spool is selected and installed based on the measured cable length from the financial institution to the customer's equipment, eliminating the need for complex real-time adjustment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses simple, replaceable spools of bulk fiber as the equalization mechanism rather than complex active electronic equalization devices. Each spool is a passive, inexpensive component that can be easily replaced or adjusted if needed, reducing overall system complexity.
3Reliability
If tamper-resistant features are implemented in channel equalization modules, then security and configuration integrity are improved, but ease of maintenance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The tamper-evident labels are applied in advance during manufacturing, providing security without requiring complex locking mechanisms. The labels serve as a simple visual indicator that has already been prepared, allowing quick verification of integrity while maintaining ease of legitimate maintenance through label inspection.
Data Source
AI summary
A channel equalization enclosure equalizes the length of cable variance with customers' equipment in a data center. The channel equalization modules serve as a connection point between cable from a financial institution and patch cords connected to customer equipment. The channel equalization enclosure includes a housing and a plurality of channel equalization modules mounted in the housing. Each channel equalization module has a spool of bulk fiber for accommodating a specified fiber length to equalize a communication channel in the data center.