Indexing Terminals for Passive Optical Network Signal Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Passive optical networks face challenges in efficiently splitting and routing optical signals to subscriber premises without active electronic devices, which can lead to network complexity and cost issues.
Innovation Solution
A distributed optical network architecture using indexing terminals that daisy-chain optical fibers, allowing for efficient splitting and routing of optical signals through a system of distribution cables and multi-service terminals, reducing network complexity and cost by eliminating the need for active devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If active electronic devices such as amplifiers and repeaters are used between central office and subscriber termination, then signal transmission quality is improved, but network complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes active electronic devices (amplifiers and repeaters) from the network architecture between central office and subscriber termination. By extracting these complex components and replacing them with passive optical components, the system achieves signal transmission without the complexity and cost associated with active electronics, while maintaining transmission quality through direct optical fiber connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the electronic system (amplifiers and repeaters) with an optical system. Instead of using electronic devices to amplify and regenerate signals, the system uses passive optical components and direct optical fiber transmission to carry signals from the central office to subscriber premises, eliminating the need for electronic intervention in the transmission path.
2Reliability
If active electronic devices such as amplifiers and repeaters are used between central office and subscriber termination, then signal transmission quality is improved, but network cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes active electronic devices (amplifiers and repeaters) from the network architecture between central office and subscriber termination. By extracting these complex components and replacing them with passive optical components, the system achieves signal transmission without the complexity and cost associated with active electronics, while maintaining transmission quality through direct optical fiber connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs passive optical components that are simpler and less expensive than active electronic devices. By using passive splitters, optical fibers, and basic connectors instead of expensive amplifiers and repeaters, the system reduces network cost while maintaining sufficient transmission quality for the intended application scope.
3Device complexity
If optical signals are split and routed without active electronic devices, then network complexity is reduced, but signal distribution efficiency may be limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses optical splitters to divide optical signals into multiple paths, creating a segmented distribution network. Passive optical splitters divide the incoming optical signal from the central office into multiple branches that can serve multiple subscriber premises simultaneously, achieving efficient signal distribution without active electronic devices through pure optical splitting.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from traditional electronic signal distribution to optical domain distribution. By using passive optical components that operate in the optical domain rather than the electronic domain, the system achieves signal splitting and routing capabilities that are inherently more efficient and simpler, leveraging the properties of light to distribute signals across multiple paths simultaneously.
Data Source
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AI summary
Indexing terminals enable rapid deployment of a distributed optical network. Each indexing terminal has a single-fiber port and a multi-fiber port. Distribution cables each have a first optical fiber that is optically coupled to the single-fiber port and other optical fibers that are optically coupled to the multi-fiber port of a respective one of the indexing terminals. Each indexing terminal shifts the fibers of the respective distribution cable over one indexed position between the two ends of the distribution cable. A connectorized end of the distribution cable is configured to be plugged into the multi-fiber port of another indexing terminal to enable daisy- chaining of the indexing terminals. Multi-service terminals may be plugged into the single-fiber ports of the indexing terminals to provide additional splitting of optical signals before providing the optical signals to subscribers.