Abstract
Conventionally, in intelligent buildings in a metropolitan area network and in small-scale facilities in the optical access network, optical connectors are joined manually using an optical connection board and a patch panel. In this manual connection approach, mistakes occur due to discrepancies between the actual physical settings of the connections and their management because these processes are independent. Moreover, manual cross-connection is time-consuming and expensive because maintenance personnel must be dispatched to remote places to correct mistakes. We have developed a fiber-handling robot and optical connection mechanisms for automatic cross-connection of multiple optical connectors, which are the key elements of automatic optical fiber cross-connect equipment. We evaluate the performance of the equipment, such as its optical characteristics and environmental specifications. We also devise new optical connection mechanisms that enable the automated optical fiber cross-connect module to handle and connect angled physical contact (APC) optical connector plugs. We evaluate the performance of the equipment, such as its optical characteristics. The evaluation results confirm that the automated optical fiber cross-connect equipment can connect APC connectors with low loss and high return loss, indicating that the automated optical fiber cross-connect equipment is suitable for practical use in intelligent buildings and optical access networks.
Highlights
With the rapid progress of broadband Internet service, optical communications networks have been extended to the office and home
In an optical network, when it is desired to minimize adverse effects of reflected light produced as a result of inserting an optical module, angled physical contact (APC) optical connector plugs are used, which have their connecting end surface polished at a predetermined angle to a plane vertical to a light’s axis
We present evaluation results for a prototype and show an improved optical cross-connection mechanism, which can handle and connect APC optical connectors
Summary
With the rapid progress of broadband Internet service, optical communications networks have been extended to the office and home In these networks, many optical fibers must be connected or exchanged at the connection points between floors in buildings and between access and office networks. Cross-connection using optical connectors provides high performance and can meet these requirements; automated optical fiber cabling systems have been developed.[3,4,5] In an optical network, when it is desired to minimize adverse effects of reflected light produced as a result of inserting an optical module, angled physical contact (APC) optical connector plugs are used, which have their connecting end surface polished at a predetermined angle to a plane vertical to a light’s axis. We present evaluation results for a prototype and show an improved optical cross-connection mechanism, which can handle and connect APC optical connectors
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