U.S. patent application number 11/282371 was filed with the patent office on 2007-05-24 for transceiver/fiber optic connector adaptor with patch cord id reading capability.
Invention is credited to Mark Benton, Brian Herzing, Anthony Kowalkowski.
Application Number | 20070116411 11/282371 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38053632 |
Filed Date | 2007-05-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070116411 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Benton; Mark ; et
al. |
May 24, 2007 |
TRANSCEIVER/FIBER OPTIC CONNECTOR ADAPTOR WITH PATCH CORD ID
READING CAPABILITY
Abstract
The device includes a first optical connector, a second optical
connector, a flexible substrate, a first electrical connector, a
second electrical connector, a memory chip, and a clip. The first
electrical connector is attached to the flexible substrate. The
second electrical connector is attached to the flexible substrate.
The memory chip is attached to the flexible substrate. A clip
retains the first optical connector and the second optical
connector adjacent to the flexible substrate.
Inventors: |
Benton; Mark; (Chicago,
IL) ; Herzing; Brian; (Roselle, IL) ;
Kowalkowski; Anthony; (Chicago, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Stratos International, Inc.
7444 West Wilson Avenue
Chicago
IL
60706
US
|
Family ID: |
38053632 |
Appl. No.: |
11/282371 |
Filed: |
November 18, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
385/53 ;
385/75 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G02B 6/3879 20130101;
G02B 6/3895 20130101; G02B 6/3825 20130101; G02B 6/4292
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
385/053 ;
385/075 |
International
Class: |
G02B 6/36 20060101
G02B006/36 |
Claims
1. A device comprising: a first optical connector having a first
single fiber ferrule; a second optical connector having a second
single fiber ferrule; a flexible substrate; a first electrical
connector attached to the flexible substrate, the first electrical
connector having a first contact and a second contact; a second
electrical connector attached to the flexible substrate, the second
electrical connector having a third contact and a fourth contact; a
memory chip attached to the flexible substrate; a clip for
retaining the first optical connector and the second optical
connector adjacent to the flexible substrate.
2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the first fiber optic
connector conforms to the LC fiber optic connector standard, and
wherein the second fiber optic connector conforms to the LC fiber
optic connector standard.
3. (canceled)
4. (canceled)
5. A device according to claim 2 wherein an adhesive attaches the
flexible substrate to the first optical connector and to the second
optical connector.
6. A device according to claim 5, further comprising a first light
emitting diode for providing a first visual indication to an
observer.
7. A device according to claim 6, further comprising a second light
emitting diode for providing a second visual indication to the
observer and wherein the memory chip includes a unique identifying
code.
8. A device comprising: a first fiber optic connector having a
single fiber ferrule; a first electrical connector attached to the
first fiber optic connector, and the first electrical connector
having a third contact and a fourth contact; a memory chip
electrically associated with the first electrical connector, the
memory chip containing a unique identifying code, the memory chip
having a non-volatile memory so that information can be read from
the memory chip and written to the memory chip; a second fiber
optic connector having a shape complementary to a shape of the
first fiber optic connector, the second fiber optic connector is a
receptacle; and a second electrical connector having a shape
complementary to a shape of the first electrical connector, the
second electrical connector attached to the second fiber optic
connector, and the second electrical connector having a first
contact and a second contact, and wherein the first contact and the
second contact of the second electrical connector are in the
receptacle of the second fiber optic connector, and wherein, when
the first fiber optic connector is plugged into the second fiber
optic connector, the first fiber optic connector is in optical
communication with the second fiber optic connector, the first
contact and the second contact of the second electrical connector
are in electrical communication with the third contact and the
fourth contact of the first electrical connector, and the second
electrical connector is electrically associated with the memory
chip.
9. A device according to claim 8 wherein the first fiber optic
connector conforms to the LC fiber optic connector standard, and
wherein the second fiber optic connector conforms to the LC fiber
optic connector standard.
10. (canceled)
11. A device according to claim 9 wherein the receptacle of the
second fiber optic connector is a duplex receptacle.
12. A device according to claim 11 wherein the second fiber optic
connector includes a light emitting diode for providing a first
visual indication to an observer.
13. (canceled)
14. (canceled)
15. A device according to claim 12 wherein the first optical
connector includes a substantially planar side.
16. (canceled)
17. A device comprising: a housing; an optical connector attached
to the housing, the optical connector including a first receptacle
and a second receptacle, and wherein the first receptacle of the
optical connector includes a first electrical contact and a second
electrical contact, and wherein the second receptacle of the
optical connector includes a third electrical contact and a fourth
electrical contact, the first receptacle accommodates only a first
single fiber ferrule, and the second receptacle accommodates only a
second single fiber ferrule; a first light emitting diode attached
to the optical connector for providing a first visual indication to
an observer; a second light emitting diode attached to the optical
connector for providing a second visual indication to the observer;
a first optical sub-assembly mounted to the housing and being in
optical communication with the first receptacle of the optical
connector; and a second optical sub-assembly mounted to the housing
and being in optical communication with the second receptacle of
the optical connector.
18. A device according to claim 17 wherein the first receptacle of
the fiber optic connector conforms to the LC fiber optic connector
standard, and wherein the second receptacle of the fiber optic
connector conforms to the LC fiber optic connector standard.
19. (canceled)
20. (canceled)
21. A transceiver comprising: a housing; an electrical connector
attached to the housing; an optical connector attached to the
housing, the optical connector including a first receptacle and a
second receptacle, and wherein the first receptacle of the optical
connector includes a first electrical contact and a second
electrical contact, and wherein the second receptacle of the
optical connector includes a third electrical contact and a fourth
electrical contact, the first receptacle accommodates a first
single fiber ferrule, and the second receptacle accommodates a
second single fiber ferrule; a first optical sub-assembly mounted
to the housing and being in optical communication with the first
receptacle of the optical connector; a second optical sub-assembly
mounted to the housing and being in optical communication with the
second receptacle of the optical connector; a memory chip having a
unique identifying code; and a printed circuit board mounted in the
housing, the printed circuit board having electric signal
conditioning components mounted thereon, and wherein the electric
signal conditioning components electrically associate the first
optical sub-assembly and the second optical sub-assembly to the
electrical connector, and wherein the electric signal conditioning
components electrically associate the first electrical contact, the
second electrical contact, the third electrical contact, and the
fourth electrical contact with the memory chip, and wherein the
electrical signal conditioning components and the memory chip are
compatible with the I2C standard.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention pertains to hybrid connectors having
optical and electrical connector portions. The invention more
particularly concerns the management of a component or body, such
as a hybrid connector, including the storage and updating of
information related to events during the operational life of the
component.
[0003] 2. Discussion of the Background
[0004] Hybrid connectors are known the art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,715
discloses a hybrid connector having an optical connector portion
conforming to the SC fiber optic connector standard and an
electrical connector portion electrically associated with a small
outline transistor. The small outline transistor contains an
enhanced silicon serial number so as to uniquely identify the
hybrid connector. The enhanced silicon serial number is placed on
the small outline transistor by the manufacturer of the small
outline transistor. The hybrid connector, once connected to a patch
panel, facilitates remote system connectivity management and
verification since the host device or patch panel reads the unique
enhanced silicon serial number off of the small outline transistor
and correlates the serial number to a specific hybrid connector via
a table look-up. The end user or operator of the hybrid connector
can only read what was deposited by the manufacturer in the memory
of the small outline transistor. U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,715 is hereby
incorporated herein by reference.
[0005] Experience has shown that a fiber optic cable can be
inadvertently detached from the host device, or that the optical
fiber within the fiber optic cable breaks and the fiber optic cable
no longer transmits light energy to the host device. In such
instances, a worker must go and look at the panel of the host
device and determine which cable is no longer transmitting light
signals to the host device either because the optical fiber is
broken or the fiber optic cable is detached from the host device.
When two or more fiber optic cables are malfunctioning, the
worker's job becomes very burdensome and time consuming since there
are hundreds of fiber optic cables to examine. Furthermore, a
device or person is not receiving information conveyed by the
malfunctioning fiber optic cable. Thus, organization of the cables,
including the fiber optic cables and the copper based cables, in
the vicinity of the panel is of great interest to the operators of
the host devices.
[0006] Furthermore, in order to recoup the cost of the broken fiber
optic cable, the operator of the system must look through paper
work to verify if the broken fiber optic cable is still under
warranty. Also, as part of the warranty process, the operator of
the system may need to verify that the fiber optic cable was not
used outside of its design parameters. Thus, the management of the
fiber based system can be facilitated by being able to quickly find
warranty documents related to components in the fiber based system,
and to verify the use of the components.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] It is an object of the invention to provide a device which
facilitates the identification of a specific connector or cable and
to be able to retrieve information related to the life cycle of
that specific connector or cable.
[0008] It is another object of the invention to provide a device
which facilitates the identification of a specific connector or
cable and to be able to retrieve warranty information related to
that specific connector or cable.
[0009] It is yet another object of the invention to provide a
device which facilitates the identification of a specific connector
or cable and to be able to retrieve information related to the
number of insertion cycles of the specific connector or cable.
[0010] It is still yet another object of the invention to provide a
device which facilitates the identification of a specific connector
or cable and to be able to retrieve information related to the
number of rework instances.
[0011] In one form of the invention the device includes a first
optical connector, a second optical connector, a flexible
substrate, a first electrical connector, a second electrical
connector, a memory chip, and a clip. The first electrical
connector is attached to the flexible substrate. The second
electrical connector is attached to the flexible substrate. The
memory chip is attached to the flexible substrate. A clip retains
the first optical connector and the second optical connector
adjacent to the flexible substrate.
[0012] In another form of the invention the device includes a first
fiber optic connector, a second fiber optic connector, a memory
chip, a first electrical connector, and a second electrical
connector. The first electrical connector is attached to the first
fiber optic connector. The second electrical connector is attached
to the second fiber optic connector. The memory chip electrically
associated with the first electrical connector. The memory chip
contains a unique identifying code, and has a non-volatile memory
so that information can be read from and written to the memory
chip. The second fiber optic connector has a shape complimentary to
a shape of the first fiber optic connector. The second electrical
connector has a shape complimentary to a shape of the first
electrical connector. When the first fiber optic connector is
plugged into the second fiber optic connector, the first fiber
optic connector is in optical communication with the second fiber
optic connector, and the second electrical connector is
electrically associated with the memory chip.
[0013] In still yet another form of the invention the device
includes a housing, an optical connector, a first optical
sub-assembly, and a second optical sub-assembly. The optical
connector is attached to the housing. The optical connector
includes a first receptacle and a second receptacle. The first
receptacle of the optical connector includes a first electrical
contact and a second electrical contact. The second receptacle of
the optical connector includes a third electrical contact and a
fourth electrical contact. The first optical sub-assembly is in
optical communication with the first receptacle of the optical
connector. The second optical sub-assembly is in optical
communication with the second receptacle of the optical
connector.
[0014] Thus, the invention achieves the objectives set forth above.
The invention provides a device which is able, or helps, to read or
write useful information associated with a memory chip of a body or
component, such as, for example, a fiber optic connector. Useful
information includes, but is not limited to, warranty information,
insertion cycle history, rework information, and upgrade
information. Therefore, the operator of the system does not spend
time looking for paper documents to verify that the warranty exists
and is still valid, and does not spend time looking for paper work
associated with the past history of insertions and rework of the
body having the memory chip, since all of this information is
available by reading the memory chip of the body.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of
the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the
same becomes better understood by reference to the following
detailed description when considered in connection with the
accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hybrid connector having
both electrical and optical connector portions, and a memory
chip;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another hybrid connector or
coupler which is complimentary to the hybrid connector of FIG.
1;
[0018] FIG. 3 is an electrical block diagram of a plurality of
couplers of FIG. 2 electrically connected, in parallel, to an
intelligent patch panel controller via flying leads;
[0019] FIG. 4 is an electrical block diagram of a plurality of
couplers of FIG. 2 electrically connected, in series, to an
intelligent patch panel controller via a flying lead;
[0020] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a transceiver having optical
and electrical connectors which are complimentary to the
configuration of the hybrid connector of FIG. 1; and
[0021] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the hybrid connector of FIG.
1 having light emitting diodes.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0022] Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference
numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the
several views, and more particularly to FIGS. 1-6 thereof,
embodiments of the present invention are displayed therein.
[0023] A first embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 1. FIG.
1 is a perspective view of a hybrid connector or device 1 having
both optical and electrical connector portions 50, 60, and 30, 32,
34, 36, respectively, and a memory chip 20. A flexible substrate
10, made of a polymer material, has conductive traces laid down on
it so as to connect to the memory chip 20. The first electrical
connector includes contacts 34, 36. The second electrical connector
includes contacts 30, 32. The pairs of contacts 34, 36 and 30, 32
are electrically associated with the memory chip 20. The flexible
substrate 10 can be mounted to the fiber optic connectors 50, 60
with an adhesive material. Additionally, or instead of the adhesive
material, a clip 40 can be used to retain the first fiber optic
connector 50 and the second fiber optic connector 60 adjacent to
the flexible substrate 10. The use of the flexible substrate 10
allows existing fiber optic connectors to be retrofitted. U.S. Pat.
No. 4,972,050 discloses a method of constructing a substrate where
the substrate includes conductive paths. U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,050 is
hereby incorporated herein by reference.
[0024] The memory chip 20 contains a unique identifying code. The
unique identifying code can consist of numerals, letters, or
alphanumeric characters, which are machine readable. The memory
chip 20 has a non-volatile memory so that information can be read
from the memory chip 20 or written to the memory chip 20. The
information or data stored on the memory chip 20 can be secured by
being encrypted or coded with a specific key or keys to encode or
decode the data. The memory chip 20 conforms to the
inter-integrated circuit standard (I2C or IIC) so that the memory
chip 20 can easily communicate with other components such as a host
device that also utilizes the I2C standard.
[0025] The first optical connector 50 and the second optical
connector 60 generally conform to the LC standard, however, the
fiber optic connectors can also be constructed to conform to any
other standard such as SC, and MU. The ferrule of each fiber optic
connector is a single fiber ferrule, however multi-fiber ferrules
and connectors can also be employed. Additionally, the fiber optic
connector can be of its own unique design. Furthermore, each of the
optical fibers terminated at the respective ferrules of the
respective first and second fiber optic connectors 50, 60 can be
any one of a single mode fiber, a multimode fiber, a polarization
maintaining fiber, or any other type of optical fiber. U.S. Pat.
No. 5,481,634 discloses an LC style connector. U.S. Pat. No.
5,481,634 is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
[0026] A second embodiment of the invention is the combination of
the hybrid connector 1, as shown in FIG. 1, and the adaptor 2, as
shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another hybrid
connector, or adapter, or coupler 2 having both optical and
electrical connector portions that are complimentary to the optical
and electrical connector portions of the hybrid connector 1 of FIG.
1. The adaptor 2 can be a stand alone device or it can be part of a
patch panel where many of the adaptors are present adjacent to one
another. Certain features of the adaptor, such as its optical
interface, are similar to those features found on a transceiver, as
is discussed later. The adaptor 2 includes a housing 70, a first
optical connector 72 and a second optical connector 74. The first
optical connector 72 is an LC standard receptacle that is designed
to accept a fiber optic connector as shown in FIG. 1. The second
optical connector 74 is an LC standard receptacle. The first
optical connector 72 contains contacts 76, 78 which form the first
electrical connector of the adaptor 2. The second optical connector
74 contains contacts 80, 82 which form the second electrical
connector of the adaptor 2. A light emitting diode 84 is
electrically associated with the contacts 76, 78 and 80, 82.
[0027] When the hybrid connector 1 of FIG. 1 is plugged into the
hybrid adaptor 2 of FIG. 2, the first fiber optic connector 50 of
the hybrid connector 1 is in optical communication with the first
fiber optic connector 72 of the hybrid adapter 2, and the second
fiber optic connector 60 of the hybrid connector 1 is in optical
communication with the second fiber optic connector 74 of the
hybrid adapter 2. Also, the contacts 34, 36 of the first electrical
connector of the hybrid connector 1 contact and electrically
communicate with the contacts 76, 78 of the first electrical
connector of the hybrid adapter 2, and the contacts 30, 32 of the
second electrical connector of the hybrid connector 1 contact and
electrically communicate with the contacts 80, 82 of the second
electrical connector of the hybrid adapter 2. Therefore, the memory
chip 20 is in electrical communication with contacts 76, 78 of the
first electrical connector of the hybrid adapter 2, and contacts
80, 82 of the second electrical connector of the hybrid adapter 2.
When the contacts 34, 36 and 76, 78, and 30, 32 and 80, 82 have
mated then the circuit is closed and the light emitting diode 84 is
activated so as to show that the hybrid connector 1 has been
successfully plugged into the hybrid adapter 2.
[0028] FIG. 3 is an electrical block diagram of a plurality of
couplers or adapters 2 assembled in a patch panel. Each of the
adapters 2 is electrically connected, in parallel, to an
intelligent patch panel controller 4 by respective flying leads 3
so as to electrically associate each of the adapters 2 with the
intelligent patch panel controller 4. However, this arrangement
involves a lot of wiring to the intelligent patch panel controller
4.
[0029] In order to reduce the amount of wiring to the intelligent
patch panel controller, the electrical block diagram of FIG. 4 is
introduced. FIG. 4 is an electrical block diagram of a plurality of
couplers or adapters 2 assembled in a patch panel. Each of the
adapters 2 is electrically connected, in series, to an intelligent
patch panel controller 4 by respective flying leads 3 so as to
electrically associate each of the adapters 2 with the intelligent
patch panel controller 4. Since the adapters 2 are connected in
series, the wiring effort is pushed outward towards the panel of
the patch panel.
[0030] In practice, for example, when the hybrid connector 1 is
plugged into the hybrid adapter 2 of a patch panel as shown in FIG.
3 or FIG. 4, the intelligent patch panel controller 4 is able to
gain access to the memory of memory chip 20 of the hybrid connector
1. The intelligent patch panel controller 4 reads the unique
identifying code stored on the memory chip 20. The intelligent
patch panel controller 4 then correlates the unique identifying
code to a specific hybrid connector 1 and to a specific location on
the patch panel. The intelligent patch panel controller 4 can also
read any other information stored in the memory of memory chip 20.
The intelligent patch panel controller 4 can also write information
or data to the memory of the memory chip 20 for storage.
[0031] The operator or user of the host device having the patch
panel can command the intelligent patch panel controller 4 to
increment by one a data storage location in the memory chip 20 each
time the hybrid connector 1 is attached to the hybrid adapter 2.
Also, the operator of the intelligent patch panel controller 4 can
command it to write other information to the memory of the memory
chip 20 as is described below.
[0032] Information stored on the memory chip 20 includes
information related to the life cycle of the connector from the
inception of the connector until the time the connector is no
longer used. Examples of information which can be stored on the
memory chip 20 include the following information: the number of
insertion cycles of the hybrid connector 1 with the hybrid adapter
2; the number of rework instances of the hybrid connector 1; the
number of warranty rework instances of the hybrid connector 1; the
number of general refurbishment instances of the hybrid connector
1; the number of upgrade history instances of the hybrid connector
1; the length of the fiber optic cable to which the memory chip 20
is attached; the date of purchase of the fiber optic cable to which
the memory chip 20 is attached; the type or style of fiber optic
connector to which the memory chip 20 is attached; the type of
warranty associated with the fiber optic cable to which the memory
chip 20 is attached; the type, style, or grade of optic fiber
housed within the fiber optic cable to which the memory chip 20 is
attached; and/or a unique identification number or serialization
number or code which uniquely identifies a specific memory chip
20.
[0033] Additionally, the name of the assembler or operator
performing the rework, warranty work, or upgrade work can be stored
in the memory chip 20. Furthermore, during the assembly or build of
the connector, the identification and source of component parts
used to construct the connector can be stored on the memory chip 20
along with the identification of the assemblers and operators
involved in the build of the device. Procedures used during the
build can also be stored in the memory chip 20. Once the connector
is built, the connector can be tested for compliance and
operational characteristics, such as attenuation. The details of
the testing procedures, operator, and test results can be stored in
the memory chip 20. The dates of performance of the build, testing,
rework, refurbishment work, warranty work, and upgrade work can be
stored in the memory chip 20 along with any other significant dates
during the life history of the connector.
[0034] A third embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 5 which
incorporates the adaptation of the contacts into the optical
connector of a transceiver so as to make the connector a hybrid
connector which enables the hybrid connector of the transceiver is
compatible with the hybrid connector 1 of FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is
perspective view of a transceiver 90 having a first optical
connector 110, a second optical connector 120, contacts 91, 92
which form the first electrical connector, and contacts 93, 94
which form the second electrical connector. As is common to
optoelectronic devices such as a transceiver, the device includes a
first optical sub-assembly, a second optical sub-assembly, signal
conditioning electronics, and a housing 130. The transceiver 90
includes a light emitting diode housing 95 which includes a first
light emitting diode 96 and a second light emitting diode 97.
[0035] The shape and function of the first optical connector, the
second optical connector, the first electrical connector, and the
second electrical connector of the transceiver 90 are the same or
similar to the shape and function of the optical receptacles and
electrical connectors associated with adapter 2 of FIG. 2. The
light emitting diodes 95, 96 of the transceiver are useful since,
when the transceiver 90 is plugged into an adapter 2, the light
emitting diode 84 of the adapter 2 may not be visible. So, similar
to the function and purpose of the light emitting diode 84 of the
adapter 2, the light emitting diodes 95, 96 function and exist for
the same reason: so that an observer can easily note that the
hybrid connector 1 has been successfully plugged into the
transceiver 90.
[0036] In another variation of the third embodiment, the
transceiver 90 includes a memory chip and circuitry that is
compatible with the I2C standard. When a hybrid connector 10 is
plugged into the transceiver 10, the transceiver 10 can read
information off of the memory chip 20 of the hybrid connector 10
and store that information in the memory chip of the transceiver
90. The transceiver 90 then forwards the information to the host
device. The memory chip of the transceiver 90 then has a log of all
of the hybrid connectors that have been plugged to the transceiver
90.
[0037] A variation on the first embodiment of the invention is
shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the hybrid
connector of FIG. 1 having light emitting diodes. The hybrid
connector 10 includes a housing 104 which houses a first light
emitting diode 100, and a second light emitting diode 102. The
light emitting diodes 100, 102 are activated once the hybrid
connector 10 has been successfully plugged into an adapter 2 or a
transceiver 90 so as to provide a better visual indication that
engagement of the components is complete.
[0038] Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the
present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It
is therefore to be understood that within the scope of appended
claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as
specifically described herein.
* * * * *