Methods to reconfigure all-fiber optical cross-connects

摘要

This invention discloses methods to reconfigure highly scalable and modular automated optical cross connect switch devices comprised of large numbers of densely packed fiber strands suspended within a common volume. In particular, methods enabling programmable interconnection of large numbers of optical fibers (100's-1000's) are provided, whereby a two-dimensional input array of fiber optic connections is mapped in an ordered and rule-based fashion into a one-dimensional array. A particular algorithmic implementation for a system reconfigured by a three-axis robotic gripper as well as lateral translation of each row in the input port array is disclosed.

主权项

1. A method of routing individual ones of an ordered collection of physical strands, each strand having unique first and second endpoints, the second endpoints each lying in a unique location within an ordered array in a first plane; and the first endpoints lying within changeable locations in two dimensions in a second array in a second plane; spaced apart from and parallel to the plane of the first array, the method comprising the steps of:
assigning each of the strands a unique identifier based on the location of its second endpoint in the first array, tensioning the physical strands at their second endpoints so that the lengths of strands between the first and second endpoints are substantially linear; routing an individual selected strand to a different first endpoint location without wrapping the strand around other strands in the collection by transporting the first endpoint in the two dimensions of the second array and parallel to the second plane from the then current location in the second array to a chosen target location in the second array in accordance with a configuration algorithm based on the assigned location identifiers for the first and second endpoints of all strands, and removably inserting the thus transported first endpoint of the individual selected strand into the chosen target location in the second array.