Patent Application
20110315259
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a fiber deployment method and device, including installing a fiber-optic cable in a narrow edging strip.
2. Description of Related Art
Fiber-to-the-home or Fiber-to-the-premise (FTTH, FTTP, sometimes collectively known as FTTx) systems are broadband communication solutions that have quickly become a preferred technology for delivering bandwidth-intensive data such as pictures, video and Internet services. Such systems are currently in deployment throughout the U.S. and other parts of the world. There are a number of options for deploying fiber, such as running fiber-optic cable aerially from the existing utility poles, or burying cable straight into the ground or in existing or new ducts.
In the FTTP or FTTH networks, demarcation points 118-f are often present between an access terminal and the respective ONT at the customer's premises. It may be located on the property line drawn on the boundaries of the public street or walkway and the private property. The demarcation point separates the service provider's fiber plant and the user-owned fiber. Often, the drop fiber cable is from the public street through a garden or yard to the ONT located on the premises. Typically, the drop fiber is buried at least a few inches under the surface, which requires significant effort and time.
Aspects of the invention provide a low-impact, convenient, time-efficient and cost-saving optical fiber deployment technology.
In one embodiment of the invention, a device for deploying a communication cable is provided. The device comprises a general planar substrate with a first side surface and a second side surface opposite the first side surface. The device also comprises a first edge and a second edge opposite the first edge, and first and second ends. The device further comprises a conduit disposed along the substrate to contain the communication cable therein, the conduit extending between the first end and the second end of the substrate.
In one example, the communication cable is a fiber-optic cable or a coaxial cable.
In another example, the distance between the first side surface and the second side surface is on the order of 1-5 millimeters.
In a further example, the distance between the first edge and the second edge is on the order of 50-70 millimeters.
In one alternative, the conduit is disposed along a central region of the substrate.
In another alternative, the device comprises a pair of mating members disposed on the first and second ends for coupling to another device.
In a further alternative, the conduit comprises a plurality of conduits.
In yet another alternative, the conduits are disposed side by side from the first edge to the second edge.
In one example, the first side surface and the second side surface taper toward each other from a central region of the device to the first and the second edges.
In another example, the device comprises a pair of connectors disposed on the first end and on the second end. The connectors are adapted to connect to respective ends of the communication cable.
In yet another example, the duct is disposed between the first and second side surfaces.
In accordance with another embodiment, a method of deploying a communication cable is provided. The method comprises forming a general planar device with a first side surface and a second side surface opposite the first side surface. The method also comprises forming a first edge and a second edge, a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The method also comprises forming a conduit disposed along the device to contain a communication cable, where the conduit extends between the first end and the second end. The method further comprises installing the communication cable into the conduit.
In one example, the communication cable is a fiber-optic cable or a coaxial cable.
In another example, the method also comprises inserting the device with the communication cable into the ground.
In a further example, the method also comprises forming a pair of mating members and disposing respective ones of the mating members on the first and second ends of the device.
In one alternative, the method comprises coupling the device with another device with the mating members.
In another alternative, the method comprises removing or disengaging a first length of the communication cable from a first section of the device.
In yet another alternative, the method comprises removing the first section from the device.
In a further alternative, installing the communication cable into the conduit comprises blowing the communication cable into the conduit by compressed gas.
Aspects, features and advantages of the invention will be appreciated when considered with reference to the following description of exemplary embodiments and accompanying figures. The same reference numbers in different drawings may identify the same or similar elements. Furthermore, the following description is not limiting; the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and equivalents.
In accordance with aspects of the invention, a fiber deployment device and method facilitates fiber installation, preferably from a demarcation point to a customer premise. Methods and devices consistent with the present invention enable the placement of fiber-optic cables through embedding fiber optic cable in a thin edging strip and pressing the edging strip into the ground.
The dimensions of the device may depend on the dimensions and numbers of the conduits and cables provided. In one example, a number of optic cables may be placed in a single conduit. In this scenario, the conduit may be made to have a larger radius and the edging device may be made thicker than a single-fiber edging device. In another scenario as shown in
In another embodiment, the dimensions of the edging device and the conduit may be made to accommodate the installation of coaxial cables or other kinds of communication cables, for example, radio frequency antenna cables or electrical cables that have different dimensions than fiber-optic cables. In further embodiments, the conduits 210a-c may be formed with different sizes for the purpose of, for example, embedding different numbers of and different types of cables inside.
Each individual device 200 may have a pair of connectors (or receptacles) 208a-b mounted on the respective ends of the conduit 210. The connectors may be used as attachment points to conduct and secure the fiber 212 through the conduit 210. The two connectors may be fixed to and be parts of the device 200, or may be made as separate components available to the customers to be installed on or removed from the device 200 as desired.
After a fiber-optic cable is disposed within the edging device, installation of the edging device may be achieved by pressing the device from a surface, such as the surface of a lawn, into the ground. The edging device may be pressed completely or partially into the ground. Alternatively, a narrowly cut slot may be selectively cut into the ground and the edging device may be pushed or placed into the slot. Various locations may be selected to install the fiber-optic cable from a demarcation point to the ONT. One of the locations to install the edging device may be along the boundary line of the driveway and the lawn. Existing cracked slots in the customer's property, for example, a slot along the driveway, may be utilized to deploy the edging device.
In one example, a single edging device may be made to have a bent shape and to possess a particular angle. In another example, edging devices may be coupled together to form a desired angle so the fiber-optic cable may be routed around a corner or an obstacle. Alternatively, a single piece of edging device may be made of materials that allow the customers to bend the device into an angled shape.
The edging device may have decorative color or pattern on the outside surface for aesthetic purposes. Alternatively, the edging device may be coated with selected colors to blend with the environment, e.g., a garden or a lawn. In other embodiments, coatings may be made attachable and removable from the edging device and different styles of coatings may be separately available to the customers.
As shown in the end views of
The edging device may be made with various types of materials and through various types of manufacturing processes. In one example, the device may be made through a lamination process that presses two side surface layers together with a conduit in between. In another example, the device may be formed from a single strip with one or more grooves notched in to it to form space for fiber-optic cable or conduit. Then, a second strip is placed over the grooves to seal the edging. The device may be made of any appropriate material such as polymeric material or compounds that is suitable to contain fiber optic cable inside. The device may also be constructed in a way to provide robust protection for the enclosed fiber cables. By way of example, the device may be made of layers of different materials. For example, the inner surface of the conduit 210 may be made of materials or constructed to reduce the friction among the fiber cables routed within if more than one fiber cables is disposed in the device. In another example, the outer surface of the edging device may be made from the material and constructed in a way to withstand the environmental impacts, such as compression, tearing, heat, dampness and freezing damage, etc.
The edging device may be manufactured with materials to facilitate the device being flexibly rolled into a cylindrical shape for convenient packaging, shipping and/or storage. As to be discussed below, the edging device may also be made with materials to facilitate bending by the customers into different angles. Different sections of the device may be provided with different materials or varying proportions of materials. For example, the edge sections of the device may be infused with materials or coated with a layer that afford more rigidity and reinforcement to the edge for being pressed into ground. The mid section of the edging device may be made to have more flexibility so as to be rolled or bent.
As illustrated in
In another embodiment, tubing suitable for installation of air blown fiber may be installed in an edging device without embedding fiber cables in the tubing. Alternatively, the duct inside the edging device may be configured into a shape and formed with materials suitable for air blowing fiber into it. Then the hollow edging device with the desired length and angles may be first installed at the customer premise before deploying the communication cables. Later, when the FTTx is available in the area, the fiber cables may be air blown or otherwise inserted into and guided through the tubing or the duct inside the edging device.
Although aspects of the invention herein have been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present invention. It is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
As these and other variations and combinations of the features discussed above can be utilized without departing from the invention as defined by the claims, the foregoing description of exemplary embodiments should be taken by way of illustration rather than by way of limitation of the invention as defined by the claims. It will also be understood that the provision of examples of the invention (as well as clauses phrased as “such as,” “e.g.”, “including” and the like) should not be interpreted as limiting the invention to the specific examples; rather, the examples are intended to illustrate only some of many possible aspects.
Unless expressly stated to the contrary, every feature in a given embodiment, alternative or example may be used in any other embodiment, alternative or example herein. For instance, any technology or materials for constructing a suitable edging device may be employed in any configuration herein. Any shape, length, angles of the device may be provided in any configuration herein.
