EP0082430A2 — Method and apparatus for fiber optic coupling

Claim 1

Independent Claim 213 words

Method for fiber optic coupling, whereat optical signals may appear on any of a plurality of optical fibers so that a portion of each such signal appears at an output end portion of all of the plurality of optical fibers, characterized by the following steps: a. seperating the plurality of optical fibers into a first plurality of pairs (51,52;53,54;... or 101,102;103,104;...) of optical fibers and joining each pair together at a first location (60 or 110) so that any optical signal appearing on either optical fiber prior to the first location is divided and a portion of such optical signal appears on each optical fibers after the first location; b. seperating the fibers after the first location into a second plurality of pairs (52,53;54,55;... or 101,106;102,105;...) of optical fibers in which each of the second pairs consists of two fibers from different ones of the first pairs so that any opticals signal appearing on either optical fiber prior to the second location is divided and a portion of such optical signal appears in both optical fibers after the second location; and c. repeating step b for third and subsequent locations until all of the fibers in the plurality receive a portion of any signal on any optical fiber prior to the first location.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 213 words

Method for fiber optic coupling, whereat optical signals may appear on any of a plurality of optical fibers so that a portion of each such signal appears at an output end portion of all of the plurality of optical fibers, characterized by the following steps: a. seperating the plurality of optical fibers into a first plurality of pairs (51,52;53,54;... or 101,102;103,104;...) of optical fibers and joining each pair together at a first location (60 or 110) so that any optical signal appearing on either optical fiber prior to the first location is divided and a portion of such optical signal appears on each optical fibers after the first location; b. seperating the fibers after the first location into a second plurality of pairs (52,53;54,55;... or 101,106;102,105;...) of optical fibers in which each of the second pairs consists of two fibers from different ones of the first pairs so that any opticals signal appearing on either optical fiber prior to the second location is divided and a portion of such optical signal appears in both optical fibers after the second location; and c. repeating step b for third and subsequent locations until all of the fibers in the plurality receive a portion of any signal on any optical fiber prior to the first location.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 112 words

Apparatus for performing the method of fiber optic coupling according to claim 1, characterized by a plurality of optical fibers having input portions (101-108) and output portions (121-128); and means connecting the input portions to the output portions in a manner such that a portion of any signal appearing on any one of the input portions appears on each of the output portions,the means comprising a plurality of junctions (110,112,114) between pairs of such fibers each junction consisting of only two fibers and each junction connecting a different pair of said fibers with no two fibers being joined twice so that a path exists from each input fiber to all output fibers.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 164 words

Apparatus for performing the method of fiber optic coupling according to claim 1, characterized by a first coupling junction (60,51,52;110,101,102) between a first pair of the plurality of optical fibers to divide any signal appearing on either fiber of the first pair so that, thereafter, a portion of the signal appears on both fibers of the first pair; a second coupling junction ( 60,53,54;110,105,106) between a second pair of the plurality of optical fibers to divide any signal appearing on either fiber of the second pair so that, thereafter, a portion of the signal appears on both fibers of the second pair; and a third coupling junction (64,51,52;112,102,105) between a first fiber of the first pair and a first fiber of the second pair,the third coupling junction positioned after the first and second coupling junctions so that, thereafter, a portion of any signal appearing on either one of the first fibers of the first and second pair appears on both of such first fibers.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 156 words

Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized by a fourth coupling junction (60,55,56;110,103,104) between a third pair of the plurality of optical fibers to divide any signal appearing on either fiber of the third pair so that, thereafter, a portion of the signal appears on both fibers of the third pair; a fifth coupling junction (60,57,58;110,107,108) between a fourth pair of the plurality of optical fibers to divide any signal appearing on either element of the fourth pair so that, thereafter, a portion of the signal appears on both fibers of the fourth pair; and a sixth coupling junction (62,56,57;112,104,107) between a first fiber of the third pair and a first fiber of the fourth pair, the sixth coupling junction positioned after the fourth and fifth coupling junction so that, thereafter, a portion of any signal appearing on either one of the first fibers of the third and fourth pair appears on both of such first fibers.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 72 words

Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized by a seventh coupling junction (114) between a first fiber (102) chosen from the first and second pair and a first fiber (107) chosen from the third and fourth pair, the seventh coupling junction positioned after the third and sixth coupling junctions so that, thereafter, a portion of any signal appearing on either one of the chosen first fibers appears on both of such first fibers.

Method and apparatus for fiber optic coupling

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