Fiber optic data distributor

Claim 1

A fiber optic data distribution system for transferring data between a plurality of terminals, comprising: a first array of portions of a single continuous fiber (50); means (67) for applying an optical signal to said first array; a second array of elements (111) for tapping optical signals from said first array, said second array including a plurality of portions of separate fiber optical material (llla,lllb,llc,llld), each of said portions being connected to at least one terminal (72,74,76,78) ; and means (70,71) for holding said first array of portions of continuous fiber in alignment of said second array so that light propagating in either of said first and second arrays is coupled to the other of said first and second arrays.

Claim 6

The system as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 4 wherein light propagated in said first array (50) is coupled to each of said portions of separate fiber optical material (llla,lllb,llc,llld) in said second array.

Claim 7

The system as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 5 wherein said single continuous fiber is serially connected to an optical signal processing unit (67), said processing unit being adapted to supply an optical signal to said single continuous fiber (50).

Claim 9

The system as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 7 wherein said optical signal includes an address code.

Claim 13

A method of distributing optical signals propagating in an optical fiber, in accordance with the destination of the signal, comprising the steps of: forming a first array of portions of a single continuous optical fiber (50); forming a second array of portions of a plurality of separate optical fibers (llla,lllb,llc,llld); connecting each of said separate optical fibers to a separate terminal (72,74,76,78). holding the first and second arrays in alignment so that evanescent field coupling (70,71) couples light from each of the first and second arrays to the other of said first and second arrays; and supplying an optical signal to the first array (50) for distribution to each of the plurality of separate fibers in the second array (111a,111b,11c,111d) by means of evanescent field coupling (70, 71) supplying an address code to said optical signal, said address code being adapted to identify at least one particular terminal ( 72, 74, 76, 78); and receiving said optical signal at said terminal (72,74,76,78) identified by said address code, said identified terminal being adapted to extract information from said signal upon recognition of the identifying address code.

Claim 14

A method of distributing optical signals propagating in an optical fiber, in accordance with the destination of the signal, comprising the steps of: forming a first array of portions of a single continuous optical fiber (50); forming a second array of portions of a plurality of separate optical fibers (llla,lllb,llc,llld); connecting each of said separate optical fibers to a separate terminal (72,74,76,78). holding the first and second arrays in alignment so that evanescent field coupling (70,71) couples light from each of the first and second arrays to the other of said first and second arrays; and supplying an optical signal to the first array (50) for distribution to each of the plurality of separate fibers in the second array (111a,111b,11c,111d) by means of evanescent field coupling (70, 71) supplying an address code to said optical signal, said address code being adapted to identify at least one particular terminal ( 72, 74, 76, 78); and receiving said optical signal at said terminal (72,74,76,78) identified by said address code, said identified terminal being adapted to extract information from said signal upon recognition of the identifying address code.