Patent ID: 11860434
Assignee: TELESCENT INC.
Field: Optics (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 8:
9. A method of maintaining low loss physical fiber optic connections in an automated cross-connect system that reconfigures optical fiber end faces among a multiplicity of receiving receptacles, the method comprising:
(A) cleaning the fiber optic connection, using a cleaning cartridge system for dispensing and usage monitoring of fiber end face cleaning fabric, wherein the cleaning cartridge system comprises: a source spool of cleaning fabric; an actuator that drives a fabric advance roller; a pressure sensor that detects when a fiber end face is in contact with fabric and outputs a contact-indicating signal; an internal control circuit that drives the actuator to advance the cleaning fabric in time-relation to the contact-indicating signal; and an external controller that determines proper advance of the cleaning fabric and consumption of the cleaning fabric over time, wherein contact of a fiber end face with the fabric on the pressure sensor causes the actuator, after a predetermined delay, to rotate the fabric advance roller and advance a predetermined amount of the fabric from the source spool to the fabric advance roller;
(B) plugging in the fiber optic connection into one of the multiplicity of receiving receptacles;
(C) testing a resulting connection by launching a signal through the fiber optic connection and measuring a backreflection corresponding to the resulting connection; and
(D) determining a backreflection level from the fiber optic connection and checking that the backreflection level is less than −50 dB, and if the backreflection is greater than −50 dB, repeating acts (A)-(D).