Patent ID: 7317851
Filing Date: 2008-01-08
Classification: G02B,H04J

Abstract:
1. An optical add/drop patch cord comprising: an optical add/drop component disposed in a casing, the optical add/drop component comprising: an input fiber permanently coupled to the casing with a first connector and optically coupled to the optical add/drop component, the input fiber including a second connector attached to an end of the input fiber; a drop fiber permanently coupled to the casing with a third connector and optically coupled to the optical add/drop component, the drop fiber including a fourth connector attached to an end of the drop fiber; an add fiber permanently coupled to the casing with a fifth connector and optically coupled to the optical add/drop component, the add fiber including a sixth connector attached to an end of the add fiber; and an output fiber permanently coupled to the casing with a seventh connector and optically coupled to the optical add/drop component, the output fiber including an eighth connector attached to an end of the output fiber; wherein the second, fourth, sixth, and eighth connectors enable the optical add/drop component to connect ports of a patch panel in multiple configurations: wherein the first thin film is configured to allow at least one wavelength of an optical signal from the input fiber to pass through the first thin film towards the drop fiber while reflecting other wavelength(s) of the optical signal to the second thin film; and the second thin film is configured to reflect the other wavelength(s) of the optical signal towards the output fiber while allowing at least one wavelength to pass through the thin film from the add fiber towards the output fiber.