Metropolitan area local access service system

Abstract

A local access fiber optical distribution network is disclosed in which a dedicated pair of diversely routed optical fibers is routed in the distribution network for each customer. In a preferred embodiment, a dual physical overlay ring core topology is used in the core. The distribution network includes working and protection logical path connectivity. No 802.1D Spanning Tree is required for recovery, providing resilience to any single network failure in any device or link, quick recovery times from failure, and a failure detection/recovery protocol that is not active on any devices other than the devices directly attached to the subscriber.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A fiber optic distribution network comprising: 
 a network feeder loop, said network feeder loop connected to a hub communicating with a metropolitan area network; and    a plurality of collector loops extending from said network feeder loop, each comprising a plurality of optical fibers, such that each of said collector loops forms a plurality of intersections with said feeder loop.    
     
     
         2 . The distribution network of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of said plurality of intersections are disposed at different physical locations on said feeder loop.  
     
     
         3 . The distribution network of  claim 1 , wherein said intersections of said collector loops with said network feeder loop are formed by splices.  
     
     
         4 . The distribution network of  claim 3 , wherein said splices are fusion splices.  
     
     
         5 . The distribution network of  claim 4 , wherein said network feeder loop comprises 288 optical fibers.  
     
     
         6 . The distribution network of  claim 4 , wherein said network feeder loop comprises 432 optical fibers.  
     
     
         7 . The distribution network of  claim 4 , wherein said network feeder loop comprises an amount of optical fibers equal to one half the sum of the count of the optical fibers comprising all of said collector loops.  
     
     
         8 . The distribution network of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of subscriber laterals are disposed on said collector loops and form connections therewith, and wherein said subscriber laterals extend to a plurality of subscriber facilities.  
     
     
         9 . The distribution network of  claim 8 , wherein said laterals each comprise a plurality of optical fibers.  
     
     
         10 . The distribution network of  claim 8 , wherein at least some of said connections between said subscriber laterals and said collector loops are formed with mechanical splices.  
     
     
         11 . The distribution network of  claim 8 , wherein said at least one of said laterals comprises 48 optical fibers.  
     
     
         12 . The distribution network of  claim 8 , wherein all of said laterals on one of said collector loops comprise a number of optical fibers substantially equal to the count of the optical fibers comprising that collector loop.  
     
     
         13 . A fiber optic distribution network comprising: 
 an exterior feeder loop, said exterior feeder loop connected to a hub, wherein said hub communicates with a wide area distribution network;    a plurality of exterior collector loops connected to said exterior feeder loop, wherein said exterior collector loops form a plurality of intersections with said exterior feeder loop;    an interior feeder loop, said interior feeder loop connected to said hub, and wherein said interior feeder loop is disposed at least in substantial part within said exterior feeder loop; and    an interior collector loop connected to said interior feeder loop, wherein said interior collector loop forms a plurality of intersections with said interior feeder loop.    
     
     
         14 . The distribution network of  claim 13 , wherein said intersections between said exterior collector loops with said exterior feeder loops are formed by splices.  
     
     
         15 . The distribution network of  claim 14 , wherein at least some of said splices are fusion splices.  
     
     
         16 . The distribution network of  claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of subscriber laterals forming connections with said exterior collector loops and extending from said exterior collector loops to a plurality of subscriber facilities.  
     
     
         17 . The distribution network of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of said laterals comprises a plurality of optical fibers.  
     
     
         18 . The distribution network of  claim 16 , wherein at least some of said connections are formed with mechanical splices.  
     
     
         19 . The distribution network of  claim 13 , wherein said interior collector loop is closer to said hub facility than said exterior feeder loops.  
     
     
         20 . The distribution network of  claim 13 , wherein said interior feeder loop is disposed to reduce a longest subscriber path of the distribution network.  
     
     
         21 . A core service network comprising: 
 a dual overlay ring comprising a plurality of complete physical paths from a carrier party to a subscriber party,    wherein one of said plurality of complete physical paths is allocated as a primary virtual line; and    wherein one of said complete physical paths is allocated as a secondary virtual line.    
     
     
         22 . The core service network of  claim 21 , wherein said primary virtual line is configured to serve as a data channel.  
     
     
         23 . The core service network of  claim 22 , wherein said secondary virtual line is configured to serve as a back-up channel to said primary virtual line.