Methods and systems for distributing fiber optic telecommunication services to local areas and for supporting distributed antenna systems

Abstract

A fiber optic network includes a fiber distribution hub including at least one splitter and a termination field; a plurality of drop terminals optically connected to the fiber distribution hub by a plurality of distribution cables; and a distributed antenna system (DAS). The DAS includes a base station and a plurality of antenna nodes. The base station is optically connected to the fiber distribution hub and the antenna nodes are optically connected to the drop terminals. Example splitters include a passive optical power splitter and a passive optical wavelength splitter. Signals from a central office can be routed through the passive optical power splitter before being routed to subscriber locations optically connected to the drop terminals. Signals from the base station can be routed through the wavelength splitter before being routed to the antenna nodes.

1 - 3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . A fiber distribution hub comprising:
 a cabinet defining an interior accessible through an access opening, the cabinet also defining a cable port;   a termination field disposed within the interior of the cabinet, the termination field including fiber optic adapters having first ports and opposite second ports, the first ports being accessible through the access opening;   a splitter region disposed within the interior of the cabinet; and   a plurality of splitter modules disposed at the splitter region, each of the plurality of splitter modules outputting signals onto connectorized pigtails extending outwardly from the splitter, each of the connectorized pigtails being received at the termination field when in use, the plurality of splitter modules including a passive optical power splitter and a passive wavelength splitter.   
     
     
         5 . The fiber distribution hub of  claim 4 , further comprising a first routing path extending from the cable port to the splitter region and then to the termination field. 
     
     
         6 . The fiber distribution hub of  claim 5 , further comprising a second routing path extending from the cable port directly to the termination field bypassing the splitter region. 
     
     
         7 . The fiber distribution hub of  claim 4 , further comprising a storage region disposed within the interior of the cabinet, the storage region receiving connectors terminating the connectorized pigtails when the connectorized pigtails are not in use. 
     
     
         8 . The fiber distribution hub of  claim 7 , wherein the termination region and the storage region are defined by a common bulkhead disposed within the interior of the cabinet. 
     
     
         9 . The fiber distribution hub of  claim 8 , wherein the common bulkhead forms part of a swing frame pivotally mounted within the cabinet. 
     
     
         10 . The fiber distribution hub of  claim 4 , wherein the termination field is carried by a swing frame pivotally mounted within the cabinet. 
     
     
         11 . The fiber distribution hub of  claim 10 , wherein the splitter region also is carried by the swing frame. 
     
     
         12 . The fiber distribution hub of  claim 4 , wherein the splitter region is carried by a swing frame pivotally mounted within the cabinet. 
     
     
         13 . The fiber distribution hub of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a bank of optical adapters having internally accessible ports and externally accessible ports; and   a plurality of distribution pigtails having first connectorized ends disposed at the second ports of the fiber optic adapters of the termination field, the distribution pigtails having second connectorized ends disposed at the internally accessible ports of the bank of optical adapters.   
     
     
         14 . The fiber distribution hub of  claim 13 , wherein at least some of the distribution pigtails are combined at a fanout so that one of the second connectorized ends is a multi-fiber connectorized end. 
     
     
         15 . The fiber distribution hub of  claim 4 , wherein the connectorized pigtails extending from the passive wavelength splitter extend directly to the first ports of the termination region. 
     
     
         16 . The fiber distribution hub of  claim 4 , wherein the access opening of the cabinet is closed by at least one hinged door. 
     
     
         17 . The fiber distribution hub of  claim 4 , wherein the splitter region is disposed at an opposite end of the cabinet from the cable port. 
     
     
         18 . The fiber distribution hub of  claim 4 , wherein the termination field is disposed between the splitter region and a connector storage region. 
     
     
         19 . The fiber distribution hub of  claim 4 , wherein optical fibers of an input cable are routed from the cable port to a cable interface at which the optical fibers of the input cable are optically coupled to splitter input pigtails. 
     
     
         20 . The fiber distribution hub of  claim 19 , wherein the cable interface includes a splice tray. 
     
     
         21 . The fiber distribution hub of  claim 19 , wherein the cable interface includes adapter modules. 
     
     
         22 . The fiber distribution hub of  claim 4 , further comprising a distribution cable extending from the cabinet to a drop terminal, the distribution cable having an optical fiber with a first connectorized end optically coupled to one of the second ports of the termination field, the optical fiber of the distribution cable having a second connectorized end received at the drop terminal. 
     
     
         23 . The fiber distribution hub of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 a remote radio head for an antenna; and   a drop cable extending between the drop terminal and the remote radio head, the drop cable carrying optical signals split by the passive wavelength splitter.