Optical fiber connectivity system including modules and interconnection cables

Abstract

Various fiber optic distribution modules are disclosed, as well as cable useable to interconnect such modules. One possible module includes a first MPO connector and a second MPO connector exposed, and a plurality of LC connectors, the plurality of LC connectors arranged into a first row and a second row. A plurality of fibers is routed between one of the first and second MPO connectors and a different one of the plurality of LC connectors. The plurality of LC connectors in the first row and the second row are grouped into N groups with M connectors in each group corresponding to M/2 channels included in each group and including a fiber pair. The M connectors of each group are disposed across the first and second rows. Indicia disposed on the second side of the housing visually distinguish each group of the N groups from an adjacent neighboring group.

1 .- 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A fiber optic distribution system comprising:
 a fiber optic trunk cable comprising:
 at a first end, a 24-fiber multi-fiber push-on (MPO) connector, the 24-fiber MPO connector having first and second rows of 12 fiber connections; 
 at a second end, a first 12-fiber MPO connector and a second 12-fiber MPO connector, each of the first and second 12-fiber MPO connectors having 12 sequential fiber connections; 
 wherein a first plurality of the first row of 12 fiber connections is optically connected to the first 12-fiber MPO connector in a sequential order and a second plurality of the first row of 12 fiber connections is optically connected to the second 12-fiber MPO connector in a reverse sequential order; and 
 wherein a first plurality of the second row of 12 fiber connections is optically connected to the second 12-fiber MPO connector in a sequential order and adjacent to the second plurality of the first row of 12 fiber connections, and a second plurality of the second row of 12 fiber connections is optically connected to the first 12-fiber MPO connector in a reverse sequential order adjacent to the first plurality of the first row of 12 fiber connections. 
   
     
     
         24 . The fiber optic distribution system of  claim 23 , wherein the first plurality of the first row of 12 fiber connections includes six sequential ones of the first row of 12 fiber connections of the 24-fiber MPO connector. 
     
     
         25 . The fiber optic distribution system of  claim 23 , wherein the fiber optic trunk cable further comprises:
 a first optical fiber optically connected between a first connection of the 24-fiber MPO connector and a first connection of the first 12-fiber MPO connector;   a second optical fiber optically connected between a second connection of the 24-fiber MPO connector and a second connection fiber of the first 12-fiber MPO connector;   a third optical fiber optically connected between a third connection of the 24-fiber MPO connector and a third connection of the first 12-fiber MPO connector;   a fourth optical fiber optically connected between a fourth connection of the 24-fiber MPO connector and a fourth connection of the first 12-fiber MPO connector;   a fifth optical fiber optically connected between a fifth connection of the 24-fiber MPO connector and a fifth connection of the first 12-fiber MPO connector;   a sixth optical fiber optically connected between a sixth connection of the 24-fiber MPO connector and a sixth connection of the first 12-fiber MPO connector;   a seventh optical fiber optically connected between a seventh connection of the 24-fiber MPO connector and a first connection of the second 12-fiber MPO connector;   a eighth optical fiber optically connected between an eighth connection of the 24-fiber MPO connector and a second connection of the second 12-fiber MPO connector;   a ninth optical fiber optically connected between a ninth connection of the 24-fiber MPO connector and a third connection of the second 12-fiber MPO connector;   a tenth optical fiber optically connected between a tenth connection of the 24-fiber MPO connector and a fourth connection of the second 12-fiber MPO connector;   an eleventh optical fiber optically connected between an eleventh connection of the 24-fiber MPO connector and a fifth connection of the second 12-fiber MPO connector;   a twelfth optical fiber optically connected between a twelfth connection of the 24-fiber MPO connector and a sixth connection of the second 12-fiber MPO connector;   a thirteenth optical fiber optically connected between a thirteenth connection of the 24-fiber MPO connector and a twelfth connection of the first 12-fiber MPO connector;   a fourteenth optical fiber optically connected between a fourteenth connection of the 24-fiber MPO connector and an eleventh connection fiber of the first 12-fiber MPO connector;   a fifteenth optical fiber optically connected between a fifteenth connection of the 24-fiber MPO connector and a tenth connection of the first 12-fiber MPO connector;   a sixteenth optical fiber optically connected between a sixteenth connection of the 24-fiber MPO connector and a ninth connection of the first 12-fiber MPO connector;   a seventeenth optical fiber optically connected between a seventeenth connection of the 24-fiber MPO connector and an eighth connection of the first 12-fiber MPO connector;   an eighteenth optical fiber optically connected between a eighteenth connection of the 24-fiber MPO connector and a seventh connection of the first 12-fiber MPO connector;   a nineteenth optical fiber optically connected between a nineteenth connection of the 24-fiber MPO connector and a twelfth connection of the second 12-fiber MPO connector;   a twentieth optical fiber optically connected between a twentieth connection of the 24-fiber MPO connector and an eleventh connection of the second 12-fiber MPO connector;   a twenty-first optical fiber optically connected between a twenty-first connection of the 24-fiber MPO connector and a tenth connection of the second 12-fiber MPO connector;   a twenty-second optical fiber optically connected between a twenty-second connection of the 24-fiber MPO connector and a ninth connection of the second 12-fiber MPO connector;   a twenty-third optical fiber optically connected between a twenty-third connection of the 24-fiber MPO connector and an eighth connection of the second 12-fiber MPO connector; and   a twenty-fourth optical fiber optically connected between a twenty-fourth connection of the 24-fiber MPO connector and a seventh connection of the second 12-fiber MPO connector.   
     
     
         26 . The fiber optic distribution system of  claim 25 , wherein:
 the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth connections of the 24-fiber MPO connector form the first plurality of the first row of 12 fiber connections; and   the seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth connections of the 24-fiber MPO connector form the second plurality of the first row of 12 fiber connections.   
     
     
         27 . The fiber optic distribution system of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 A fiber optic distribution module comprising:
 a housing; 
 a first MPO connector and a second MPO connector exposed at a first side of the housing, each of the first MPO connector and the second MPO connector having a plurality of sequential connector locations; and 
 a plurality of LC connectors disposed on a second side of the housing opposite the first side, the plurality of LC connectors arranged into a first row and a second row; and 
 a plurality of fibers, each of the plurality of fibers routed between one of the first and second MPO connectors and a different one of the plurality of LC connectors. 
   
     
     
         28 . The fiber optic distribution system of  claim 27 , wherein the
 wherein the plurality of LC connectors in the first row includes a plurality of channels, each channel being formed by a pair of adjacent LC connectors, and   wherein, at the first MPO connector, fibers are optically routed from the pair of adjacent LC connectors to non-adjacent ones of the sequential connector locations.   
     
     
         29 . The fiber optic distribution system of  claim 28 , wherein, at the first MPO connector, fibers connected to a plurality of pairs of adjacent LC connectors forming channels are routed to non-adjacent ones of the sequential connector locations. 
     
     
         30 . The fiber optic distribution system of  claim 27 ,
 wherein the first row of LC connectors includes first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth LC connectors;   wherein the first and second LC connectors form a first channel, the third and fourth LC connectors form a second channel, the fifth and sixth LC connectors form a third channel, the seventh and eighth LC connectors form a fourth channel, the ninth and tenth LC connectors form a fifth channel, and the eleventh and twelfth LC connectors form a sixth channel.   
     
     
         31 . The fiber optic distribution system of  claim 30 , wherein:
 the first LC connector is optically connected to a first connection location of the first MPO connector and the second LC connector is optically connected to a twelfth connection location of the first MPO connector;   the third LC connector is optically connected to a second connection location of the first MPO connector and the fourth LC connector is optically connected to an eleventh connection location of the first MPO connector;   the fifth LC connector is optically connected to a third connection location of the first MPO connector and the sixth LC connector is optically connected to a tenth connection location of the first MPO connector;   the seventh LC connector is optically connected to a fourth connection location of the first MPO connector and the eighth LC connector is optically connected to a ninth connection location of the first MPO connector;   the ninth LC connector is optically connected to a fifth connection location of the first MPO connector and the tenth LC connector is optically connected to an eighth connection location of the first MPO connector; and   the eleventh LC connector is optically connected to a sixth connection location of the first MPO connector and the twelfth LC connector is optically connected to a seventh connection location of the first MPO connector.   
     
     
         32 . A fiber optic distribution system comprising:
 a first fiber optic distribution module comprising:
 a first housing; 
 a first plurality of multi-fiber push-on (MPO) connectors including a first MPO connector, a second MPO connector, and a third MPO connector exposed at 
   a first side of the housing;
 a first plurality of LC connectors disposed on a second side of the housing opposite the first side, the first plurality of LC connectors arranged into a first row and a second row; and 
 a first plurality of fibers, each of the first plurality of fibers routed between one of the first, second, and third MPO connectors and a different one of the first plurality of LC connectors; 
   a second fiber optic distribution module comprising:
 a second housing; 
 a second plurality of multi-fiber push-on (MPO) connectors including a first MPO connector, a second MPO connector, and a third MPO connector exposed at a first side of the second housing; 
 a second plurality of LC connectors disposed on a second side of the second housing opposite the first side, the second plurality of LC connectors arranged into a first row and a second row; and 
 a second plurality of fibers, each of the second plurality of fibers routed between one of the first, second, and third MPO connectors and a different one of the plurality of LC connectors; 
   a first trunk cable optically connected to the first MPO connector of the first fiber optic distribution module and, at an opposite end, the first MPO connector of the second fiber optic distribution module;   wherein the first MPO connector of the first fiber optic distribution module and the first MPO connector of the second fiber optic distribution module each are positioned in the same orientation; and   wherein the trunk cable optically connects between fiber connection locations of the first MPO connectors of the first and second fiber optic distribution modules in a reverse sequential order.   
     
     
         33 . The fiber optic distribution system of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 a second trunk cable optically connected to the second MPO connector of the first fiber optic distribution module and, at an opposite end, the second MPO connector of the second fiber optic distribution module; and   a third trunk cable optically connected to a third MPO connector of the plurality of MPO connectors of the first fiber optic distribution module and, at an opposite end, a third MPO connector of the second plurality of MPO connectors of the second fiber optic distribution module;   wherein each of the fibers in the respective MPO connector, the second MPO connector, and the third MPO connector of each of the first and second fiber optic distribution modules are interconnected by the trunk cable, the second trunk cable, and the third trunk cable in a reverse sequential order.   
     
     
         34 . The fiber optic distribution system of  claim 33 , wherein the first plurality of LC connectors includes 24 LC connectors disposed in two rows, and the second plurality of LC connectors includes 24 LC connectors disposed in two rows. 
     
     
         35 . The fiber optic distribution system of  claim 34 , wherein the first trunk cable, the second trunk cable, and the third trunk cable each include at least 12 fibers, and wherein a plurality of fibers of each of the trunk cables remains unpopulated. 
     
     
         36 . The fiber optic distribution system of  claim 35 , wherein at least one of the first plurality of LC connectors in each of the two rows is optically routed to one of each of the first MPO connector, the second MPO connector, and the third MPO connector of the first fiber optic distribution module.