GB2230156A - Apparatus for making available data which are transmitted by way of optical fibres, for data terminal equipment - Google Patents

Description

1 APPAS FOR XUING AVAILME DATA WHICH ARE TRANSMITTED BY WAY OF OPTICAL

FIBRES, FOR DATA TMINAL EQUIMUT The invention relates to an apparatus for making available data which are transmitted by way of optical f ibres, comprising a converter for converting light signals to electrical signals and electrical signals to light signals. with a low-voltage dc voltage supply.

In the data transmission procedures which are being increasingly used nowadays, whether that is within internal networks in relation to data users such as research laboratories or the like, or whether it is for the remote transmission of data including that in the public network which is being built up in that respect. use is made of the large transmission width and large transmission range of transmission options using optical fibres. In that situation data transmission rates of over 100 M bits per second are possible. optical fibres are immune from electromagnetic influences from the exterior, for example due to thunderstorms, and they are generally insensitive to moisture and the like.

A problem arises in connection with the beginning and the end of such a line as at those locations. in the transmission paths, electrical signals must be converted to light signals, at a transmitter, and light signals must be converted to electrical signals at a receiver. Besides the problem of pure conversion, a further problem is that the converters may be exposed to interference or noise pulses which are produced for example by the power supply network, and the equipment must therefore be protected from overvoltages.

In addition those converters require power supplies in the form of dc voltages, f or example 12 V or 5 V dc voltages. which are either made available from the data interface directly from the terminal equipment connected thereto. or by means of transformers which are connected 2 as a special termination to a plug outlet.

The disadvantage of a dc voltage supply from a computer by way of data lines lies in the uncertainty involved in the supply of power; the worst case may involve collapse of data transmission. If separate transformers are used in the form of plug-in elements in plug outlets. that generally involves comparatively expensive and heavy plug-in equipment which, if carelessly plugged in, can fall out of the outlet or can be removed therefrom by unauthorised persons,, and the like.

Furthermore, it is known for light wave converters to be in the form of separate devices, either in the form of plug-in adapters or being integrated into multiplexers. in which case the problem which then arises is that of being able to install the devices in a rational fashion. In that respect. particular problems are basically involved in connecting comparatively large items of equipment to the data outputs of a computer as such a connecton is generally not very stable from a mechanical point of view and for example the data terminal apparatus cannot be fitted to a wall.

Therefore the problem of the present invention is to provide a solution with which the above-described problem points are eliminated, while in particular not only can the data f rom an optical wave guide system be made available to the data terminal apparatus,, the computer or the other data user, but at the same time optimum power supply for the converter is available with possible protection from any overloading.

According to the invention there is provided apparatus for making available data transmitted by way of optical fibres comprising a converter for converting light signals to electrical signals and electrical signals to light signals, with a low-voltage dc voltage supply,, wherein the converter and the low-voltage dc 1 3 voltage supply are disposed within a common housing frame for installation in an installation boxt a cable ductp or other container and wherein a connecting box (interface) for a data terminal apparatus is provided on the side of the housing which is towards the user when in use.

The apparatus according to the invention provides, with simple means. that the light wave converter is no longer in the form of a separate housing, with the aboveindicated disadvantages which that entails, but represents a part of the installation system. It can thus be in the form of an "intelligent" installation box, whether it is in the form of an under-floor, surfacemounted or flush-mounted box, the box of a cable duct or what is referred to as a floor tank. That provides that the installation box directly has the light wave converter as a component, for example in a hybrid system, and in addition represents a data box, for example an AD08-box,, a CAT-box in the form of a coax box, in the form of a TAE-connecting box,, in the form of a twinax box, or the like.

The connection of the optical fibres, the situation generally involving two such conductors,, can be made directly on the plate of the optical fibre conductor within the box,, for example by means of SMA-Plugs or mini-BNC or similar optical fibre plug components. In that situation a low-voltage dc voltage supply source is directly available for the converter.

In an embodiment it is provided that connecting sockets for connection to a 220 V ac voltage system are provided within the common housing frame. The connecting sockets may be in the form for example of what are known as Schuko plugs in the Federal Republic of Germany.

A particular configuration of the invention provides that disposed within the housing frame is an overvoltage-protection device for safeguarding the 220 V system. in which respect it is particularly advantageous 4 if the overvoltage-protection device. besides the 220 V power supply, is also in the form of a protective device for the rectifier electronics of the low-voltage power supply.

That provides that overvoltage protection is provided not only in respect of the 220 V system but also the low-voltage supply device within a common piece of equipment.

It will be appreciated that the spatial configuration is such-that Installation in a plug box is readily possible, that is to say the installation depth is less than 32 mm.

At this point it should also be pointed out that, besides a 220 V system. a 250 V system or a 110 V system can also be provided with the invention in the same manner.

The function of the overvoltage protection device is to protect the power supply of the computer f r om an overvoltage or surge (protected Schuko plug box). In particular circumstances it is also possible at the same time for a filter function to be performed, for damping high-frequency interference pulses. According to one embodiment of the invention the overvoltage- protection unit is also in the form of an intelligent installation component for mounting in an under-floor or surfacemounted position, or in accordance with other procedures. An additional rectifier with electronic means for the low-voltage power supply for the light wave converter is either arranged in the immediate vicinity or, as indicated above.. it forms an integral component of the plug box.

in a further ewbodiment the invention provides that the 220 V overvoltageprotection device and the 5 V dc overvoltage-protection device are disposed in a cascade circuit and/or that the overvoltage-protection device is additionally provided with a temperature monitoring means i andlor an outwardly visible optical display means f or a fault situation.

It is also advantageous if, besides the light wave converterldata box. a Schuko plug box andlor a 5 V dc box and/or coupling locations for the external supply of ends of the optical fibres are provided in a common housing frame, as the invention also provides in a further embodiment thereof.

Besides the possibility of all essential components being f ormed in a single housing of the size of a conventional plug box, the elements in accordance with the invention may also be arranged one beside the other in a rail, in which case it is then particularly recommended for the housings of the different connecting boxes to be in the form of plug-in modules.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, apparatus in accordance therewith will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the acocmpanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of an apparatus f or making available optically transmitted data; Fig. 2 is a plan view of a configuration of a modification of the apparatus of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view of three different arrangements of plug-in modules used in carrying the invention into effect; Fig. 4 shows a circuit diagram of an overvoltage protection for a connecting box.

The apparatus which is generally identified by reference numeral 1 In Fig. 1 is in a form having an under-floor plug box, the electronic components. for the sake of greater ease of identification. being represented in a known mode of installation.

Arranged on a support ring 2 of the apparatus 1 is a printed circuit board 3. with a symbolically 6 represented electronic optical f ibre' conductor converter 4, a connecting plug 5 for data terminal apparatus or computer or the like and an optical display unit 6 for an overvoltage-protection device.

Arranged on spacers 7 is a further printed circuit board 8 which carries an overvoltage-protection device 9 for 220 V ac and an electronic means 10 with an overvoltage-protection device for low voltage dc. for example 5 V. The electronic device 4 is connected to the 5 V dc voltage supply 10 by way of the supply line 11.

Connections 12 for the optical fibre conductors are disposed on the top side of the printed circuit board 8 while on the underside the printed circuit board carries connections 13 for the 220 V power supply.

is Fig. 2 shows the spatial separation of three individual elements of the apparatus. denoted herein by reference numeral la,-having three housings, wherein the respective elements, each with a support ring 2a. 2a, and 2all are for example also in the form of under-floor plug boxes. The overload-protection devices 9,, 10 may be provided with the temperature monitoring means.

The elements which are the same as in Fig. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals. with the addition of a lower-case letter a. 1 Fig. 2 shows the 220 V overvoltage protection with the 5 V supply unit which is also protected. that is to say the elements 9a and 10a,, on the support ring 2a.

Provided at the middle is a Schuko plug box 14 while in the illustrated embodiment at extreme right the light wave converter 4a is disposed on the support ring 2a".. with the connections 12a for the glass fibre lines 15 and the connections for the low voltage line lla.

Fig. 3 shows different configurations and arrangements of data and power supply connections.

Arranged in the top line in the f orm of plug-in modules in side-by-side relationship al:e external connecting 1 7 plugs 16 for optical fibre conductors, connecting plugs 5b for a data terminal apparatus. a Schuko plug 14b and signalling lamps 6b for overvoltage protection, for example green for in order and red for defective.

Provided in the second line are similar elements, but in this case the optical fibre conductor connection is arranged under-floor or flushmounted, as in the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the same elements being denoted by the same reference numerals, while finally the third line Illustrates an arrangement with an optical fibre conductor connection 16b and a data connection 5b11 on one plate with a Schuko plug Abl, and signalling lamps W,.

Finally Fig. 4 is a simplified view of a circuit 15 diagram of the protection device for the different plug boxes. In that configuration a Schuko plug 14c which is shown in simplified form is provided with an overvoltageprotection device gc and the overvoltage-protection device 10c for the optical fibre converter acts on that element 4c which then has for example a V24 interface Sc.

The light wave connections 12c are also symbolically illustrated in the drawing. Thus the circuit designed in this f ashion has a protected plug box as well as a protected V24 interface. 1 It will be appreciated that the described embodiments of the invention can also be altered in many ways without departing f rom. the basic concept. Thus it is possible f or example to provide on a common support ring in a compact design mode the overvoltage-protection unit with the 220V connections, on a printed circuit board. with a filter component. for example a low pass filter, in order in that way to provide a compact prot6cted plug box,, while in addition optical display means may also be provided thereon.

1 8

Claims (9)

1. Apparatus for making available data transmitted by way of optical fibres comprising a converter for converting light signals to electrical signals and 5 electrical signals to light signals, with a low-voltage dc voltage supply,, wherein the converter and the lowvoltage dc voltage supply are disposed within a common housing frame for installation In an installation box. a cable duct, or other container and wherein a connecting box (interface) for a data terminal apparatus is provided on the side of the housing which is towards the user when in use.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1. wherein connecting sockets for connection to a comparatively high voltage ac network are provided within the common housing frame.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or Claim 2. wherein an overvoltageprotection device is provided within the housing frame for safeguarding the comparatively. high voltage network.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein the overvoltage-protection device, besides the comparatively high voltage, is also in the f orm of a dc overvoltage protection device for rectifier electronics of the lowvoltage supply.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein the comparatively high voltage overvoltage-protection device and the low voltage dc overvoltageprotection device are disposed in a cascade circuit.

6. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 3 to 5 wherein the overvoltage-protection devices are additionally provided with a temperature monitoring means and/or an externally visible optical display means for a fault situation.

7. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 3 to 6 wherein in the common housing frame, besides the light signal converter and connection box are disposed a Schuko Z1 1 9 plug box and/or a low voltage de box and/or coupling means for the external supply from ends of the optical fibre conductors.

8. Apparatus according to Claim 7, wherein housings 5 for the connecting box,, Schuko plug box and coupling means are in the form of plug-in modules mounted In sideby-side relationship.

9. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Pubbshed 1990 at The P..tentOMee.ELate House.88171 liolborn.LondonWC1R4TP. Purtheroopica maybe obtatned from The Patent office A&L.; Branch, St U" Cray. Q, pinr-,on, Zent BM 3RD. PrInted by Muluplex twluUques ltd, St Mary Cray, Kent, Con. 1187