WO2000073834A1

WO2000073834A1 - Optical cable closure maintenance system

Info

Publication number: WO2000073834A1
Application number: PCT/KR1999/000545
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jae-Sung Lee
Original assignee: Samjin Intelligence Communication Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 1999-05-31
Filing date: 1999-09-14
Publication date: 2000-12-07
Also published as: KR100280379B1; KR19990073136A

Abstract

The present invention relates to an optical cable closure maintenance system comprising a closure (10) including a sealed no-power electronic sensor (11), and a water sensing meter (20) for detecting information about the temperature and humidity within the closure (10), provided through the no-power electronic sensor (11), wherein the inundation therein can be detected without opening the closure (10).

Description

Optical Cable Closure Maintenance System

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an optical cable closure, or more particularly

to the maintenance system capable of detecting inundation at said closure including

a no-power electronic sensor without opening the same.

Background Art

Generally, the step of connecting the central office to the subscribers with

optical cables requires many connection points. At these connection points, the

connection materials for the optical cable, for example the optical cable closure or

optical intermediate switch box or vacant terminal box, are installed to connect the

optical cables to each other. The connection materials for the optical cable not only

connect the optical cables snapped to each other, but also perform the task of avoiding

a deterioration of the connection region due to the external environment.

The optical cable closure is commonly installed at a manhole etc. so that the

connection region of the optical cable is protected from the external environment.

However, it must have superior protection characteristics against the environment than

other connection materials since the contaminated water is frequently full at the

manhole etc. in contrast to the atmosphere, and the degree of air contamination existing

at the manhole is more severe than that at the atmosphere. Particularly, the optical

cable closure basically should have capability of sealing for cutting off permeation

of contaminated water into the closure. If the state of inundation at the closure with the exposure of the optical fiber

to moisture is continued, the function of the optical fiber is lost. Fig. 1 is a graph

indicating the process at the varying intensity of the optical fiber as a function of

time. Fig.2a is a diagram showing the surface of the optical fiber in normal environment,

Fig.2b is a diagram showing the surface of the optical fiber after being exposed to

moisture for a long period time, and Fig.2c is a diagram indicating the surface of

the optical fiber exposed to chemicals. As shown in the drawings, it was found that

the optical fiber is negatively affected and damaged thereby when the optical fiber

is exposed to moisture or chemicals.

As described above, the fact that the performance of the optical fiber is

degraded can be found only after the predetermined time has passed with exposure

to moisture. In other words, since the defect in the communication equipment can

be discovered only after a long period of time in the state of inundation of the optical

cable closure, the subscribers who benefited the communication equipment meanwhile

must put up with the inconvenience of generation of error or interruption in

communication.

On the other hand, the conventional closure for the optical cable is waterproof

by resealing the exterior of the closure with a gel compound etc. under sealing or

by using a material such as sealing tapes in order to prevent water from permeating

into the closure. In this case, it is impossible to check as to whether the water has

permeated into the closure when the phenomena of aging occurs due to the defective work or closure or the long term use therof. Further, in addition to the fact that the

waterproof material can not be recycled therein, the conventional closure entails

inconvenience and economical loss since it involves reworking after dismantling in

case of a problem within the box, with the result of much loss in human resources.

The object of the present invention, in resolving the aforementioned problems,

is to provide a maintenance system capable of detecting inundation of the optical cable

closure without opening the same.

The another object of the present invention is to provide an optical cable

closure comprising a highly sensitive no-power electronic sensor.

The another object of the present invention is to provide a maintenance system

capable of recording and storing the periodic measurement values of changes in

humidity and temperature of the optical cable.

The another object of the present invention is to re. ioc the cost of human

resources and the maintenance of the closure.

To achieve these goals, the present invention relates to an optical cable closure

maintenance system comprising a closure including a sealed no-power electronic sensor,

and a water sensing meter for detecting information about the temperature and humidity

within the closure, provided through the no-power electronic sensor, wherein the

inundation therein can be detected without opening the closure.

The detailed feature of the present invention is that said water sensing meter

comprises an A/D converter converting a sensor analog signal of the humidity and temperature within the closure detected by the no-power electronic sensor into a digital

signal, a key entry part inputting a control signal and set data and the like according

to a mode selection key, an up/down key and other respective functions, handled

selectively by an user, a micom performing a general control function a set program,

receiving inputs signals outputted from the respective portion, a liquid crystal display

displaying the result of humidity detection, temperature detection and respective

parameters at the closure provided by said A/D converter with numerals and letters,

an alarm generator generating a failure alarm according to the control signal of the

micom, a memory device for storing information provided by said A D converter and

an output signal of said micom, and an interface for outputting the information of

said memory device to an external device.

The another detailed feature of the present invention is that said micom

comprises a set memory having an allowable threshold valve information in the ratio

of temperature to humidity at the closure.

Brief Description of the Drawing

Fig. 1 is a graph indicating the process at the varying intensity of the optical

fiber as a function of time.

Fig.2a is a diagram indicating the surface of the optical fiber in the normal

environment.

Fig.2b is a diagram indicating the surface of the optical fiber after being

exposed to moisture for a long period of time. Fig.2c is a diagram indicating the surface of the optical fiber exposed to

chemicals.

Fig.3 is a block diagram indicating the maintenance system according to the

present invention.

Fig.4 is a diagram indicating the water sensing meter of the Fig.3.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

The constitution and operation features of the present invention are described

in detail with accompanying drawings as follows. Fig.3 is a block diagram indicating

the maintenance system according to the present invention. The invention comprises

a closure (10) including a sealed no-power electronic sensor (11), and a water sensing

meter (20) for detecting information about temperature and humidity within the closure,

provided by said no-power electronic sensor (11). The water sensing meter (20)

comprises an A/D converter (21) converting an analog signal detected by the no-

power electronic sensor (11) at the closure (10) into a digital signal, a key ehtry part

(22) inputting a control signal of user, a micom (23) performing a general control

function by a set program inputted by each output signals, a liquid crystal display

(hereinafter LCD) (25) displaying information of detection results and respective

parameter, provided by said A/D converter (21), an alarm generator (24) generating

a warning alarm according to the control signal of said micom (23), a memory device

(27) for storing information provided by said A D converter (21) and an output signal

of said micom (23), and an interface (26) for outputting the information of said memory device (27) to the external device.

The closure (10) is basically sealed not to be inundated, however it is assumed

that said box could be inundated since the point of the present invention is that the

device can detect inundation which could occur as the time of sealing goes by. A

highly sensitive no-power electronic sensor (11) is included in the form of a module

within the closure (10) in order to detect temperature and humidity therein. The

information detected by said no-power electronic sensor (11) is outputted in such

manner of a serial port as RS232C, etc. The detection result of temperature and

humidity in an analog style outputted by said no-power electronic sensor (11) is

converted into the digital value through the A D converter (21).

The converted sensor information of the temperature and humidity is delivered

to a micom (23) by the buffer (not shown). The user can set an allowable temperature

range of the temperature spec included at the water sensing meter (20), and the

detection temperature within the allowable temperature in which the range is -30 ^°C

-100 ^°C is indicated at the LCD (25) with a digital unit of 1 ^°C . Similarly, the humidity

detected by the humidity spec therein is also indicated in the unit of 1 %. The allowable

threshold value information of the ratio of the temperature to the humidity is stored

at the predetermined memory at the micom (23). Using this information, the micom

(23) can recognize water permeation and surplus humidity within the closure through

the detected information of the temperature and humidity.

Fig.4 is a diagram indicating the water sensing meter (20) according to the present invention. The water sensing meter (20) comprises a power switch (31) for

switching the power supply of the water sensing meter, a mode selection switch (32)

for selecting the sensing mode of the user, an up/down control key (33), a reset switch

(36) for resetting the setting condition, a luminescence (35) for indicating a normal

or fault condition, a LCD (34) displaying the operation condition and measurement

results of the water sensing meter (20) with numerals and letters, a PS/2 port (38)

receiving a sensor information of temperature and humidity from the electronic sensor

(11) at the closure (10), and a printing switch (37) for outputting the detection results

of the water sensing meter (20) via the interface (26) included through the serial port.

The description of the main operation procedure of said water sensing meter

(20) is as follows. When the power of the water sensing meter (20) is turned on,

the micom (23) executes an operation according to the program stored in the ROM

(not shown) with built-in instruction codes. The initial operation is to turn on the

normal lamp of the luminescence (35) and indicate the time value received from the

real time clock (not shown) to the LCD (34). At this time, the time value allows

the error range of 1/100 sec, and is controllable using the mode selection switch

(32). The expanded timer supported till 2100 year is used.

The backup power supply of said timer operates separately from the main

power supply. The LCD (34) is a low power LCD capable of indicating 2 lines x

8 letters, and has a function of indicating not only the temperature/humidity

measurement results detected through the no-power electric sensor (11), but also the output state of the real time and each parameter.

The detected humidity value is read after specifying the mode to humidity

using the mode selection switch (32) formed at the key input (22). The micom (23),

like a conventional controller, comprises a ROM and RAM with built-in programs.

The micom (23) compares the allowable base value of the ratio of the temperature

to the humidity from the ROM to the measured humidity. If the measured humidity

exceeds the allowable base value, the alarm is generated through the alarm generator

(24) and the alarm display is indicated through the luminescence (35). The normal

state is changed into the fault state if the detected humidity in the normal state exceeds

the allowable base value. Therefore, the current state (humidity saturation or water

permeation) of the closure being detected can be known.

In the same manner, the measured temperature value within the closure can

be read by converting the mode selection switch (32) to the temperature sensor mode.

Now, the user can set the proper temperature range, and the method is as follows:

selecting a set mode with pushing all of the selection switches for 5 seconds

at the temperature measurement display;

adjusting the lowest allowable temperature and the highest allowable

temperature in order by the up/down control key (33); and

indicating the temperature alarm display with an alarm if the sensing

temperature exceeds the set temperature range, turning on the fault state lamp showing

state where the temperature detection result at the closure is not within the proper range.

On the other hand, each detected data of the temperature and the humidity

using the mode selection switch (32) can be stored or deleted by the up/down control

key (33). The values included in the temporary memory can be printed in a serial

port manner by pushing a print selection switch (37). At this time, the measurement

number, values for year/month/date/hour/minute, measurement order, measured

humidity value and measured temperature value in order are outputted. A reset switch

(36) which is not described here is to initialize the device when the water sensing

meter (20) itself has a failure or faulty operation.

As described above, the optical cable closure maintenance system according

to the present invention can recognize whether the inundation has occurred in the

closure without opening the box, thereby preventing economic loss and waste of human

resource due to the opening with respect to the components consumed for avoiding

inundation.

Further, it is advantageous in that consistent maintenance can be done since

the optical path section applying the optical cable closure maintenance system

according to the present invention can be measured periodically, handling the

information thereof, and these outputs obtained therefrom can be utilized as a main

recoded information of the optical path section.

Additionally, it has the effect of preemptively preventing the damage loss

caused by occurrence of an accident and failure at the optical cable connection point due to a fault, deformation, damage or inundation of the closure.

Claims

ClaimsWhat is claimed is:

1. An optical cable closure maintenance system comprising a closure containing

a sealed no-power electric sensor, and a water sensing meter for detecting information

of temperature and humidity inside of the closure, provided by said no-power electric

sensor, wherein the inundation therein can be detected without opening said closure.

2. An optical cable closure maintenance system of Claim 1 , wherein said water

sensing meter comprises:

an analog/digital converter converting analog signal of humidity and

temperature within the closure, detected by the no-power electronic sensor into a digital

signal,

a key entry part inputting a control signal and set data according to a mode

selection key, an up/down key and other respective functions manipulated selectively

by an user,

a micom performing a general control function by a set program, receiving

inputs of the signals outputted from the respective parts,

a LCD part displaying, in numerals and letters, the result of humidity and

temperature detections within the closure and respective parameters, provided via said

analog/digital converter,

an alarm generator generating a failure alarm according to the control signal

of said micom, a memory device for storing information provided by said analog/digital

converter and an output signal of said micom, and

an interface for outputting the information of said memory device to an external

device.

3. An optical cable closure maintenance system of Claim 2, wherein said

micom comprises a set memory having information of an allowable threshold value

of the ratio of temperature to humidity within said closure.