Fiber optic test equipment supplier AFL was awarded "Signal Identifying Apparatus for an Optical Fiber," US Patent No. 7916983. The patent covers the company’s optical fiber identifier (OFI) technology for detecting the presence or absence of an optical network terminal on fiber-to-the-premises (FTTx) fibers. It is the first patent for the company's Noyes Test and Inspection Division. The technology allows users to test passive optical network (PON) fibers at an external distribution cabinet without disconnecting fibers or disrupting services. It is now commercially available in AFL's OFI-FTTx fiber identifier. The inventors of this technology, Jim Sanderson and Jianxun Fang, who are engineers at the Noyes Division, collaborated to solve the electronics and optics challenges of testing without disruption in PONs. The OFI-FTTx was developed in response to our customers' need to test live PONs and identify and reharvest dormant fibers without disrupting service," said Seán Adam, director of engineering for the Noyes Division. AFL also is committed to bringing innovation to PON testing with other technology, including the OFI-FTTx and OFL280 FlexTester. The company provides products and services to the electric utility, broadband, communications, OEM, enterprise, wireless and transit rail markets as well as the emerging markets of oil and gas, mining, avionics, medicine, renewables and intelligent grids. Its products include fiber optic cable, transmission and substation accessories, outside plant equipment, connectors, fusion splicers, test equipment and training. Its service portfolio includes positions with telecommunications companies supporting both the central office and outside plant areas. AFL has operations in the US, Mexico, Europe and Asia. The company is headquartered in Spartanburg, S.C., and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fujikura Ltd. of Japan. For more information, visit: www.aflglobal.com