The present invention provides an optical
system that allows for the flexible location of an optical device that is coupled to a
patch panel in a wiring
closet or other optical
signal source through a series of
fiber optic cables and optical connections, or the flexible location of an array of such optical devices. The optical
system includes, in part, one or more retractable
optical fiber tether assemblies that each allow varying lengths of tether cable to be pulled and used. The retraction device of each of the optical tether assemblies may be disposed mid-tether cable, or may terminate the respective tether cable and incorporate the given optical device. In an exemplary
wireless local area network (WLAN) application, each of the retractable
optical fiber tether assemblies includes an integral
transceiver and associated
software. Thus, each of the retractable
optical fiber tether assemblies functions as an antenna. The associated
fiber optic cable carries both optical
fiber to provide optical continuity and
copper wire to provide electrical
conductivity to the
antenna array.