Managed connectivity devices, systems, and methods
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- a cable comprising;
a connector at a first end of the cable; and
at least one communication medium that extends from the first end to a second end of the cable, wherein the connector comprises;
a storage device at the first end of the cable; and
a first connector interface at the first end of the cable, the first connector interface communicatively coupled to the at least one communication medium that extends from the first end to the second end of the cable; and
a storage-device connector interface communicatively coupled to the storage device;
an end node comprising;
a port to communicatively couple the end node to a network using the cable, the port configured to selectively physically attach thereto the connector at the first end of the cable; and
a programmable processor configured to execute software, wherein the software comprises physical layer information (PLI) functionality; and
wherein the port comprises;
a first port interface configured to physically mate with the first connector interface of the connector at the first end of the cable in order to communicatively couple the first port interface to the at least one communication medium of the cable when the connector is physically attached to the port; and
a storage-device port interface separate from the first port interface, the storage-device port interface configured to mate with the storage-device connector interface of the connector at the first end of the cable when the connector is physically attached to the port;
wherein the PLI functionality is configured to read information stored in the storage device of the connector at the first end of the cable using the storage-device port interface of the port and to communicate the read information over the network to an aggregation point; and
wherein the end node is configured to communicate with the network over the at least communication medium of the cable via the port using the first port interface but not the storage-device port interface.
13 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
One exemplary embodiment is directed to an end node that includes functionality to read information stored on or in a segment of physical communication media that is attached to the end node and to communicate the read information over a network (for example, to an aggregation point). Another exemplary embodiment is directed a wall outlet that includes functionality to read information stored on or in a segment of physical communication media connected to it and communicate at least a portion of the information read from the segment of physical communication media to an aggregation point. Another exemplary embodiment is directed a wall outlet that includes a switch and functionality to read information stored on or in a segment of physical communication media connected to it and to communicate at least a portion of the information read from the segment of physical communication media to an aggregation point.
178 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a cable comprising; a connector at a first end of the cable; and at least one communication medium that extends from the first end to a second end of the cable, wherein the connector comprises; a storage device at the first end of the cable; and a first connector interface at the first end of the cable, the first connector interface communicatively coupled to the at least one communication medium that extends from the first end to the second end of the cable; and a storage-device connector interface communicatively coupled to the storage device; an end node comprising; a port to communicatively couple the end node to a network using the cable, the port configured to selectively physically attach thereto the connector at the first end of the cable; and a programmable processor configured to execute software, wherein the software comprises physical layer information (PLI) functionality; and wherein the port comprises; a first port interface configured to physically mate with the first connector interface of the connector at the first end of the cable in order to communicatively couple the first port interface to the at least one communication medium of the cable when the connector is physically attached to the port; and a storage-device port interface separate from the first port interface, the storage-device port interface configured to mate with the storage-device connector interface of the connector at the first end of the cable when the connector is physically attached to the port; wherein the PLI functionality is configured to read information stored in the storage device of the connector at the first end of the cable using the storage-device port interface of the port and to communicate the read information over the network to an aggregation point; and wherein the end node is configured to communicate with the network over the at least communication medium of the cable via the port using the first port interface but not the storage-device port interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system comprising:
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a cable comprising; a connector at a first end of the cable; and at least one communication medium that extends from the first end to a second end of the cable, wherein the connector comprises; a storage device at the first end of the cable; and a first connector interface at the first end of the cable, the first connector interface communicatively coupled to the at least one communication medium that extends from the first end to the second end of the cable; and a storage-device connector interface communicatively coupled to the storage device; an end node comprising a port to communicatively couple the end node to a network using the cable, wherein the port is configured to selectively physically attach thereto the connector at the first end of the cable; wherein the port comprises; a first port interface configured to physically mate with the first connector interface of the connector of the cable in order to communicatively couple the first port interface to the at least one communication medium of the cable when the connector is physically attached to the port; and a storage-device port interface separate from the first port interface, the storage-device port interface configured to mate with the storage-device connector interface of the connector at the first end-of the cable when the connector is physically attached to the port; and wherein the end node is configured to read information stored in the storage device of the connector at the first end of the cable using the storage-device port interface of the port when the connector is physically attached to the end node; wherein the system further comprises an aggregation point communicatively coupled to the network; wherein the end node is configured to send at least a portion of the information read from the storage device to the aggregation port; wherein the aggregation point is configured to receive the information sent to the aggregation point by the end node and to store at least some of the information sent by the end node; and wherein the end node is configured to communicate with the network over the at least communication medium of the cable via the port using the first port interface but not the storage-device port interface. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A system comprising:
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a cable comprising; a connector at a first end of the cable; and at least one communication medium that extends from the first end to a second end of the cable, wherein the connector comprises; a storage device at the first end of the cable; and a first connector interface at the first end of the cable, the first connector interface communicatively coupled to the at least one communication medium that extends from the first end to the second end of the cable; and a storage-device connector interface communicatively coupled to the storage device; a wall outlet comprising; at least one port to communicatively couple the wall outlet to a network using the cable, wherein the port is configured to selectively physically attach thereto the connector at the first end of the cable; wherein the port comprises; a first port interface configured to physically mate with the first connector interface of the connector at the first end of the cable in order to communicatively couple the first port interface to the at least one communication medium of the cable when the connector is physically attached to the port; and a storage-device port interface separate from the first port interface, the storage-device port interface configured to mate with the storage-device connector interface of the connector at the first end of the cable when the connector is physically attached to the port; wherein the wall outlet is configured to read information stored in the storage device associated with the connector at the first end of the cable using the storage-device port interface when the connector is physically attached to the port of the wall outlet, wherein the wall outlet is configured to communicate at least a portion of the information read from the storage device to an aggregation point; and wherein the wall out is configured so that data is communicated with the network over the at least communication medium of the cable via the port using the first port interface but not the storage-device port interface. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A system comprising:
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a plurality of cables, each cable comprising; a respective connector at a respective first end of the cable; and a respective at least one communication medium that extends from the respective first end to a respective second end of the cable, wherein the respective connector comprises; a respective storage device at the first end of the cable; and a respective first connector interface at the first end of the cable, the first connector interface communicatively coupled to the at least one communication medium that extends from the first end to the second end of the cable; and a respective storage-device connector interface communicatively coupled to the respective storage device; a wall outlet comprising; a plurality of downstream ports, each of which is configured to selectively physically attach thereto the respective connector at the first end of a respective one of the plurality of cable; at least one upstream port; and a switch communicatively coupled to the downstream ports and the at least one upstream port; wherein each of the downstream ports comprises; a respective first port interface configured to physically mate with the respective first connector interface of the respective connector at the first end of the respective cable in order to communicatively couple the respective first port interface to the respective at least one communication medium of the respective cable when the respective connector is physically attached to the respective port; and a respective storage-device port interface separate from the respective first port interface, the respective storage-device port interface configured to mate with the respective storage-device connector interface of the respective connector at the first end of the respective cable when the respective connector is physically attached to the respective port; wherein the wall outlet is configured to, for each downstream port, read information stored in the respective storage device of each connector using the respective storage-device port interface when the respective connector is physically attached to the respective downstream port and to communicate the read information over the at least one upstream port to an aggregation point; and wherein the wall out is configured so that, for each downstream port, data is communicated with the network over the respective at least communication medium of the respective cable via the respective downstream port using the respective first port interface but not the respective storage-device port interface. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification