Method of planning, installing, and verifying a set of electrical cables in a building

• US 20050288946A1
• Filed: 09/03/2004
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Viavi Solutions, Inc. (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Viavi Solutions, Inc. (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Vogel, Ronald J., Watkins, Lee A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,324,911 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/117
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/00 Installations of electric cables or lines or protective tubing therefor in or on buildings, equivalent structures or vehicles installations of bus-bars H02G5/00; overhead installations H02G7/00; installations in or on the ground H02G9/00

Abstract

A business method for comprehensively planning the installation into a building of various dissimilar types of electrical cables. A feature of the method is that each individual cable, when installed in place, is then tested for the level of performance which will be required of that cable in that location.

Claims

1. A method of utilizing a computer and a compatible portable test instrument system to plan, install, and verify a set of electrical cables in a building, comprising the steps of:

(a) preparing a floor plan for the installation, with specified port locations and corresponding cables terminating at those locations;

(b) storing the plan in the computer and displaying it on the computer screen;

(c) copying the plan information from the computer into the portable test instrument system;

(d) after the installation is completed, testing performance of each cable of the completed installation against its specific intended use at that location, and storing test results in the test instrument;

(e) comparing the test results for each cable against the plan requirements for that cable;

(f) storing results of the comparisons in the test instrument;

(g) uploading the comparison test results from the test instrument system back into the computer; and

(h) then utilizing the computer to print out for a business purpose both the plan information and the comparison test results.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the performance test for each individual cable includes both a data flow test at a specified bit rate and a signal-to-noise ratio test at a specified frequency.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the performance test of each individual cable includes a test of signal-to-noise ratio at a frequency below 30 Mhz.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein each test result includes a Pass/Fail indication.

5. A comprehensive method of planning, installing, and verifying a set of electrical cables in a building, comprising the steps of:

(a) creating a computer data base with a graphic display of existing room layouts in the building, ports for proposed cable terminations, representations of the cable types selected to be connected to respective ports, and a representation of the plan for intended use of each cable;

(b) selecting a portable test instrument system which has data processing capability compatible with the computer so that it can both receive data from the computer and transfer data back into the computer;

(c) downloading the computer data base plan into the portable test instrument system;

(d) utilizing the test instrument system to make tests on each cable that are application-specific tests for the intended use of that particular cable, rather than industry standard tests for that cable type; and

(e) then uploading the test result data back into the computer for a business purpose.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein each cable is tested for bit rate flow with an acceptable error level, and also for signal to noise ratio of transfer of analog signals within a predetermined range of frequencies.

7. A method of utilizing a computer and a compatible portable test instrument system to plan, install, and verify a set of electrical cables in a building, comprising the steps of:

(a) preparing a plan for the installation, and then displaying the plan on a computer;

(b) copying the plan information from the computer into the test instrument system;

(c) after the installation is made, utilizing the plan information as stored in the portable test instrument system to test the individual cables of the installation;

(d) uploading the test result information from the test instrument system back into the computer; and

(e) then utilizing the computer to print out for a business purpose the plan information accompanied by the test result information.

8. A method of planning, installing, and verifying a data cable in a building, comprising the steps of:

selecting a portable test instrument to connect to the input end of the cable;

selecting a remote terminal unit to connect to the remote end of the cable;

selecting a pair of ports in the building where the cable is to be terminated;

establishing the data flow capacity desired for the cable to have in its intended method of use;

installing the cable between the ports; and

then testing the cable performance by applying signals from the portable test instrument through the cable to the remote test unit.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the test signals are a bit stream at the data flow rate desired for the cable performance, the bit stream received by the remote terminal unit is fed back to the cable input end, and a measurement of error rate is made by the portable test instrument.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the test signals are analog signals at a predetermined frequency, and the signal-to-noise ratio of cable operation at that frequency is measured by the portable test instrument in conjunction with the remote termination unit.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein a bit stream and an analog signal are applied separately to the input end of the cable, and the cable perforance is measured separately for each.