Telecommunications patching system that utilizes RFID tags to detect and identify patch cord interconnections

• US 20060148279A1
• Filed: 12/06/2005
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Commscope Solutions Properties LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tucker, Peter T., Choudhury, Golam Mabud, Satterthwaite, Danny L., German, Michael G., Macauley, Daniel Warren
• Granted Patent: US 7,605,707 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/49
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/465 Identification means, e.g. labels, tags, markings H01R9/2475, H01R9/2683 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/518 for holding or embracing several coupling parts, e.g. frames
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 29/00 Coupling parts for selective co-operation with a counterpart in different ways to establish different circuits, e.g. for voltage selection, for series-parallel selection, programmable connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/138 using RFID

Abstract

A telecommunications patching system includes a patch panel having a plurality of connector ports, and having an RFID reader and RF antennas associated with the connector ports. A plurality of patch cords are configured to selectively interconnect pairs of the connector ports. Each patch cord has opposite ends and a respective connector secured to each end that is configured to be removably secured within a connector port. Each connector of a respective patch cord includes an RFID tag. The RFID tags for a respective patch cord have the same unique identifier stored therewithin. The RF antenna associated with a connector port emits RF signals that cause a patch cord connector RFID tag to transmit its identifier. Each RF antenna detects the transmitted identifier of a patch cord connector RFID tag when the respective patch cord connector is inserted within, and removed from, a respective one of the connector ports.

Claims

1. A telecommunications patching system, comprising:

a patch panel comprising a plurality of connector ports;

a plurality of patch cords configured to selectively interconnect pairs of the connector ports, wherein each patch cord comprises opposite ends and a respective connector secured to each end, wherein each connector is configured to be removably secured within a connector port, and wherein each connector of a respective patch cord comprises an RFID tag, and wherein the RFID tags for a respective patch cord have the same unique identifier stored therewithin;

an RFID reader; and

an RF antenna associated with at least one of the connector ports, wherein the RF antenna emits RF signals configured to cause a patch cord connector RFID tag to transmit its identifier when excited by emitted RF signals, wherein the RF antenna detects the transmitted identifier of a patch cord connector RFID tag when a patch cord connector is inserted within, and removed from, one of the connector ports, and wherein the RF antenna transmits detected RFID tag identifiers to the RFID reader.

2. The telecommunications patching system of claim 1, further comprising a database that monitors and logs patch cord interconnections with the connector ports, and wherein the RFID reader is in communication with the database.

3. The telecommunications patching system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of RF antennas, wherein each RF antenna is associated with a respective one of the connector ports, wherein each RF antenna emits RF signals configured to cause a patch cord connector RFID tag to transmit its identifier when excited by emitted RF signals, wherein each RF antenna detects transmitted identifiers of patch cord connector RFID tags when a patch cord connector is inserted within, and removed from, a respective one of the connector ports, and wherein each RF antenna transmits detected RFID tag identifiers to the RFID reader.

4. The telecommunications patching system of claim 3, wherein each RF antenna comprises an LED indicator that indicates the presence of a patch cord connector within a respective connector port.

5. The telecommunications patching system of claim 1, wherein each connector port comprise a visual indicator, a manual signal button and tracing circuitry, and wherein when a manual signal button for a connector port containing an end of a patch cord is activated by a user, the tracing circuitry locates a connector port in which an opposite end of the patch cord is located and illuminates a respective visual indicator at the located connector port.

6. The telecommunications patching system of claim 1, wherein the RF antenna is attached to the patch panel.

7. The telecommunications patching system of claim 1, wherein each one of the plurality of RF antennas is attached to the patch panel adjacent a respective connector port.

8. The telecommunications patching system of claim 1, wherein the RFID reader is attached to the patch panel.

9. The telecommunications patching system of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag for a patch cord connector comprises an antenna coil that defines an axis that is substantially parallel with an axis of a cord connected to the patch cord connector.

10. The telecommunications patching system of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag for a patch cord connector comprises an antenna coil that defines an axis that is substantially normal to an axis of a cord connected to the patch cord connector.

11. A telecommunications patching system, comprising:

a patch panel comprising a plurality of connector ports;

a plurality of patch cords configured to selectively interconnect pairs of the connector ports, wherein each patch cord comprises opposite ends and a respective connector secured to each end, wherein each connector is configured to be removably secured within a connector port, and wherein each connector of a respective patch cord comprises an RFID tag, and wherein the RFID tags for a respective patch cord have the same unique identifier stored therewithin;

an RFID reader; and

a plurality of RF antennas, wherein each RF antenna is attached to the patch panel adjacent a respective one of the connector ports, wherein each RF antenna emits RF signals configured to cause a patch cord connector RFID tag to transmit its identifier when excited by emitted RF signals, wherein each RF antenna detects transmitted identifiers of patch cord connector RFID tags when a patch cord connector is inserted within, and removed from, a respective one of the connector ports, and wherein each RF antenna transmits detected RFID tag identifiers to the RFID reader.

12. The telecommunications patching system of claim 11, further comprising a database that monitors and logs patch cord interconnections with the connector ports, and wherein the RFID reader is in communication with the database.

13. The telecommunications patching system of claim 11, wherein each RF antenna comprises an LED indicator that indicates the presence of a patch cord connector within a respective connector port.

14. The telecommunications patching system of claim 11, wherein the RFID reader is attached to the patch panel.

15. The telecommunications patching system of claim 11, wherein the RFID tag for a patch cord connector comprises an antenna coil that defines an axis that is substantially parallel with an axis of a cord connected to the patch cord connector.

16. The telecommunications patching system of claim 11, wherein the RFID tag for a patch cord connector comprises an antenna coil that defines an axis that is substantially normal to an axis of a cord connected to the patch cord connector.

17. A telecommunications patching system, comprising:

a patch panel comprising a plurality of connector ports;

a communications network device comprising a communications port;

a patch cord configured to selectively interconnect one of the connector ports with the network device communications port, wherein the patch cord comprises opposite ends and a respective connector secured to each end, and wherein each connector has an RFID tag with the same unique identifier stored therewithin;

an RFID reader;

a first RF antenna associated with the connector ports, wherein the first RF antenna emits RF signals configured to cause a patch cord connector RFID tag to transmit its identifier when excited by the emitted RF signals, wherein the first RF antenna detects the transmitted identifier of a patch cord connector RFID tag when a patch cord connector is inserted within, and removed from, one of the connector ports, and wherein the first RF antenna transmits detected RFID tag identifiers to the RFID reader; and

a second RF antenna associated with the network device communications port, wherein the second RF antenna emits RF signals configured to cause a patch cord connector RFID tag to transmit its identifier when excited by the emitted RF signals, wherein the second RF antenna detects the transmitted identifier of a patch cord connector RFID tag when a patch cord connector is inserted within, and removed from, the network device communications port, and wherein the second RF antenna transmits detected RFID tag identifiers to the RFID reader.

18. The telecommunications patching system of claim 17, further comprising a database that monitors and logs patch cord interconnections with the connector ports and with the network device communications port, and wherein the RFID reader is in communication with the database.

19. The telecommunications patching system of claim 17, wherein the first RF antenna is attached to the patch panel.

20. The telecommunications patching system of claim 17, wherein the second RF antenna is attached to the network device.

21. The telecommunications patching system of claim 17, wherein the RFID reader is attached to the patch panel.

22. The telecommunications patching system of claim 20, wherein the second RF antenna comprises an LED indicator that indicates the presence of a patch cord connector within the network device communications port.

23. The telecommunications patching system of claim 17, wherein the RFID tag for a patch cord connector comprises an antenna coil that defines an axis that is substantially parallel with an axis of a cord connected to the patch cord connector.

24. The telecommunications patching system of claim 17, wherein the RFID tag for a patch cord connector comprises an antenna coil that defines an axis that is substantially normal to an axis of a cord connected to the patch cord connector.

25. A telecommunications patching system, comprising:

a patch panel comprising a plurality of connector ports;

a network device comprising a communications port;

a patch cord configured to selectively interconnect one of the connector ports with the network device communications port, wherein the patch cord comprises opposite ends and a respective connector secured to each end, and wherein each connector has an RFID tag with the same unique identifier stored therewithin;

an RFID reader; and

a plurality of RF antennas, wherein each connector port has a respective RF antenna associated therewith, and wherein the network device communications port has a respective RF antenna associated therewith, wherein each RF antenna emits RF signals configured to cause a patch cord connector RFID tag to transmit its identifier when excited by the emitted RF signals, wherein each RF antenna detects the transmitted identifier of a patch cord connector RFID tag when a patch cord connector is inserted within, and removed from, one of the connector ports and when a patch cord connector is inserted within, and removed from, the network device communications port, and wherein each RF antenna transmits detected RFID tag identifiers to the RFID reader.

26. The telecommunications patching system of claim 25, further comprising a database that monitors and logs patch cord interconnections with the connector ports and with the network device communications port, and wherein the RFID reader is in communication with the database.

27. The telecommunications patching system of claim 25, wherein RF antennas are attached to the patch panel.

28. The telecommunications patching system of claim 25, wherein an RF antenna is attached to the network device.

29. The telecommunications patching system of claim 25, wherein the RFID reader is attached to the patch panel.

30. The telecommunications patching system of claim 27, wherein each RF antenna on the patch panel comprises an LED indicator that indicates the presence of a patch cord connector within a respective one of the connector ports.

31. The telecommunications patching system of claim 27, wherein an RF antenna attached to the network device comprises an LED indicator that indicates the presence of a patch cord connector within the network device communications port.

32. The telecommunications patching system of claim 25, wherein the RFID tag for a patch cord connector comprises an antenna coil that defines an axis that is substantially parallel with an axis of a cord connected to the patch cord connector.

33. The telecommunications patching system of claim 25, wherein the RFID tag for a patch cord connector comprises an antenna coil that defines an axis that is substantially normal to an axis of a cord connected to the patch cord connector.

34. A patch cord configured to selectively interconnect pairs of connector ports in a telecommunications system patch panel, comprising:

a communications cable comprising opposite ends;

a respective connector secured to each cable end, wherein each connector is configured to be removably secured within a connector port; and

an RFID tag attached to each connector, wherein each RFID tag is configured to transmit information stored therewithin when excited by RF signals emitted by an RF antenna.

35. The patch cord of claim 34, wherein the RFID tags have the same unique identifier stored therewithin.

36. The patch cord of claim 34, wherein at least one of the RFID tags comprises an antenna coil that defines an axis that is substantially parallel with an axis of the cable.

37. The patch cord of claim 34, wherein at least one of the RFID tags comprises an antenna coil that defines an axis that is substantially normal with an axis of the cable.