Methods, systems and computer program products for notifying telecommunications system technicians of pending work orders

• US 20060160396A1
• Filed: 12/20/2005
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Commscope Inc of North Carolina (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Commscope Solutions Properties LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tsui, Hester, Peluffo, Matias, Macauley, Daniel W., German, Michael G.
• Application Number:
  US11/312,943
• Publication Number:
  US 20060160396A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/344
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2254 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/136 having patch field management or physical layer management arrangements

Abstract

Methods, systems and computer program products that notify technicians of work to be performed on a telecommunications system are provided. Interconnections with patch panel connector ports are monitored and a work order is generated in response to detecting the relocation of a patch cord connector at a patch panel. A technician automatically is notified that a work order has been generated. The technician is requested to acknowledge receipt of a work order notification. If an acknowledgement is not received within a predetermined period of time, an alternate technician is notified of the work order. A list of work orders are displayed on a display in communication with the telecommunications system. Displayed work orders can be filtered such that the a technician only views work orders he/she is authorized to view. A technician can select a displayed work order and retrieve additional information from a server managing the work orders.

Claims

1. A method of notifying technicians of work to be performed on a telecommunications system, wherein the telecommunications system includes a patch panel having a plurality of connector ports, and a plurality of patch cords configured to selectively interconnect pairs of the connector ports, wherein each patch cord has opposite ends and a respective connector secured to each end, wherein each connector is configured to be removably secured within a connector port, the method comprising:

monitoring patch cord interconnections with the connector ports;

generating a work order in response to detecting relocation of a patch cord connector at the patch panel, wherein the work order details work to be performed by a technician associated with the relocation of the patch cord connector; and

automatically notifying a technician that a work order has been generated.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising requesting acknowledgment from a technician that a work order notification was received.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising notifying an alternate technician that a work order has been generated if an acknowledgment of a previously sent work order notification has not been received within a predetermined period of time.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a list of work orders and work order locations on a display in communication with the telecommunications system.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein displaying a list of work orders and work order locations on a display comprises filtering work orders and work order locations according to technician.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising displaying additional information about a work order in response to user selection of the work order via the display.

7. A telecommunications 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;

means for monitoring patch cord interconnections with the connector ports;

means for generating a work order in response to detecting relocation of a patch cord connector at the patch panel, wherein the work order details work to be performed by a technician associated with the relocation of the patch cord connector; and

means for automatically notifying a technician that a work order has been generated.

8. The telecommunications system of claim 7, further comprising means for requesting acknowledgment from a technician that a work order notification was received.

9. The telecommunications system of claim 8, further comprising means for notifying an alternate technician that a work order has been generated if an acknowledgment of a previously sent work order notification has not been received within a predetermined period of time.

10. The telecommunications system of claim 7, further comprising:

means for generating a work order independently of relocation of a patch cord connector at the patch panel, wherein the work order details work to be performed by a technician on the telecommunications system; and

means for automatically notifying a technician that a work order has been generated.

11. The telecommunications system of claim 7, further comprising means for displaying a list of work orders and work order locations on a display in communication with the telecommunications system.

12. The telecommunications system of claim 11, further comprising means for filtering work orders and work order locations according to technician.

13. The telecommunications system of claim 11, further comprising means for displaying additional information about a work order in response to user selection of the work order via the display.

14. The telecommunications system of claim 7, wherein the means for automatically notifying a technician that a work order has been generated comprises means for sending an electronic message to the technician.

15. A computer program product for notifying technicians of work to be performed or a telecommunications system, wherein the telecommunications system includes a patch panel having a plurality of connector ports, and a plurality of patch cords configured to selectively interconnect pairs of the connector ports, wherein each patch cord has opposite ends and a respective connector secured to each end, wherein each connector is configured to be removably secured within a connector port, the computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied in the medium, the computer readable program code comprising:

computer readable program code that monitors patch cord interconnections with the connector ports;

computer readable program code that generates a work order in response to detecting relocation of a patch cord connector at the patch panel, wherein the work order details work to be performed by a technician associated with the relocation of the patch cord connector; and

computer readable program code that automatically notifies a technician that a work order has been generated.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising computer readable program code that requests acknowledgment from a technician that a work order notification was received.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising computer readable program code that notifies an alternate technician that a work order has been generated if an acknowledgment of a previously sent work order notification has not been received within a predetermined period of time.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

computer readable program code that generates a work order independently of relocation of a patch cord connector at the patch panel, wherein the work order details work to be performed by a technician on the telecommunications system; and

computer readable program code that automatically notifies a technician that a work order has been generated.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising computer readable program code that displays a list of work orders and work order locations on a display in communication with the telecommunications system.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, further comprising computer readable program code that filters work orders and work order locations according to technician.

21. The computer program product of claim 19, further comprising computer readable program code that displays additional information about a work order in response to user selection of the work order via the display.

22. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the computer readable program code that automatically notifies a technician that a work order has been generated comprises computer readable program code that sends an electronic message to the technician.