CABLE IDENTIFICATION USING A UNIQUE SIGNAL CARRIED ON AN EXTERNAL CONDUCTOR

• US 20130137292A1
• Filed: 11/30/2011
• Published: 05/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Abuelsaad, Tamer E., Moore, John E. Jr., Singi, Rajeshkumar N., Wentworth, Robert R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,896,287 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/488
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/36 with distinguishing or length marks
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/065 with built-in electric apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/64 Connections between or with conductive parts having primarily a non-electric function, e.g. frame, casing, rail
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/136 having patch field management or physical layer management arrangements

Abstract

A cable identification system is provided. The cable identification system includes a cable having a plurality of conductors with an electrical connector secured to at least one end. All but one of the conductors are enclosed in a shield conductor. The remaining additional conductor is positioned external to the outer surface of the shield conductor. The electrical connector is adapted to connect the plurality of conductors to a mating connector. The cable identification system further includes a signal generator adapted to connect the electrical connector to the mating connector. The signal generator is configured to generate and transmit a unique signal over the additional conductor in the cable. The cable identification system further includes a portable device configured to detect the unique signal when positioned adjacent the cable at any point along the cable.

Claims

1. A cable identification system, comprising:

a cable having a plurality of conductors, all but one of the conductors enclosed in a shield conductor, the remaining additional conductor positioned external to the outer surface of the shield conductor, the cable having an electrical connector secured to at least one end, wherein the electrical connector is adapted to connect the plurality of conductors to a mating connector;

a signal generator adapted to connect the electrical connector to the mating connector, the signal generator configured to generate and transmit a unique signal over the additional conductor; and

a portable device configured to detect the unique signal when positioned adjacent the cable at any point along the cable.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical connector comprises a housing and a latch coupled to the housing.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the housing includes an inlet electrically connected to the additional conductor and wherein the inlet is adapted to connect the additional conductor to an external power source.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal generator is configured to repeatedly transmit the unique signal over the additional conductor positioned external to the outer surface of the shield conductor in the cable after a predetermined period of time.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the predetermined period of time ranges between about 1 second and about 5 seconds.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the all but one of the conductors enclosed in the shield conductor are further enclosed in an outer jacket and wherein the additional conductor is positioned external to the outer jacket.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the mating connector is secured to a network device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein a network interface card coupled to a network device is adapted to replace the signal generator and is configured to select the additional conductor from the plurality of conductors and generate and transmit the unique signal over the selected conductor in the cable.

9. A method for identifying cables, comprising:

providing a cable having a plurality of conductors, all but one of the conductors enclosed in a shield conductor, the remaining additional conductor positioned external to the outer surface of the shield conductor, the cable having an electrical connector secured to at least one end, wherein the electrical connector is adapted to connect the plurality of conductors in the cable to a mating connector;

connecting a signal generator between the electrical connector and the mating connector electrically coupled to a network device at at least one end of the cable, wherein the signal generator is configured to generate and transmit a unique signal over the additional conductor in the cable;

storing an association between the unique signal and the network device in a repository;

identifying the unique signal using a portable device configured to detect the unique signal by positioning the portable device adjacent the cable at any point along the cable; and

retrieving the association between the unique signal and the network device from the repository to identify the cable.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the electrical connector comprises a housing and a latch coupled to the housing.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the housing includes an inlet electrically connected to the additional conductor and wherein the inlet is adapted to connect the additional conductor to an external power source.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising connecting the additional conductor to the external power source utilizing the inlet.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the signal generator is configured to repeatedly transmit the unique signal over the additional conductor positioned external to the outer surface of the shield conductor in the cable after a predetermined period of time.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the predetermined period of time ranges between about 1 second and about 5 seconds.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein connecting the signal generator further comprises connecting the electrical connector to a network interface card electrically coupled to the network device and wherein the network interface card is configured to select the additional conductor from the plurality of conductors and generate and transmit the unique signal over the selected conductor in the cable.