Apparatus and proceses for mapping the connectivity of communications systems with multiple communications paths

• US 5,296,850 A
• Filed: 03/11/1991
• Issued: 03/22/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fred N. King
• Original Assignee: Fred N. King
• Inventors: King, Fred N.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZIMMERMAN, BRIAN A
• Application Number:
  US07/666,444
• Time in Patent Office: 1,107 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.04, 340/825.49, 340/825.36, 324/66, 379/25, 379/26, 379/29, 379/31, 379/10, 370/14, 370/15, 370/58.2, 370/85.7
• US Class Current: 340/8.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/60 Identification of wires in a multicore cable
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/229 Wire identification arrangements; Number assignment determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/30 for subscriber's lines , for the local loop

Abstract

An apparatus and method, using a computer, for the efficient generation of a wiring map of the connectivity between two sets of terminals at different locations which have established communication links between respective terminals at the two locations. A signal at a first location uniquely identifies each of the terminals, by code, frequency, sequence of connection or the like, and is transmitted to a respective terminal at the second location via a respective communication link. The terminals at the second location are sampled and the presence of the transmitted signal correlated to the identity of the first terminal. The correlation may be direct, as by unique terminal identifier, or by a comparison of data bases stored by computers. The computer-based correlation is used to generate a map of the limited terminals.

Claims

1. A method using computer means of identifying the physical locations of each of a plurality of first communications points, each of said points being identified by a respective first identifier and being connected to a respective one of a plurality of second communications points, each of said second points being identified by a respective second identifier and being connected to a first point by a respective one of a plurality of communications links, comprising:

storing in said computer means a first data base identifying the physical location of each of said first communications points with a respective first identifier;

transmitting from each of said first communications points said respective first identifier;

receiving at a respective one of said second communications points said respective first identifier;

storing in said computer means the identity of said first identifier and the identity of said respective second communications points at which said first identifier is received;

correlating with said computer means the physical locations of each said first points in said first data base and the identity of said respective second communications points to which it is connected by one of said communication links, and

generating a connectivity map comprising the identity of the physical location of each first communications point correlated to the identity of its corresponding second point, wherein movement of any one of said first or second communication points yields a different connectivity map when said method is repeated.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said transmitting step comprises the transmission of said first identifier via a respective communication link connecting said first communications point to said respective second communication point.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said first identifier is an encoded alpha/numeric information.

4. Apparatus for establishing a map of a communications network wherein each of a plurality of first physical dispersed points are connected by respective communication paths to a plurality of second commonly located points in an operating communications system, comprising:

means for verifying the existence of a previously-established between a first communications point and a second communications point in said operating communications system;

means, responsive to said verifying means, for generating a first unique signal identifying the physical location of each first point;

means for transmitting said first unique signals from said first points along said respective communications paths;

means temporarily connectable to said respective second point for receiving said first transmitted unique signals at said respective second points via said respective communications paths and for generating second unique signals identifying each said second point;

means for storing said plurality of received first unique signals and said respective generated second unique signals;

means for generating a connection map comprising the identity of the physical location of each said first communication point correlated to the identity of its corresponding second point; and

means for reading out said map.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said temporary connectable means further comprises connection means for temporarily connecting to a plurality of said second points at one time.

6. A method using computer means of identifying from at least one location the physical locations of each of a plurality of first communications points in an operating communications system, each of said first points being identified by a first respective unique identifier and being at a dispersed physical location, each of said first points being connected by a respective communications path to a respective one of a plurality of second communications points, each of said second points being identified by a second respective unique identifier, comprising:

verifying the existence of a previously-established connection between a first communications point and a second communications point in said operating communications system;

once said connection has been verified, performing the following steps;

transmitting from said first communications point to said respective second communications point a signal comprising said first unique identifier;

detecting at said second communications point said transmitted first unique identifier;

correlating said detected first unique identifier with the second unique identifier corresponding to said second point at which said first unique identifier was detected;

generating a data base having said correlation of each of said second unique identifiers with said first unique identifiers; and

generating a connectivity map comprising the identity of the location of each of said plurality of first communications points in relation to the identity of its corresponding second point.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising reading out said connectivity map on command.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said second points comprise commonly located terminals.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein each said communications path is fixedly connected to a respective second point and said detecting step comprises temporarily connecting a detector to each said second point.

10. The method of claim 6 further including the step of storing said detected first identifier for subsequent correlation with said second identifier.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein temporary connection is made concurrently for plural second points.