Labeling and tracing system for jumper used in an exchange

• US 5,821,510 A
• Filed: 12/09/1996
• Issued: 10/13/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fitel USA Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Cohen, Leonard George, DeVeau, George Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Hajec, Donald T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunn, Drew A.
• Application Number:
  US08/762,258
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/385, 379/25, 379/178, 379/326, 439/955, 439/488, 439/489, 439/491
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3807 Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3831 comprising a keying element on the plug or adapter, e.g. to forbid wrong connection keying element on the ferrule G02B6/3851; keying element for electrical coupling H01R13/64
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3895 identification of connection, e.g. right plug to the right socket or full engagement of the mating parts keying element on the plug or adapter G02B6/3831; keying element on the ferrule G02B6/3851; keying element for electrical connection H01R13/64
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/023 using sliding mechanisms for accessing the interior of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/136 having patch field management or physical layer management arrangements

Abstract

The present invention includes a system for tracing jumpers used in an exchange to cross-connect optical fibers or wires served by the exchange. The system includes an exchange housing receptacles with optically-encoded data associated with each receptacle or a group of receptacles. The optically-encoded data for a receptacle(s) uniquely identifies the physical location of the receptacle from any other receptacle in the exchange. Likewise, the jumpers each have optically-encoded data formed thereon that uniquely identifies the jumper or jumper end and distinguishes the jumper from any other jumper used in the exchange. If no jumper is to be connected to a particular receptacle, a cover with optically-encoded data can be attached to a receptacle to indicate that no jumper is connected to the receptacle. The system of this invention also includes a handheld optical scanner that can be used by an operator to scan the optically-encoded data associated with a receptacle(s) and the optically-encoded data of a jumper(s) connected to the receptacle(s), and transmits the optically-encoded data signals to a computer of the system of this invention. The computer can generate a display of the physical location of a receptacle(s) in association with the identity of the jumper(s) and connected thereto, so that an operator can diagnose misconnections of the jumpers between receptacles in the exchange.

Claims

1. For use in an exchange having a plurality of receptacles the exchange having first optically-encoded data placed thereon for identifying physical locations of the receptacles in the exchange, the first optically-encoded data being independent of any connector to be received in the receptacles, an apparatus comprising:

a jumper for establishing a cross-connection having a first end and a second end, each end having a radially extending surface that is substantially perpendicular to a central axis of the jumper and on which second and third optically-encoded data are formed, the second optically-encoded data uniquely identifying one of the jumper ends and the third optically-encoded data uniquely identifying the other jumper end, said first, second and third optically-encoded data representing, in combination, an address of the physical location of a receptacle in association with the identity of the jumper if any connection is made to the receptacle.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radially extending surfaces are an integral part of connectors attached to the jumper ends.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radially extending surfaces are part of tags coupled to connectors attached to the jumper ends.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second and third optically-encoded data include a bar code.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second and third optically-encoded data include at least one of jumper type, jumper length, jumper routing through the exchange and traffic to be carried on the jumper.

6. A system comprising:

a plurality of jumpers, each jumper having a first end and a second end, each end having a radially extending surface that is perpendicular to a central axis of the jumper and on which first and second optically-encoded data are respectively formed, the first optically-encoded data uniquely identifying the first end of an associated jumper and the second optically-encoded data uniquely identifying the second end;

an exchange having receptacles each adapted to receive one said jumper end, said exchange having third optically-encoded data placed thereon for identifying physical locations of said receptacles in said exchange, said third optically-encoded data being independent of any said jumper to be received in said receptacles;

a scanner for scanning the first, second and third optically-encoded data, and generating first, second and third signals based on the first, second and third optically-encoded data, respectively; and

a computer adapted to receive the first, second and third signals, and generating a display including at least an address of the physical location of a receptacle in association with an identity of a jumper, if any, connected to the receptacle, based on the first, second and third signals.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the computer includes a memory storing the addresses of the physical locations of receptacles in the exchange, in association with respective identities of the jumpers, if any, connected to the receptacles.

8. A system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the computer includes a processor receiving the first, second and third signals, reading from the memory a particular address of a physical location of a receptacle and the associated identify of the jumper, if any, connected to the receptacle based on one of the first and second signals, performing a comparison between the associated identity of the jumper for the particular address and one of the first and second signals, generating a result for the comparison indicative of whether the associated identify of the jumper for the particular address is the same as the identity obtained from one of the first and second signals, and generating the display to indicate the result of the comparison.

9. A system as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:

a receiver interface coupled to the computer, for receiving the first, second and third signals radio-transmitted from the scanner.

10. A system as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:

a wire lead coupled between the scanner and the computer, for carrying the first, second and third signals from the scanner to the computer.

11. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the exchange includes a plurality of modules, each including six receptacles, and wherein the third optically-encoded data is associated with each module.

12. A system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the third optically-encoded data includes a bar code associated with each module.

13. A system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the exchange includes a plurality of shelves, each having a plurality of modules, and wherein the third optically-encoded data is associated with each shelf.

14. A system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the third optically-encoded data includes a bar code associated with each shelf.

15. A system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the exchange includes a plurality of frames, each including a plurality of shelves, and wherein the third optically-encoded data is associated with each frame.

16. A system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the third optically-encoded data includes a bar code associated with each frame.

17. A system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the exchange includes a plurality of bays, each including a plurality of frames, and wherein the third optically-encoded data is associated with each bay.

18. A system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the third optically-encoded data includes a bar code associated with each bay.

19. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first and second optically-encoded data include at least one of jumper type, jumper length, jumper routing through the exchange and traffic to be carried on the jumper.

20. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the third optically-encoded data includes at least one of jumper type, jumper length, jumper routing through the exchange and traffic to be carried on the jumper.

21. A system as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:

a cover fitted in a receptacle and having fourth optically-encoded data indicating that no jumper is connected to the receptacle to which the cover is attached.

23. A method as claimed in claim 21, further comprising the step of:

c) connecting one of the jumper ends to a first receptacle and the other jumper end to a second receptacle to establish a cross-connection.

24. A method as claimed in claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

d) scanning one of the second and third optically-encoded data to generate a first signal;

e) scanning the first optically-encoded data associated with the first receptacle to generate a second signal; and

f) generating a display of an identity of the physical location of the first receptacle in the exchange, in association with the identity of the jumper end connected to the first receptacle, based on the first and second signals.

25. A method as claimed in claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

d) scanning one of the second and third optically-encoded data to generate a first signal;

e) scanning the first optically-encoded data to generate a second signal; and

f) storing in a memory an identity of the first receptacle in association with the identity of the jumper end connected to the first receptacle, based on the first and second signals.

26. A method as claimed in claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

d) scanning one of the second and third optically-encoded data to generate a first signal;

e) scanning the first optically-encoded data to generate a second signal;

f) reading stored data indicative of the jumper end that should be connected to the first receptacle, based on the second signal;

g) comparing the stored data with the first signal to generate a result indicative of whether one of the jumper ends is connected to the correct receptacle; and

h) generating a display based on the result.

22. A method for establishing a cross-connection in an exchange having a plurality of receptacles, comprising the step of:

a) placing first optically-encoded data on the exchange for identifying physical locations of the receptacles in the exchange, said first optically-encoded data being independent of any connector to be received in the receptacles;

b) placing second and third optically-encoded data on a pair of radially extending surfaces that are substantially perpendicular to a central axis of an associated jumper and positioned at opposing ends thereof, the jumper being used to establish the cross-connection in the exchange, the second optically-encoded data uniquely identifying one of the jumper ends and the third optically-encoded data uniquely identifying the other jumper end, said first, second and third optically-encoded data representing, in combination, an address of the physical location of a receptacle in association with the identity of the jumper if any connection is made to the receptacle.