Display panel overlay structure and method for tracing interface modules in a telecommunications patch system

• US 6,330,307 B1
• Filed: 02/10/1999
• Issued: 12/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Commscope Inc of North Carolina (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology Corporation Miami Lakes FLA US
• Inventors: Choudhury, Golam Mabud, Bloch, Brian Matthew, Macauley, Daniel Warren, German, Michael Gregory, Ensz, Lyndon D.
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US09/247,385
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• Field of Search: 379/24, 379/25, 379/26, 379/27, 379/28, 379/29, 379/32, 379/156, 379/160, 379/164, 379/165, 379/166, 379/343, 379/397, 379/399, 379/423, 379/248, 340/825.36, 340/825.47, 340/825.48, 348/552
• US Class Current: 379/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/136 having patch field management or physical layer management arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/144 Plugs used in distribution frames

Abstract

A graphics overlay for displaying the location of a traced connector port in a telecommunications patching system. The graphics overlay is the visible portion of a tracing interface module that is viewed by a technician performing a patch cord tracing procedure. The graphics overlay serves three primary functions. The first function is to provide is a visual indication that can inform a technician as to the location of a patch cord in a telecommunications patch system. The second function is to provide a trace button so that a technician can initiate a trace from any patch cord connect port in the patching system. Lastly, the third function is to identify the patch cord at each connector port in the telecommunications patching system. The present invention provides different embodiments of a graphics overlay that all embody the necessary functions yet are uniquely adapted for use in a telecommunications patch cord tracing system.

Claims

1. A patch cord tracing module assembly adapted to be connected to a patch panel in a telecommunications closet, said assembly comprising:

a module housing having a front surface and a bottom edge;

at least one electronic display disposed on said front surface of said module housing, wherein said electronic display is capable of displaying alpha-numeric characters;

a plurality of patch cord connector sensors disposed proximate said bottom edge of said module housing, wherein said patch cord connector sensors are capable of detecting a patch cord connector that comes into close proximity with said patch cord connector sensors; and

a manually operable trace initiation mechanism disposed on said front surface of said module in close proximity to each of said plurality of patch cord connector sensors.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, further including a plurality of lights disposed on said face surface of said module assembly, wherein at least one light is associated with each of said patch cord connector sensors.

3. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said patch cord connector sensors are gathered in multiple identical groupings of six proximate said bottom edge of said module housing.

4. The assembly according to claim 3, wherein said patch cord tracing module contains multiple electronic displays and each display is located proximate one of said groupings of said patch cord connector sensors.

5. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said electronic display includes a touch screen.

6. In a telecommunications patching system having a plurality of connector ports disposed on at least one patch panel, a system for tracing patch cords from one connector port to another, comprising:

one or more tracing interface modules adapted to be interconnected to one or more patch panels in the telecommunications patching system, wherein each tracing interface module provides an electronic display, a manually operable trace initiation mechanism located proximate to each of said connector ports, and a patch cord sensor for sensing the presence of a patch cord to each of the connector ports located on that patch panel; and

a systems controller coupled to each said electronic display, each said manually operable trace initiation mechanism and each said patch cord sensor, wherein said systems controller determines from said sensor if a patch cord is connected to each of said connector ports and said systems controller identifies each connector port by utilizing said electronic display.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein said trace initiation mechanism is a touch screen disposed in front of said electronic display.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein said trace initiation mechanism is a push button.

9. The system according to claim 6, wherein each said patch panel has a face surface of a predetermined length and width upon which said connector ports are exposed and each said tracing interface module is sized to mount on said face surface within said length and width without obstructing said connector ports.

10. The system according to claim 6, wherein said tracing interface module further includes a light emitting diode associated with each patch cord sensor, wherein each said light emitting diode is controlled by said systems controller.

11. The system according to claim 6, wherein said patch cord sensor is a mechanical switch that detects the patch cord when present within a connector port.

19. The system according to claim 6, wherein said sensor is a mechanical switch that detects the patch cord when present within a connector port.

12. A telecommunications patching system having point-to-point tracing capabilities, comprising:

at least one rack structure;

a plurality of patch panels mounted to each said rack structure;

a plurality of connector ports disposed on each of said patch panels;

a plurality of patch cords for selectively interconnecting different pairs of connector ports;

tracing modules adapted to be mounted to said patch panels above said connector ports, wherein each said tracing module contains a patch cord sensor for sensing the presence of a patch cord in each of said connector ports and an electronic display located on each of said tracing modules proximate each of said patch cord sensors for identifying a selected connector port from among said plurality of connector ports.

13. The system according to claim 12, further including a controller on each said rack structure that is coupled to each of said tracing modules on that rack structure.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein each said electronic display displays data read to it from said systems controller.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein each said tracing module contains a trace initiation mechanism that is associated in position with each of said connector ports.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein said trace initiation mechanism is a touch screen disposed in front of each said electronic display.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein said trace initiation mechanism is a push button.

18. The system according to claim 12, wherein each said patch panel has a face surface of a predetermined length and width upon which said connector ports are exposed and each said tracing interface module is sized to mount on said face surface within said length and width without obstructing said connector ports.