System and method for providing indicators within a connector assembly

• US 6,817,890 B1
• Filed: 05/06/2003
• Issued: 11/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schindler, Frederick R.
• Primary Examiner(s): PAUMEN, GARY F
• Application Number:
  US10/430,513
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 439/490, 439/676, 439/541.5, 439/620, 439/76.1
• US Class Current: 439/490
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/64 for high frequency, e.g. RJ 45
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/136 having patch field management or physical layer management arrangements

Abstract

A connector assembly includes an enclosure being coupled with a motherboard of a communication device. A printed circuit board having communication circuitry thereupon may be coupled with the motherboard. A secondary processor being coupled with the printed circuit board is operable to communicate with a primary processor that is coupled with the motherboard, using the communication circuitry. A communication bus may be coupled with the secondary processor. A plurality of LED drivers are coupled with the printed circuit board, and each is coupled for communication with the secondary processor using the communication bus. In accordance with a particular embodiment of the present invention, each of the plurality of LED drivers may be operable to drive a respective one of a plurality of LEDs. In this embodiment, each of the plurality of LEDs may also be operable to indicate a status of an associated one of a plurality of communication connectors that are disposed at least partially within the enclosure.

Claims

1. A connector assembly, comprising:

an enclosure being coupled with a motherboard of a communication device;

a printed circuit board having communication circuitry thereupon, and being coupled with the motherboard;

a secondary processor being coupled with the printed circuit board and being operable to communicate with a primary processor that is coupled with the motherboard, using the communication circuitry;

a communication bus being coupled with the secondary processor;

a plurality of LED drivers being coupled with the printed circuit board, each being coupled for communication with the secondary processor using the communication bus;

each of the plurality of LED drivers being operable to drive a respective one of a plurality of LEDs; and

each of the plurality of LEDs being operable to indicate a status of an associated one of a plurality of communication connectors that are disposed at least partially within the enclosure.

2. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein each one of the communication connectors includes a plurality of communication pins that allow the one of the communication connectors to be coupled with circuitry of a motherboard, to allow communication between the primary CPU and a component being externally coupled with the one of the communication connectors.

3. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the communication bus communicates control signals between the secondary CPU and the plurality of LED drivers, to control states associated with the plurality of LED drivers.

4. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the communication bus communicates status information between the plurality of communication connectors and the secondary processor.

5. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the LED drivers is configured to be switchable between the control states of LED ON, and LED off.

6. The connector assembly of claim 5, wherein each of the LED drivers is configured to be further switchable between a plurality of blink rates associated with respective ones of states in which the communication connectors may be operating in.

7. The connector assembly of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of light pipes, wherein each light pipe is associated with a respective one of the LEDs and a respective one of the communication connectors, the light pipes extending from a location proximate the respective one of the LEDs to a location proximate the respective one of the communication connectors, such that light emitted from the respective one of the LEDs is visible from an exterior of the enclosure.

8. The connector assembly of claim 7, wherein each light pipe is disposed above the respective one of the communication connectors.

9. The connector assembly of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of light pipes each being associated with a respective one of the LEDs, each light pipe being disposed above the enclosure and being operable to transmit light from the respective one of the LEDs, to adjacent a bezel of the communication device.

10. The connector assembly of claim 9, wherein the light pipes extend from adjacent the respective one of the LEDs, to adjacent the bezel.

11. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board is disposed at an angle of approximately ninety degrees to the motherboard.

12. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the communication connectors comprise Ethernet connectors.

13. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the communication connectors comprise GBIC connectors.

14. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the communication bus comprises a serial bus.

15. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the communication circuitry comprises a two-wire bus and a common ground.