System for monitoring connection pattern of data ports

• US 7,160,143 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2004
• Issued: 01/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Forrad, Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: David, Solomon I., Pela, Peter Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THANH TAM T
• Application Number:
  US10/774,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20040219827A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: 439/489, 439/490, 439/495, 439/638, 439/676, 439/700, 439/824, 439/915
• US Class Current: 439/489
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/67 Testing the correctness of wire connections in electric apparatus or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/625 Casing or ring with bayonet engagement
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7038 making use of a remote controlled switch, e.g. relais, solid state switch activated by the engagement of the coupling parts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/04 for network, e.g. LAN connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/52 mounted in or to a panel or structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/64 for high frequency, e.g. RJ 45
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/006 the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 27/02 for simultaneous co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 29/00 Coupling parts for selective co-operation with a counterpart in different ways to establish different circuits, e.g. for voltage selection, for series-parallel selection, programmable connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/005 Intermediate parts for distributing signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/22 Arrangements for supervision, monitoring or testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/136 having patch field management or physical layer management arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/149 Wireguides in connector blocks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/915 Auxiliary device for existing plug

Abstract

The present invention determines and monitors the connection pattern of data ports which are connected by multiconductor cables. An adapter jacket having an external contact is placed over a standardized cable such as an RJ45 cable which connects the data ports. An adapter board having a plurality of socket contacts is placed adjacent a plurality of data ports. An output and input module are coupled to the socket contacts. A micro-processor which is coupled to the output and input module scans the socket contacts to determine the connection pattern of the data ports.

Claims

1. A data transmission cable adapted for use in a system for monitoring and determining a connection pattern of data ports, said data transmission cable comprising:

one or more data conductors for transmitting data from a first data port to a second data port, and a dedicated signal conductor for transmitting a monitoring signal along said signal conductor;

a first jack at one end of said data transmission cable and a second jack at the other end of said data transmission cable, said first and second jacks adapted to mate with corresponding sockets of the first and second data ports wherein, when the first and second jacks are mated to the corresponding sockets of the first and second data ports, said one or more data conductors are coupled to associated contacts within said first and second data ports to transmit data between said first and second data ports along said one or more data conductors; and

a first adapter jacket at one end of said data transmission cable and a second adapter jacket at the other end of said data transmission cable, said first adapter jacket comprising a first electrical contact and said second adapter jacket comprising a second electrical contact, said signal conductor extending between said first and second electrical contacts;

said first electrical contact adapted to make electrical contact with a first socket contact proximate said first data port when the first jack is mated with the socket of said first data port, and said second electrical contact adapted to make electrical contact with a second socket contact proximate said second data port when the second jack is mated with the socket of said second data port, wherein said first and said second socket contacts are electrically coupled to a microprocessor, said microprocessor adapted to transmit said monitoring signal to said first socket contact, said monitoring signal passing from said first socket contact to said first electrical contact, along said signal conductor to said second electrical contact, from said second electrical contact to said second socket contact, and from said second contact back to said microprocessor, said microprocessor utilizing said monitoring signal to automatically monitor and determine a connection pattern of data ports.

2. The data transmission cable according to claim 1, wherein each adapter jacket is separate from said data transmission cable and is constructed so as to be retrofit over an existing data transmission cable.

3. The data transmission cable according to claim 1, wherein each electrical contact comprises a contact pin slidably engaged in a barrel and a spring adapted to fit within said barrel and designed to support said contact pin and provide tension to said contact pin when said contact pin makes electrical contact with a corresponding socket contact.

4. The data transmission cable according to claim 1, wherein said conductor is a copper wire.

5. The data transmission cable according to claim 3, wherein said conductor is electrically isolated from said data transmission cable.

6. The data transmission cable according to claim 1, wherein said data transmission cable is a conventional multiconductor cable.

7. The data transmission cable according to claim 1, wherein each jack is selected from the group of jacks consisting of RJ45 jacks, RJ11 jacks, RJ12 jacks, RJ14 jacks, RJ25 jacks, RJ48 jacks, BNC jacks, SC jacks and ST jacks.

8. A data transmission cable adapted for use in a system for monitoring and determining a connection pattern of data ports, said data transmission cable comprising:

one or more data conductors for transmitting data from a first data port to a second data port and a dedicated signal conductor for transmitting a monitoring signal along said signal conductor;

a first lack at one end of said data transmission cable and a second jack at the other end of the data transmission cable said first and second jack adapted to mate with corresponding socket of the first and second data port wherein, when the first and second jacks are mated to the corresponding sockets of the first and second data ports, said one or more data conductors are coupled to associated contacts within said first and second data ports to transmit data between said first and second data ports along said one or more data conductors; and

first adapter jacket at one end of said data transmission cable and a second adapter jacket at the other end of said data transmission cable, said first adapter jacket comprising first electrical contact and said second adapter jacket comprising a second electrical contact, said signal conductor extending between said first and second electrical contacts;

wherein each of said first and second electrical contacts comprises a contact pin slidably engaged in a barrel and a spring adapted to fit within said barrel and designed to support said contact pin and provide tension to said contact pin when said contact pin makes electrical contact with the corresponding socket;

said first electrical contact adapted to make electrical contact with a first socket contact proximate said first data port when the first jack is mated with the socket of said first data port, and said second electrical contact adapted to make electrical contact with a second socket contact proximate said second data port when the second jack is mated with the socket of said second data port;

wherein said first and second socket contacts are electrically coupled to a microprocessor, said microprocessor adapted to transmit said monitoring signal to said first socket contact, said monitoring signal passing from said first socket contact to said first electrical contact, along said signal conductor to said second electrical contact, from said second electrical contact to said second socket contact, and from said second contact back to said microprocessor, said microprocessor utilizing said monitoring signal to automatically monitor and determine a connection pattern of data ports.