RFID patch panels and cables

• US 7,468,669 B1
• Filed: 09/12/2005
• Issued: 12/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology Corporation Miami Lakes FLA US
• Inventors: Thambiratnam, David Preshan, Scholte, Alexander Martin, Yee-Hang Choy, Jonathan R., Brunson, Gordon R., Beck, Alexander John Gray
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walk, Samuel J
• Application Number:
  US11/224,796
• Time in Patent Office: 1,198 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/10.51, 340/10.52, 340/5.22, 340/5.25, 235/375, 235/492
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/138 using RFID

Abstract

The present invention provides a device, system, and method for identifying interconnect cables used in a network and the locations in the network where the interconnect cables are deployed. The identification information may be used to audit, for example, patch panel connections in a computer or communications network. The preferred embodiments include RFID transponders incorporated at the cable ends. An RFID scanner is used to interrogate the transponders, and the retrieved information is stored and acted on as appropriate. In a first embodiment, secondary contacts are used on the network components for mating with primary contacts on the cable ends in order to generate information as to the location where the cable ends are connected. In a second embodiment, memory modules are incorporated in the components for providing information reflective of connection locations.

Claims

1. A system for identifying ends of an interconnect cable connected between a pair of components of a network, said system comprising:

an interconnect cable having a first end connector attached at one end of said cable, a second end connector attached at an opposite end of said cable, an outer sheath, and at least one signal conductor disposed within said sheath;

at least one RFID transponder mounted in one of said first and second end connectors of said cable;

an RFID scanner communicating with said RFID transponder for selectively querying said transponder thereby receiving and storing information reflective of the identity of the end connector; and

each said RFID transponder has a plurality of primary contacts electrically coupled to said corresponding memory element, and each component interconnected by said cable has a plurality of secondary contacts wherein contact of the primary contacts with the secondary contacts completes a circuit to each memory element thereby generating the identification data for storage in each memory element.

2. A system for identifying ends of an interconnect cable connected between a pair of components of a network, said system comprising:

an interconnect cable having a first end connector attached at one end of said cable, a second end connector attached at an opposite end of said cable, an outer sheath, and at least one signal conductor disposed within said sheath;

a first RFID transponder mounted to said first end connector and a second RFID transponder mounted to said second end connector of said cable;

a first memory module incorporated in a first component of said pair of components, and a second memory module incorporated in a second component of said pair of components, said first RFID transponder communicating with said first memory module for receiving information reflective of the connection port to which the first end is connected, and said second RFID transponder communicating with said second memory module for receiving information reflective of the connection port to which the second end is connected;

an RFID scanner communicating with said first and second RFID transponders for selectively querying said transponders thereby receiving and storing information reflective of the identity of the end connectors; and

each said RFID transponder has a plurality of primary contacts electrically coupled to a corresponding memory element of each RFID transponder, and each component interconnected by said cable has a plurality of secondary contacts wherein contact of the primary contacts with the secondary contacts completes a circuit to each memory element thereby generating the information reflective of the identity of the end connectors and the locations on the components where said cable is connected.

3. An interconnect cable comprising:

a first end connector attached at one end of said cable;

a second end connector attached at an opposite end of said cable;

at least one signal conductor disposed in said cable;

a first RFID transponder integral with said first end connector; and

a second RFID transponder integral with said second end connector, and each said RFID transponder further includes a plurality of primary contacts electrically coupled to said corresponding memory element, and each component interconnected by said cable has a plurality of secondary contacts wherein contact of the primary contacts with the secondary contacts completes a circuit to each memory element thereby generating an identification signal for uniquely identifying the ends of the cable and the identity of the components to which the cable is connected.

4. A cable, as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

said first and second RFID transponders each further include a corresponding memory element incorporated therein for storage of identification data for uniquely identifying the ends of the cable.