Systems and methods for managing a network

• US 7,519,000 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2003
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panduit Corporation
• Original Assignee: Panduit Corporation
• Inventors: Farrimond, Alan, Conneely, Richard J., Kozicki, Kenneth C., Farrimond, Elizabeth, Bolouri-Saransar, Masud, Nordin, Ronald A., Caveney, Jack E., Doorhy, Michael V., Jacks, Steven A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Orgad; Edan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ahmed; Salman
• Application Number:
  US10/439,716
• Publication Number:
  US 20040073597A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,160 Days
• Field of Search: 370/475, 370/248, 370/242, 370/363, 370/368, 370/216, 370/229, 370/241, 370/254, 370/259, 370/276, 370/298, 370/251, 439/49, 439/344, 439/588, 439/620.11, 439/620.17, 439/620, 439/21, 439/668
• US Class Current: 370/242
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/62 Sliding engagements with one side only, e.g. modular jack coupling devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8005 Flat-fee
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1083 for hotels
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/22 Arrangements for supervision, monitoring or testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/03 Power distribution arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/035 Cooling of active equipments, e.g. air ducts
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/136 having patch field management or physical layer management arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2201/12 Printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/00 Systems for electrical power generation, transmission, distribution or end-user application management characterised by the use of communication or information technologies, or communication or information technology specific aspects supporting them

Abstract

A system for managing and documenting a local area communications network is provided which deploys power sourcing equipment and powered devices by the use of active electronic modules, having an Ethernet controller and Power over Ethernet forwarding capabilities, as integral, managed components within the cable plant, to enhance management, documentation, security and emergency 911 aspects of the network as well as extending the physical reach of the network.

Claims

1. A communications system comprising:

at least one active jack adapted to be connected to at least one networking device via horizontal cabling, said at least one active jack comprising a network-side connection, a user-side connection, a storage component storing identification information associated with said at least one active jack, and at least one indicator light indicating a connection status of said at least one active jack, said at least one active jack further adapted to be connected to at least one user device at said user-side connection of said at least one active jack, said at least one active jack being adapted to report to said at least one networking device the status of its connection to said at least one user device thereby enabling the sectionalizing of faults along a communication pathway between said networking device and said user device, said at least one active jack comprising a printed circuit board (PCB) containing said storage component and a power management component adapted to provide power to said storage component and to said user devices through said user-side connection, said at least one active jack further comprising a heat dissipation component, said heat dissipation component containing a conductive member extending from said power management component to a user-side panel housing said user-side connection.

2. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said networking device is a patch panel.

3. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said at least one active jack comprises a powered communications system active jack adapted to consume from said horizontal cabling power necessary for operation of active jack components and to forward unused power via said user-side connection.

4. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said PCB is disposed between said network-side connection and said user-side connection.

5. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said PCB is adapted to regenerate signals provided from said user-side connection or said network-side connection.

6. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said power management component comprises a DC-to-DC power converter for accepting power from one or both of said user-side connection and said network-side connection and converting said power for use by said storage component.

7. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said at least one active jack further comprises an addressable switch for enabling or disabling data flow between said user-side connection and said network-side connection.

8. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said at least one active jack comprises a plurality of said network-side connections, a primary one of said network-side connections being connected to a primary network and a secondary one of said network-side connections being connected to a secondary network, said at least one active jack further comprising a switch for enabling the switching of communications from at least one of said user-side connection from said primary network to said secondary network upon detection of communications problems with said primary network.

9. The communications system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of active jacks, a first of said active jacks adapted to be connected to a second of said active jacks through said user-side connection of said first of said active jacks and said network-side connection of said second of said active jacks.

10. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said active jack is disposed in a wall.

11. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said at least one active jack is adapted to be connected to a non-powered user device through said user-side connection, a powered user device receiving power from said at least one active jack through said user-side connection.