Identifying a cable with a connection location

• US 7,526,582 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2006
• Issued: 04/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Klein, Craig Anthony, Girouard, Janice Marie, Best, Steven Francis, Eggers, Robert James Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shin; Christopher B
• Application Number:
  US11/564,872
• Publication Number:
  US 20080133047A1
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: 710 15- 19, 710 72- 74, 439488-492, 235/375, 700/115, 700/215, 709/220
• US Class Current: 710/15
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/465 Identification means, e.g. labels, tags, markings H01R9/2475, H01R9/2683 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/2475 Means facilitating correct wiring, e.g. marking plates, identification tags
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49194 Assembling elongated conductors, e.g., splicing, etc.

Abstract

The illustrative embodiments provide a cable management system, a computer program product, a cable, a method for manufacturing a cable, and a method for guiding a user in identifying a connection location for a cable of interest. A processor, in a data processing system, receives a cable identification from the cable of interest. The processor then matches at least one connection location with the cable of interest based on the cable identification. Responsive to matching the at least one connection location with the cable of interest, the processor activates an indicator that identifies the at least one connection location for connecting the cable of interest.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method, in a data processing system for identifying a connection location for a cable of interest, the computer implemented method comprising computer implemented steps of:

receiving, by a processor in a first data processing system, a cable identification for the cable of interest;

matching at least one connection location with the cable of interest based on the cable identification;

responsive to matching the cable of interest with the at least one connection location, activating an indicator that identifies the at least one connection location for connecting the cable of interest, wherein the at least one connection location is stored in a first storage device;

responsive to the cable of interest being connected to the at least one connection location, identifying the at least one connection location as a last known good connection location;

saving the last known good connection location with the cable identification in the first storage device;

receiving a signal that the cable of interest is connected to another connection location;

responsive to the cable of interest being connected to the another connection location, identifying the another connection location as the last known good connection location; and

transferring the at least one connection location to a second storage device, wherein the second storage device uses the at least one connection location to identify a corresponding connection location in a second data processing system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one connection location is a plurality of connection locations, and wherein each connection location in the plurality of connection locations corresponds to an indicator, and wherein the method further comprises:

activating intermittently an indicator for the last known good connection location.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting, by the cable of interest, a radio frequency signal to the data processing system, wherein the radio frequency signal communicates the cable identification for the cable of interest.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 3, wherein the radio frequency signal is transmitted by one of a passive transponder or an active transponder that is coupled to the cable of interest.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the cable identification comprises a device identification, wherein the device identification associates the cable of interest with a device, and wherein only the device recognizes the cable identification from the cable of interest.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the cable identification comprises an identification of the type of cable.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the cable of interest comprises a plurality of connectors, and wherein each connector in the plurality of connectors transmits a corresponding cable identification, and wherein the processor activates a corresponding indicator for the each connector, and wherein the corresponding indicator identifies the connection location for the each connector.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the indicator is a light emitting diode.