Systems and methods of identifying patch cord connections in a communications patching system using common mode transmission

• US 7,573,254 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2007
• Issued: 08/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2007
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: CommScope Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CommScope Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Conte, Bob, Cobb, Terry R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Vincent Q
• Application Number:
  US11/786,516
• Publication Number:
  US 20080253556A1
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 324/66
• US Class Current: 324/66
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/136 having patch field management or physical layer management arrangements

Abstract

A communications patching system includes first and second patch panels, each having a plurality of connector ports, and a patch cord that is configured to selectively interconnect a connector port in the first patch panel with a connector port in the second patch panel. Each patch panel includes a port identification circuit that is electrically coupled with the connector ports of the respective patch panel. The port identification circuit of each patch panel is configured to transmit a signal to a connector port of the other patch panel over a common mode transmission path of the patch cord. The first and second connector ports connected by the patch cord are identified from the signal path.

Claims

1. A method of identifying the physical location of first and second patch cord connectors of a patch cord in a communications patching system, wherein the first patch cord connector is inserted within a first patch panel connector port and the second patch cord connector is inserted within a second patch panel connector port, the method comprising:

transmitting a signal from the first patch panel connector port to the second patch panel connector port over a common mode transmission path of the patch cord simultaneously with data transmission over a differential mode transmission path of the patch cord; and

identifying the first and second patch panel connector ports based at least in part on the transmitted signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal comprises a DC signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal comprises an AC signal.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising logging the location of the patch cord connectors in a database.

5. A method of identifying the physical location of patch cord connectors in a communications patching system, wherein the communications patching system includes a first patch panel having a plurality of connector ports and a first port identification circuit electrically coupled with the first patch panel connector ports, a second patch panel having a plurality of connector ports and a second port identification circuit electrically coupled with the second patch panel connector ports, and a patch cord having one connector inserted within a connector port in the first patch panel and an opposite connector inserted within a connector port in the second patch panel, the method comprising:

transmitting, via the first port identification circuit, a signal from the first patch panel connector port to the second patch panel connector port over a common mode transmission path of the patch cord, wherein transmitting the signal over the common mode transmission path of the patch cord is performed simultaneously with data transmission over a differential mode transmission path of the patch cord; and

identifying the first and second patch panel connector ports from the signal path.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the signal comprises a DC signal.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the signal comprises an AC signal.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising logging the location of the patch cord connectors.

9. A communications patching system, comprising:

a first patch panel comprising a plurality of connector ports and a port identification circuit electrically coupled with the first patch panel connector ports;

a second patch panel comprising a plurality of connector ports and a port identification circuit electrically coupled with the second patch panel connector ports; and

a patch cord configured to selectively interconnect a connector port in the first patch panel with a connector port in the second patch panel;

wherein the port identification circuit of each patch panel is configured to transmit a signal to a connector port of the other patch panel over a common mode transmission path of the patch cord, wherein the first and second connector ports connected by the patch cord are identified from the signal path, and wherein the port identification circuit of each patch panel is configured to transmit a signal over the common mode transmission path of the patch cord simultaneously with data transmission over a differential mode transmission path of the patch cord.

10. The communications patching system of claim 9, further comprising a database that logs patch cord interconnections with connector ports of the first and second patch panels.

11. The communications patching system of claim 9, wherein the port identification circuit of each patch panel is configured to transmit a DC signal over the common mode transmission path of a patch cord.

12. The communications patching system of claim 9, wherein the port identification circuit of each patch panel is configured to transmit an AC signal over the common mode transmission path of a patch cord.

13. A method of transmitting signals through a communications patching system that comprises one or more patch panels and at least one patch cord, the method comprising:

transmitting a differential signal over a pair of conductive paths in the communications patching system;

simultaneously transmitting a first common mode signal over the pair of conductive paths; and

using the common mode signal to identify patching system connector ports.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the pair of conductive paths comprise one of a plurality of differential pairs in the patch cord.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the common mode signal is used to identify the communications ports on the one or more patch panels to which the patch cord is connected.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first common mode signal is generated by a port identification circuit of the patching system.