Low profile faceplate having managed connectivity

• US 9,525,255 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2015
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pepe, Paul John, Coffey, Joseph C.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHIEM M
• Application Number:
  US14/946,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20160149364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 396 Days
• Field of Search: 439/535, 439/536, 439/540.1, 439/676
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6658 on printed circuit board H01R13/6666 - H01R13/6691 take precedence
• 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 31/06 Intermediate parts for linking two coupling parts, e.g. adapter with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/94
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/205 with a panel or printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/14 Network analysis or design
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49128 Assembling formed circuit to base

Abstract

A faceplate assembly includes a faceplate member; at least one jack module mounted in an opening of the faceplate member; and a printed circuit board assembly. The printed circuit board assembly includes a printed circuit board; a first set of secondary contacts that are electrically connected to the printed circuit board; and a network connector that is electrically connected to the secondary contacts of the first set via the printed circuit board. The secondary contacts extend into the jack module. The secondary contacts are isolated from primary contacts of the jack module.

Claims

1. A managed connectivity system comprising:

(a) a wall outlet faceplate assembly including a faceplate member and a plurality of flush-mounted jacks, the faceplate member defining a plurality of openings extending between a front and a rear of the faceplate member, each jack being flush-mounted to and supported by the faceplate member at a respective one of the openings, each jack including primary contacts and secondary contacts isolated from the primary contacts, the faceplate assembly also including a network connector that is electrically coupled to the secondary contacts of each jack;

(b) a network analyzer that is electrically coupled to the network connector to receive signals from the secondary contacts of each jack; and

(c) a termination device including a plurality of electrical terminations, the primary contacts of at least one of the jacks being electrically connected to one of the electrical terminations.

2. The managed connectivity system of claim 1, wherein the network analyzer is disposed at a location remote from the wall outlet faceplate assembly.

3. The managed connectivity system of claim 1, further comprising a processor that is connected electrically between the network connector and the network analyzer.

4. The managed connectivity system of claim 3, wherein the processor receives a presence sensing signal and reads data from a plug received in one of the jacks of the wall outlet faceplate assembly via the respective secondary contacts.

5. The managed connectivity system of claim 3, wherein the processor is located a first length away from the wall outlet faceplate assembly and a second length away from the network analyzer, wherein the first length is less than the second length.

6. The managed connectivity system of claim 5, wherein the first length is no more than about 50 feet.

7. The managed connectivity system of claim 5, wherein the first length is no more than about 35 feet.

8. The managed connectivity system of claim 5, wherein the first length is no more than about 25 feet.

9. The managed connectivity system of claim 1, wherein the network connector includes a D-block.

10. A method of installing a managed connectivity system comprising:

mounting at least one media reading interface to a printed circuit board, the media reading interface including secondary contacts that extend outwardly from the printed circuit board;

mounting a network connector to the printed circuit board so that the network connector is electrically connected to the secondary contacts;

mounting the printed circuit board to a rear of a faceplate member so that the secondary contacts extend into an opening defined in the faceplate member and the network connector extends rearwardly of the faceplate member;

mounting a jack module at the opening defined in the faceplate member so that the secondary contacts extend into an interior of the jack module and are accessible through a port defined by the jack module, the secondary contacts remaining isolated from primary contacts of the jack module.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the opening of the faceplate member is one of a plurality of openings defined by the faceplate member, and wherein the method further comprises:

mounting a plurality of media reading interfaces to the printed circuit board, the media reading interfaces including secondary contacts that extend outwardly from the printed circuit board, wherein the secondary contacts of the plurality of media reading interfaces are electrically connected to the network connector via the printed circuit board.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising mounting a plurality of jack modules at the plurality of openings defined in the faceplate member so that the secondary contacts extend into interiors of the jack modules and are accessible through ports defined by the jack modules, the secondary contacts remaining isolated from primary contacts of the jack modules.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising connecting the primary contacts to termination equipment remote from the faceplate member.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising connecting the secondary contacts to network analyzing equipment remote from the faceplate member.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein connecting the secondary contacts to the network analyzing equipment comprises wirelessly connecting the secondary contacts to the network analyzing equipment.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein connecting the secondary contacts to the network analyzing equipment comprises connecting the secondary contacts to the network analyzing equipment using electrical wire.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising connecting a local processor between the network connector and the network analyzing equipment.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the local processor is configured to detect an insertion of a plug at the jack module and to read a storage device of the plug in response to the detected insertion.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the local processor is disposed closer to the faceplate member than to network analyzing equipment.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the local processor is disposed closer to the network analyzing equipment than to the faceplate member.