Intelligent patching systems and methods using electrical cable diagnostic tests and inference-based mapping techniques

• US 9,678,133 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2013
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CommScope Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Enge, Ryan E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Son
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALLGOOD, ALESA M
• Application Number:
  US13/768,225
• Publication Number:
  US 20130234725A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,579 Days
• Field of Search: 324 66, 324538, 324539, 324628, 370200, 340653, 340 10
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/66 Testing of connections, e.g. of plugs or non-disconnectable joints testing for incorrect line connections G01R31/55
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/136 having patch field management or physical layer management arrangements

Abstract

A new patch cord connection in a communications network may be automatically identified by using a plug insertion/removal sensor to detect the insertion of a first plug into a first connector port of a patch panel. An electrical cable diagnostic test is used to detect an insertion of a second plug into a first connector port on a network device. It may be inferred that a new patch cord connection has been established between the first connector port of the patch panel and the first connector port of the network device based on the consecutive detections of the insertions of the first and second plugs.

Claims

1. A method of automatically identifying a new patch cord connection in a communications network, the method comprising:

using a plug insertion/removal sensor to detect an insertion of a first plug of a patch cord into a first connector port of a patch panel;

using an electrical cable diagnostic test to detect an insertion of a second plug of the patch cord into a first connector port on a network device;

logging the patch cord connection between the first connector port of the patch panel and the first connector port of the network device based on consecutive detections of the insertions of the first and second plugs.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network device comprises a network switch, and wherein the electrical cable diagnostic test comprises a time domain reflectometry test.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein using the electrical cable diagnostic test to detect an insertion of the second plug into the first connector port on the network device comprises:

conducting the electrical cable diagnostic test and determining based on the electrical cable diagnostic test that a length of the channel connected to the connector port on the network device is greater than approximately zero.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising logging the connection between the connector port on the network device and the connector port on the patch panel in a connectivity database.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the network device comprises a network switch and the first connector port of the network device is one of a plurality of connector ports on the network switch, and wherein the electrical cable diagnostic test is performed in response to detecting that a plug has been inserted into a plug aperture of the first connector port of the patch panel.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising storing a channel length for at least some of the connector ports on the network switch.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the electrical cable diagnostic test is performed on each connector port on the network switch that has a stored channel length of approximately zero.

8. A method of automatically identifying a removal of a patch cord connection in a communications network, the method comprising:

using a plug insertion/removal sensor to detect a removal of a first plug from a first connector port of a patch panel;

using an electrical cable diagnostic test that measures a length of an electrical cable to detect a removal of a second plug from a first connector port on a network device;

determining that a patch cord comprising the first plug and the second plug has been removed from the first connector port of the patch panel and the first connector port of the network device based on consecutive detections of the removals of the first and second plugs.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the electrical cable diagnostic test comprises a time domain reflectometry test that is used to determine a channel length.

10. A method of automatically identifying a change to a patch cord connection in a communications network, the method comprising:

using a first electrical cable diagnostic test that measures a length of an electrical cable to detect a plug-removal event from a first connector port of a network device;

using a second electrical cable diagnostic test to detect a plug-insertion event into a second connector port of the network device;

determining that a patch cord plug has been removed from the first connector port of the network device and inserted into the second connector port of the network device based on consecutive detections of the plug-removal event and the plug-insertion event.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first and second electrical cable diagnostic tests each comprises a time domain reflectometry test that is used to determine a channel length.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first and second electrical cable diagnostic tests each measure electrical cable length.

13. A method of automatically identifying a new patch cord connection in a communications network, the method comprising:

using a plug insertion/removal sensor to detect an insertion of a first plug into a first connector port of a patch panel; and

using an electrical cable diagnostic test to detect an insertion of a second plug into a first connector port on a network device;

wherein the network device comprises a network switch, and wherein the electrical cable diagnostic test comprises a time domain reflectometry test;

determining that a patch cord comprising the first plug and the second plug has been installed from the first connector port of the patch panel to the first connector port of the network device based on consecutive detections of the insertions of the first and second plugs.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising logging a patch cord connection between the first connector port of the patch panel and the first connector port of the network device based on the consecutive detections of the insertions of the first and second plugs.