Physical layer management at a wall plate device

• US 9,742,704 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2016
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Coffey, Joseph C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thai
• Application Number:
  US15/295,904
• Publication Number:
  US 20170034079A1
• Time in Patent Office: 309 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6691 with built-in signalling means H01R13/717 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2107/00 Four or more poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/64 for high frequency, e.g. RJ 45
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/50 Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/10 characterised by the switching fabric construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/111 Switch interfaces, e.g. port details
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/351 for local area network [LAN], e.g. Ethernet switches

Abstract

One embodiment is directed to a wall plate device including one or more jacks. Each jack includes a rear attachment point configured to couple to one or more communication paths in a semi-permanent manner. Each jack also includes a front attachment point configured to mate with a connector of a corresponding physical communication media, and to couple such physical communication media to the rear attachment point. Each jack also includes a media reading interface configured to interface with a PLM interface of a connector connected to the front attachment point. The wall plate device also includes a programmable processor coupled to each of the media reading interfaces and configured to access a storage device of a connector connected to the front attachment point through the media reading interface to obtain PLM information. The programmable processor is configured to communicate the PLM information to another device.

Claims

1. A wall plate device comprising:

a plurality of jacks, each jack including a rear attachment point configured to couple to one or more communication paths for non-service network traffic, each jack including a front attachment point configured to mate with a connector of a corresponding cable and couple such cable to the one or more communication paths at the rear attachment point, each jack including a media reading interface configured to interface with a physical layer management (PLM) interface of a connector connected to the front attachment point;

a programmable processor coupled to each of the media reading interfaces through a path other than the one or more communication paths for non-service network traffic and configured to access a storage device or other component of a connector through the media reading interface to obtain PLM information, the programmable processor configured to communicate the PLM information to a host server, wherein the connector is connected to the front attachment point.

2. The wall plate device of claim 1, comprising:

a signaling circuit coupled to the programmable processor and configured to transmit and receive signals over a second cable coupled thereto, the second cable distinct from any horizontal runs of communication media used for non-service network traffic, wherein the programmable processor is configured to communicate PLM information over the second cable to the host server.

3. The wall plate device of claim 2, wherein the programmable processor is configured to operate as a slave processor to a master processor in the host server.

4. The wall plate device of claim 2, comprising:

a power supply unit configured to recover DC power from the second cable for powering of the programmable processor and the signaling circuit.

5. The wall plate device of claim 1, comprising:

a network switch coupled to at least one of the jacks in the plurality of jacks and to a horizontal run of cable, the network switch configured to relay non-service network traffic between the horizontal run and the at least one of the jacks;

wherein the programmable processor is coupled to the network switch and configured to send the PLM information to the network switch such that the network switch can communicate the PLM information over the horizontal run of cable along with the non-service network traffic.

6. The wall plate device of claim 5, comprising:

a power supply unit configured to recover power from the horizontal run of communication media using a power-over-Ethernet (PoE) protocol, the power supply unit configured to provide such power to the programmable processor and the network switch.

7. The wall plate device of claim 1, comprising:

a MAC/PHY translation circuit coupled to the programmable processor and configured to transmit and receive signals over a CAT-5 or CAT-6 cable coupled thereto, the CAT-5 or CAT-6 cable distinct from any horizontal runs of cable used for non-service network traffic, wherein the programmable processor is configured to communicate PLM information over the CAT-5 or CAT-6 cable to an aggregation point.

8. The wall plate device of claim 1, comprising:

a wireless transceiver coupled to the programmable processor, wherein the programmable processor is configured to communicate PLM information over a wireless link through the wireless transceiver.

9. The wall plate device of claim 1, comprising:

a radio frequency identification (RFID) transceiver including a non-volatile memory coupled to the programmable processor, wherein the programmable processor is configured to store the PLM information in the non-volatile memory such that the RFID transceiver communicates the PLM information when interrogated by an RFID reader.

10. A system for physical layer management, the system comprising:

an aggregation point;

a plurality of wall outlet devices communicatively coupled to the aggregation point through an IP network, each of the plurality of wall outlet devices including a plurality of jacks, each jack including a rear attachment point configured to couple to one or more communication paths for non-service network traffic, each jack including a front attachment point configured to mate with a connector of a corresponding cable and couple such cable to the one or more communication paths at the rear attachment point, each jack including a media reading interface configured to interface with a physical layer management (PLM) interface of a connector connected to the front attachment point;

a programmable processor coupled to each of the media reading interfaces through a path other than the one or more communication paths for non-service network traffic and configured to access a storage device or other component of a connector through the media reading interface to obtain PLM information, the programmable processor configured to communicate the PLM information to the aggregation point over the IP network wherein the connector is connected to the front attachment point; and

a host server coupled to the plurality of wall outlet devices and to the IP network using a plurality of second cables, the plurality of second cables distinct from any horizontal runs of cable used for non-service network traffic.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of wall outlet devices includes a signaling circuit coupled to the programmable processor and configured to transmit and receive signals with the host server over a respective second cable, wherein the programmable processor is configured to communicate PLM information to the host server and the host server is configured to communicate the PLM information to the aggregation point over the IP network.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the programmable processor of each of the plurality of wall outlet devices is configured to operate as a slave processor to a master processor in the host server.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of wall outlet devices includes:

a power supply unit configured to recover DC power from the respective second cable for powering of the programmable processor and the signaling circuit.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the plurality of wall outlet devices includes:

a network switch coupled to at least one of the jacks and to a horizontal run of cable that is coupled to the IP network, the network switch configured to relay non-service network traffic between the horizontal run and the at least one of the jacks;

wherein the programmable processor of the at least one wall outlet device is coupled to the network switch and configured to send the PLM information to the network switch such that the network switch can communicate the PLM information over the horizontal run of cable along with the non-service network traffic.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one wall outlet device includes:

a power supply unit configured to recover power from the horizontal run of cable using a power-over-Ethernet (PoE) protocol, the power supply unit configured to provide such power to the programmable processor and the network switch.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the plurality of wall outlet devices include:

a MAC/PHY translation circuit coupled to the programmable processor and configured to transmit and receive signals over a CAT-5 or CAT-6 cable coupled thereto, the CAT-5 or CAT-6 cable distinct from any horizontal runs of cable used for non-service network traffic, wherein the CAT-5 or CAT-6 cable and the horizontal runs of cable are coupled to the IP network;

wherein the programmable processor is configured to communicate PLM information over the CAT-5 or CAT-6 cable to an aggregation point.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of wall outlet devices include:

a wireless transceiver coupled to the programmable processor, wherein the wireless transceivers of the plurality of wall outlet devices are coupled together in a mesh network, wherein the programmable processor of each of the plurality of wall outlet devices is configured to communicate PLM information over a wireless link through the wireless transceiver.

18. A method of physical layer management, the method comprising:

accessing, through a plurality of media reading interface of a plurality of jacks, a plurality of storage devices associated with connectors for a cable while the connectors are connected to the plurality of jacks to obtain PLM information from the plurality of storage devices, wherein the plurality of jacks are in at least one wall plate device and the accessing is by a programmable processor in the wall plate device, wherein each jack in the plurality of jacks is configured to couple to one or more communication paths for non-service network traffic and the programmable processor is coupled to the plurality of media reading interfaces through a path other than the one or more communication paths for non-service network traffic; and

communicating the PLM information from the wall plate device to an aggregation point, wherein the communicating includes transmitting and receiving signals over a second cable with a host device, wherein the host device communicates with the aggregation point.

19. The method of claim 18, comprising:

sending instructions from the host device to a plurality of wall plate devices, instructing the plurality of wall plate devices to obtain PLM information from cable connected to jacks of the plurality of wall plate devices.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein communicating the PLM information includes:

sending the PLM information from the programmable processor to a network switch in the wall plate device; and

sending the PLM information from the network switch over a horizontal run of cable to the aggregation point via an IP network;

wherein the method further includes sending non-service traffic corresponding to the jack from the network switch to the IP network over the horizontal run of cable.