Endpoint mapping in a communication system using serial signal sensing

• US 9,871,701 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2014
• Issued: 01/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HCS Kablolama Sistemleri Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş.
• Original Assignee: HCS Kablolama Sistemleri Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş.
• Inventors: Yossef, Shay
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Vincent Q
• Application Number:
  US14/763,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20150365295A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,447 Days
• Field of Search: 324518, 324539, 324542, 324 66
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/28 Measuring attenuation, gain, phase shift or derived characteristics of electric four pole networks, i.e. two-port networks; Measuring transient response in line transmission systems H04B3/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/68 Testing of releasable connections, e.g. of terminals mounted on a printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/136 having patch field management or physical layer management arrangements

Abstract

A method in a communication system (20) including endpoints (24) that connect to one another using cable channels, includes injecting one or more test signals to a cable channel, which has first and second ends and is potentially connected to a first endpoint at the first end and to a second endpoint at the second end. One or more serial measurements are performed on the cable channel so as to sense the test signals. Based on the serial measurements, a decision is made as to which of the first and second endpoints are indeed connected to the cable channel.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

in a communication system comprising endpoints, wherein each endpoint comprises a computer or a network switch and wherein the endpoints connect to one another using cable connections, injecting one or more test signals to a mid-point of a cable connection, which has first and second ends and is potentially connected to a first endpoint at the first end and to a second endpoint at the second end;

performing one or more serial measurements, which sense a voltage that falls across an electronic component inserted in series with the cable connection at the mid-point, so as to sense the test signals; and

based on the serial measurements, deciding which of the first and second endpoints are indeed connected to the cable connection.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein injecting the test signals comprises applying to the cable connection an Alternating Current (AC) test signal.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein performing the serial measurements comprises sensing the AC test signal over a resonant circuit, which is inserted in series with the cable connection and which has a resonance frequency that matches a frequency of the AC test signal.

4. The method according to claim 3, and comprising automatically estimating the resonance frequency of the resonant circuit, and setting the frequency of the AC test signal to match the estimated resonance frequency.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein performing the serial measurements comprises performing a first serial measurement at a first port that potentially leads to the first endpoint and performing a second serial measurement at a second port that potentially leads to the second endpoint.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein injecting the test signals comprises applying a first AC test signal to the first port and applying a second AC test signal to the second port.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein injecting the test signals comprises applying a single AC test signal to the first port, for use in performing both the first and second serial measurements.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein injecting the test signals comprises applying to the cable connection a Direct Current (DC) test signal.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein performing the serial measurements comprises sensing the DC test signal over a resistance that is inserted in series with the cable connection.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein injecting the test signals comprises applying a first DC test signal to a first port that potentially leads to the first endpoint, applying a second DC test signal to a second port that potentially leads to the second endpoint, and, when the first and second ports are patched to one another, equalizing respective voltages of the first and second DC test signals.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein deciding which of the endpoints are connected comprises comparing respective amplitudes of the sensed test signals to a threshold.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein deciding which of the endpoints are connected comprises distinguishing among:

a first scenario in which the first endpoint is connected to the first end but the second endpoint is not connected to the second end;

a second scenario in which the second endpoint is connected to the second end but the first endpoint is not connected to the first end; and

a third scenario in which the first and second endpoints are connected to the first and second ends, respectively.

13. Apparatus, comprising:

an interface, which is coupled to connect to a communication system comprising endpoints, wherein each endpoint comprises a computer or a network switch and wherein the endpoints connect to one another using cable connections; and

test circuitry, which is configured to inject via the interface one or more test signals to a mid-point of a cable connection, which has first and second ends and is potentially connected to a first endpoint at the first end and to a second endpoint at the second end, to perform one or more serial measurements, which sense a voltage that falls across an electronic component inserted in series with the cable connection at the mid-point, so as to sense the test signals, and, based on the serial measurements, to decide which of the first and second endpoints are indeed connected to the cable connection.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the test circuitry is configured to inject the test signals by applying to the cable connection an Alternating Current (AC) test signal.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the interface comprises a resonant circuit, which is inserted in series with the cable connection and which has a resonance frequency that matches a frequency of the AC test signal, and wherein the test circuitry is configured to perform the serial measurements by sensing the AC test signal over the resonant circuit.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the test circuitry is configured to automatically estimate the resonance frequency of the resonant circuit, and to set the frequency of the AC test signal to match the estimated resonance frequency.

17. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the test circuitry is configured to perform a first serial measurement at a first port that potentially leads to the first endpoint and to perform a second serial measurement at a second port that potentially leads to the second endpoint.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the test circuitry is configured to inject the test signals by applying a first AC test signal to the first port and applying a second AC test signal to the second port.

19. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the test circuitry is configured to inject the test signals by applying a single AC test signal to the first port, for use in performing both the first and second serial measurements.

20. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the test circuitry is configured to inject the test signals by applying to the cable connection a Direct Current (DC) test signal.

21. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the interface comprises a resistance that is inserted in series with the cable connection, and wherein the test circuitry is configured to performing the serial measurements by sensing the DC test signal over the resistance.

22. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the test circuitry is configured to apply a first DC test signal to a first port that potentially leads to the first endpoint, to apply a second DC test signal to a second port that potentially leads to the second endpoint, and, when the first and second ports are patched to one another, to equalize respective voltages of the first and second DC test signals.

23. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the test circuitry is configured to decide which of the endpoints are connected by comparing respective amplitudes of the sensed test signals to a threshold.

24. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the test circuitry is configured to decide which of the endpoints are connected by distinguishing among:

a first scenario in which the first endpoint is connected to the first end but the second endpoint is not connected to the second end;

a second scenario in which the second endpoint is connected to the second end but the first endpoint is not connected to the first end; and

a third scenario in which the first and second endpoints are connected to the first and second ends, respectively.

25. A keystone jack, comprising:

a receptacle comprising at least a pair of receptacle terminals for connecting to a wire pair in a mating keystone plug;

at least a pair of rear interconnection terminals connected to the pair of the receptacle terminals;

a sense interface, which comprises an electronic component that is inserted in series between the pair of receptacle terminals and the pair of the rear interconnection terminals, for serially sensing at least one test signal on the wire pair by sensing a voltage that falls across the electronic component; and

an injection interface, which is coupled to inject the at least one test signal to the wire pair on at least one respective side of the sense interface.

26. The keystone jack according to claim 25, wherein the injection interface is coupled to inject first and second test signals on respective first and second opposite sides of the sense interface.

27. The keystone jack according to claim 25, wherein the sense interface comprises a resonant circuit.

28. The keystone jack according to claim 25, wherein the sense interface comprises a resistor.