Cabling connectivity monitoring and verification

• US 10,361,782 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2017
• Issued: 07/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hazani, Ami
• Primary Examiner(s): Lai, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ganguly, Sumitra
• Application Number:
  US15/472,864
• Publication Number:
  US 20170201438A1
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• 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: H04B 10/07 Arrangements for monitoring or testing transmission systems; Arrangements for fault measurement of transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25753 Distribution optical network, e.g. between a base station and a plurality of remote units
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements

Abstract

Connectivity between components in a system is monitored by applying a low voltage at one end of an RF cable, interpreted as a “0” logical state, and determining whether a similar voltage appears at the other end of the cable. If the cable is connected properly, the DC voltage applied at one end will appear at the other end and a proper indication is generated. If the expected voltage level does not appear at the other side, it means that RF connection was not correctly established and an alert is generated. Test systems for testing connectivity may include a first component comprising at least one port, at least one capacitor, and at least one resistor for providing high impedance. A controller provides a first logic state to the at least one port, scans multiple input ports of the system, and records a link corresponding to the applied first logic state.

Claims

1. A method of testing a system having a plurality of components, each component having at least one radio frequency (RF) port, and a plurality of cables connected to the at least one RF port of the plurality of components, the method comprising:

applying a first voltage indicating at least a first logic state to a first RF port of a first component of the plurality of components, wherein the first RF port is configured to carry RF signals, and the first component comprising a direct current (DC) blocking circuit causing the first voltage applied to the first RF port to not impact the RF signals carried by the first RF port by providing a high impedance higher than an impedance of the RF signals to the first RF port and blocking the high impedance from the RF signals and circuits related to the RF signals;

scanning multiple input ports of the plurality of components by a controller;

recording by the controller an RF link between the first RF port and an input port among the scanned multiple input ports corresponding to the applied first logic state at the first RF port of the first component; and

providing a plurality of remote units capable of transmitting wireless signals into respective coverage areas of the plurality of remote units, and for receiving wireless signals from their respective coverage areas, the plurality of remote units being optically connected to at least one of the plurality of components, wherein the plurality of remote units are optically connected to the at least one of the plurality of components by a cable of the plurality of cables including at least one optical fiber.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

applying a second voltage indicating a second logic state to a second RF port of a second component of the plurality of components, wherein the second RF port is configured to carry RF signals, and the second component comprising a second DC blocking circuit causing the second voltage applied to the second RF port to not impact the RF signals;

automatically scanning the multiple input ports of the plurality of components by the controller; and

automatically recording by the controller an RF link between the second RF port and an input port among the scanned multiple input ports corresponding to the applied second logic state at the second RF port of the second component.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein steps of applying, scanning, and recording are performed for each RF port of each component of the system, and wherein the plurality of components comprises at least a first, a second, and a third RF component capable of processing the RF signals.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising operating the system to provide wireless services to client devices.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first RF port is an input port.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the first RF port is an output port.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising resetting the first RF port prior to the applying of the first logic state to the first RF port.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the RF link is recorded only if the first logic state is present at a second RF port of the plurality of components during the scanning step.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting a false positive connectivity of the recorded RF link between the first RF port and the input port by removing the first voltage indicating the first logic state from the first RF port and detecting that the input port remains in the first logic state.

10. A test system for testing a communication system having a plurality of components and a plurality of cables connected to at least one RF port of the plurality of components, the test system comprising:

a first component comprising;

at least one first RF port configured to carry RF signals; and

a direct current (DC) blocking circuit, comprising;

at least one resistor for providing a high impedance higher than an impedance of the RF signals to the at least one first RF port; and

at least one capacitor configured to block the high impedance of the at least one resistor from the RF signals and circuits related to the RF signals; and

a controller configured to;

apply a first voltage indicating a first logic state to the at least one first RF port of the first component, wherein the DC blocking circuit is configured to cause the first voltage applied to the at least one first RF port to not impact the RF signals;

scan multiple input ports of the plurality of components; and

record an RF link between the at least one first RF port and an input port among the scanned multiple input ports corresponding to the applied first logic state at the at least one first RF port of the first component, wherein

the communication system further comprises a plurality of remote units configured to transmit wireless signals into respective coverage areas of the plurality of remote units, and configured to receive wireless signals from their respective coverage areas, the plurality of remote units being optically connected to at least one of the plurality of components.

11. The test system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to:

apply a second voltage indicating a second logic state to a second RF port of a second component of the plurality of components, wherein the second RF port is configured to carry RF signals, and the second component comprising a second DC blocking circuit causing the second voltage applied to the second RF port to not impact the RF signals;

automatically scan the multiple input ports of the plurality of components; and

automatically record an RF link between the second RF port and an input port among the scanned multiple input ports corresponding to the applied second logic state at the second RF port of the second component.

12. The test system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to perform steps of applying, scanning, and recording for each RF port of each component of the plurality of components.

13. The test system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of components comprises at least a first, a second, and a third RF component capable of processing the RF signals.

14. The test system of claim 10, wherein the at least one capacitor and the at least one resistor for providing the high impedance are configured to cause the first voltage applied to the at least one first RF port to not impact the RF signals.

15. The test system of claim 10, wherein the RF link between the at least one first RF port and the input port among the scanned multiple input ports corresponding to the applied first logic state at the at least one first RF port of the first component is provided by a coaxial cable.

16. The test system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to detect a false positive connectivity of the recorded RF link between the at least one first RF port and the input port by removing the first voltage indicating the first logic state from the at least one first RF port and detecting that the input port remains in the first logic state.

17. The test system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to apply the first voltage indicating the first logic state to the at least one first RF port of the first component of the plurality of components when the RF signals are present at the at least one first RF port.

18. The test system of claim 10, wherein the DC blocking circuit is coupled to the at least one first RF port.