SMART CABLE PROVISIONING FOR A PATCH CORD MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

• US 20070117444A1
• Filed: 11/15/2006
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panduit Corporation
• Original Assignee: Panduit Corporation
• Inventors: Nordin, Ronald, Caveney, Jack
• Granted Patent: US 7,811,119 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/404
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/136 having patch field management or physical layer management arrangements

Abstract

A network documentation and revision system is presented that includes first and second devices connected by a patch cord. The first device has provisioning and signal ports with corresponding contact assemblies. The second device has a switch port without a contact assembly. The patch cord has signal and control wires, a first connector that connects the signal wires into a signal port and the control wire to a corresponding contact assembly, and a second connector that connects the signal wires to the switch port and terminates the control wire. The second connector contains an indicator controlled by control circuitry, detection circuitry detecting whether the second connector is plugged into the second device, and ID circuitry providing an ID number through the first connector. Installation or removal of the patch cord is guided by indicators on the patch cord and first device without retrofit contacts being added to the second device.

Claims

1. A patch cord comprising:

a plurality of signal wires;

at least one control wire;

a first connector adapted to connect the signal and control wires with a first communication device; and

a second connector adapted to connect only the signal wires of the signal and control wires with a second communication device,

wherein the second connector includes;

an indicator light,

control circuitry configured to control the indicator light,

detection circuitry configured to detect whether the second connector is plugged into the second communication device, and

identification (ID) circuitry configured to provide a unique ID number of the patch cord to the first communication device through the first connector,

wherein the control circuitry, the indicator light, the detection circuitry, and the ID circuitry are connected to the at least one control wire but not to the signal wires.

2. The patch cord of claim 1 wherein the first connector comprises a contact plate that terminates the at least one control wire and a plug that terminates the signal wires, the contact plate and plug configured to connect with different connectors of the first communication device.

3. The patch cord of claim 1 wherein the detection circuitry comprises a switch and the second connector further comprises a pogo switch assembly configured to close the switch when the second connector is plugged into the second communication device.

4. The patch cord of claim 1 wherein the second connector comprises a plurality of different color indicator lights.

5. The patch cord of claim 4 wherein the control circuitry comprises a first switch configured to deactivate a first indicator light, a second switch configured to detect when a second indicator light of a different color than the first indicator light has sufficient voltage to turn on and the second switch configured to activate the first switch in response thereto, and a third switch configured to increase a current through the first indicator light and turn on the first indicator light.

6. The patch cord of claim 4 wherein the control circuitry comprises only passive components connected to the indicator lights, the passive components configured such that the indicator lights turn on when different voltages are applied to the at least one control wire.

7. The patch cord of claim 4 wherein the detection circuitry is configured to detect the connection between the second connector and the second communication device and the control circuitry is configured to selectively turn on and off the indicator lights without interfering with the functionality of the ID circuitry.

8. The patch cord of claim 7 wherein the at least one control wire comprises a plurality of control wires, and the indicator lights and the ID circuitry are configured to be alternatively activated by opposite polarity voltages applied to the control wires.

9. The patch cord of claim 7 wherein the second connector further comprises a plurality of diodes configured to protect the detection circuitry and the control circuitry when the ID circuitry is active and configured to protect the ID circuitry when either of the detection circuitry or the control circuitry is active.

10. The patch cord of claim 8 wherein the control circuitry is configured to cause a plurality of different magnitudes of current to flow between the control wires corresponding to a plurality of different voltage levels that determine a state of each of the indicator lights.

11. A patch cord comprising:

a plurality of signal wires;

a plurality of control wires;

a first connector including contact plates that terminate the control wires and a plug that terminates the signal wires, the contact plate and plug configured to connect with different connectors of a first communication device;

a second connector adapted to connect only the signal wires of the signal and control wires with a second communication device; and

a plurality of different color indicator lights,

wherein the second connector contains circuitry connected between the control wires, the circuitry including;

control circuitry configured to control the indicator lights,

detection circuitry configured to detect whether the second connector is plugged into the second communication device,

identification (ID) circuitry configured to provide a unique ID number of the patch cord to the first communication device through the first connector, and

protection circuitry configured to protect the detection circuitry and the control circuitry when the ID circuitry is active and configured to protect the ID circuitry when either of the detection circuitry or the control circuitry is active.

12. The patch cord of claim 11 wherein the detection circuitry includes a detection switch, the second connector further comprising a pogo switch assembly configured to close the detection switch when the second connector is plugged into the second communication device.

13. The patch cord of claim 11 wherein the control circuitry comprises a first control switch configured to deactivate a first indicator light, a second control switch configured to detect when a second indicator light of a different color than the first indicator light has sufficient voltage to turn on and the second control switch configured to activate the first control switch in response thereto, and a third control switch configured to increase a current through the first indicator light and turn on the first indicator light.

14. The patch cord of claim 11 wherein the control circuitry comprises only passive components connected to the indicator lights, the passive components configured such that the indicator lights turn on when different voltages are applied to the control wires.

15. The patch cord of claim 11 wherein the detection circuitry is configured to detect the connection between the second connector and the second communication device and the control circuitry is configured to selectively turn on and off the indicator lights without interfering with the functionality of the ID circuitry.

16. The patch cord of claim 15 wherein the indicator lights and the ID circuitry are configured to be alternatively activated by opposite polarity voltages applied to the control wires.

17. A communication system comprising:

a first communication device having a provisioning port and a signal port, and a contact assembly and an indicator associated with each of the provisioning and signal ports;

a second communication device having a switch port without a corresponding contact assembly;

a patch cord comprising;

a plurality of signal wires;

at least one control wire;

a first connector adapted to connect the signal wires into one of the provisioning and signal ports and the control wire to the corresponding contact assembly; and

a second connector adapted to connect the signal wires into the switch port and terminate the at least one control wire without providing a connection to the second communication device,

wherein the second connector includes;

an indicator light,

control circuitry configured to control the indicator light,

detection circuitry configured to detect whether the second connector is plugged into the second communication device, and

identification (ID) circuitry configured to provide a unique ID number of the patch cord to the first communication device through the first connector,

wherein the control circuitry, the indicator light, the detection circuitry, and the ID circuitry are connected to the at least one control wire but not to the signal wires.

18. The communication system of claim 17 wherein the provisioning port and corresponding contact assembly are located near a center of a face of the first communication device.

19. The communication system of claim 17 wherein the at least one control wire comprises a plurality of control wires, and the indicator light and the ID circuitry are configured to be alternatively activated by opposite polarity voltages applied to the control wires.

20. The communication system of claim 19 wherein the first communication device is configured to correlate a voltage applied to the control wires with a total current flowing through the control wires to determine if the second connector is plugged into the switch port.

21. The communication system of claim 19 wherein the first communication device is configured to constantly apply a reverse voltage to the control wires except when the ID number is to be read.

22. The communication system of claim 17 wherein the first connector comprises a plug that terminates the signal wires and a contact plate that terminates the at least one control wire, the plug and contact plate configured to connect with the signal port and the corresponding contact assembly, respectively, of the first communication device.

23. The communication system of claim 17 further comprising a network management system (NMS), the communication system configured to transmit a message that includes the ID number from the switch port to the NMS when the patch cord is connected to the provisioning port.