Apparatus of automatically detecting type of cable connected to network and method thereof

• US 7,340,363 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2005
• Issued: 03/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alpha Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Alpha Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Tsai, Wei-Hung
• Primary Examiner(s): Barlow, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): KUNDU, SUJOY K
• Application Number:
  US11/046,848
• Publication Number:
  US 20060195286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• Field of Search: 702/117, 702/122, 702182-183, 702/186
• US Class Current: 702/117
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/67 Testing the correctness of wire connections in electric apparatus or circuits

Abstract

The present invention is to provide an apparatus of automatically detecting the type of a cable connected to a network and method thereof, which comprising a memory having an automatic detection program, a switch, a network controller adapted to switch the state of the switch based on a predetermined switching order stored in the automatic detection program, a port having its state being detected by the network controller such that the automatic detection program is able to know the type of a compatible cable by connecting a connector at one end of the cable to the port, and a plurality of transmission interfaces interconnected the network controller and the switch wherein the network apparatus is adapted to receive network signals transmitted from the cable and maintain a connecting state of one transmission interface.

Claims

1. A method implemented in a network apparatus for automatically switching a switch of the network apparatus to one of a plurality of transmission interfaces of the network apparatus to support a plurality of cable types in compliance of standard protocols, comprising the steps of:

(a) initiating an automatic detection program;

(b) receiving network signals carried by a cable at a port, wherein said port connects to said cable via a connector;

(c) switching said switch to transmit said network signals to one of said plurality of transmission interfaces, said switch is located between said port and said plurality of transmission interfaces;

(d) determining whether said one of said transmission interfaces is adapted to receive and process said network signals based on said cable'"'"'s cable type within a predetermined time period;

(e) if said one of said transmission interfaces is adapted to receive and process said network signal from said cable'"'"'s cable type, setting said switch to a first state enabling said one of said transmission interfaces to process said network signals;

(f) if said one of said transmission interfaces is not adapted to receive and process said network signal from said cable'"'"'s cable type, setting said switch to a second state switching said switch to transmit said network signals to another one of said transmission interfaces; and

(g) repeating step (d).

2. The method of claim 1, said further comprising the step of:

(f1) switching said switch to transmit said network signals to said another one of said transmission interfaces to received said network signals according to an order of said transmission interfaces predetermined by an automatic detection program of said network apparatus.

3. The method of claim 1, said cable'"'"'s cable type is unshielded twisted pair.

4. The method of claim 1, said port is RJ-45.

5. The method of claim 1, said cable'"'"'s cable type is BNC coaxial cable.

6. The method of claim 1, said port is BNC connector.

7. The method of claim 1, said cable'"'"'s cable type is optical fiber.

8. The method of claim 1, said port is optical fiber connector.

9. The method of claim 1, said cable'"'"'s cable type is thick coaxial cable.

10. The method of claim 1, said port is AUI connector.