Port occupancy detection for high density panels

A connector panel, the panel comprising:

• a panel communications unit communicatively coupled to a network;
• and
• at least one modular port adapter assembly comprising:
• a plurality of communications couplers;
• and
• a plurality of port occupancy sensors each coupled to a sensor circuit, wherein each of the plurality of port occupancy sensors are configured to sense when one or more of the plurality of communications couplers are occupied by a connector for a segment of physical communications media;
• wherein the panel communications unit is configured to obtain from the sensor circuit which of the plurality of communications couplers are occupied;
• wherein the panel communications unit communicates to a gateway via the network, port occupancy information indicating circuit which of the plurality of communications couplers are occupied;
• a chassis including sidewalls extending between a front and a rear to define an interior, the chassis including guides, the guides extending in a forward-rearward direction;
• and
• a plurality of blades mounted to the guides of the chassis, each blade including a midplane bus assembly configured to communicatively couple the sensor circuit to the panel communication unit.

A method for a connector panel that comprises:

• a panel communications unit communicatively coupled to a network;
• a chassis including sidewalls extending between a front and a rear to define an interior, the chassis including guides, the guides extending in a forward-rearward direction and a plurality of blades mounted to the guides of the chassis, and at least one modular port adapter assembly that includes a plurality of communications couplers and a plurality of port occupancy sensors each coupled to a sensor circuit, the method comprising:
• sensing when one or more of a plurality of communications couplers are occupied by a connector for a segment of physical communications media;
• obtaining from a sensor circuit which of the plurality of communications couplers are occupied;
• communicating from the panel communications unit to a gateway via the network, port occupancy information indicating circuit which of the plurality of communications couplers are occupied, wherein each blade includes a midplane bus assembly configured to communicatively couple the sensor circuit to the panel communication unit.