Automated physical network management system utilizing high resolution rfid, optical scans and mobile robotic actuator
AssigneeTelescent Inc.
InventorAnthony Stephen Kewitsch
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mobile robot system for automated operation of a data center or telecommunications office, includes a moveable robotic platform with a multiplicity of tools integrated therein, to operate on a network element within a bay, with integrated RFID (radio-frequency identification) tags and visual alignment markers attached to fiber optic connectors and ports of the network elements. The mobile robot system positions a robot probe arm with an RFID probe for proximity detection to identify a cable and associated fiber optic connector based on a unique RF identifier of a tag on the fiber optic connector. The robot probe arm has a connector gripper to engage and unplug the associated fiber optic connector.
Claims24
A mobile robot system for automated operation of a data center or telecommunications office, comprised of a moveable robotic platform with a multiplicity of tools integrated therein, to operate on a network element within a bay, with integrated RFID (radio-frequency identification) tags and visual alignment markers attached to fiber optic connectors and ports of the network elements, wherein:
- the mobile robot system is constructed and adapted to position a robot probe arm with an RFID probe for proximity detection to identify a cable and associated fiber optic connector based on a unique RF identifier of a tag on the associated fiber optic connector, and wherein
- the robot probe arm further includes a connector gripper is constructed and adapted to engage and unplug the associated fiber optic connector.
A system to perform automated installation and maintenance tasks in a data center or telecommunications office having multiple bays with networked equipment, comprised of a moveable robotic platform with one or more robot arms to position one or more robotic hands including actuable fingers to locations across a front face of the networked equipment within the bay, wherein positioning of the one or more robotic hands is determined based on spatially localized readout of integrated RFID (radio-frequency identification) tags attached to fiber optic connectors and ports of the networked equipment, wherein the positioning is augmented by visual alignment markers to position the one or more robotic hands relative to the fiber optic connectors and ports.
A method of operation of a data center or telecommunications office, having a mobile robot system including moveable robotic platform with a multiplicity of tools integrated therein, to operate on a network element within a bay, with integrated RFID (radio-frequency identification) tags and visual alignment markers attached to fiber optic connectors and ports of the network elements, the method comprising:
- the mobile robot system positioning a robot probe arm with an RFID probe for proximity detection to identify a cable and associated fiber optic connector based on a unique RF identifier of a tag on the associated fiber optic connector;
- and
- a connector gripper of the robot probe arm engaging and unplugging the associated fiber optic connector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.