US 5,821,510 A · Labeling and tracing system for jumper used in an exchange

Abstract

The present invention includes a system for tracing jumpers used in an exchange to cross-connect optical fibers or wires served by the exchange. The system includes an exchange housing receptacles with optically-encoded data associated with each receptacle or a group of receptacles. The optically-encoded data for a receptacle(s) uniquely identifies the physical location of the receptacle from any other receptacle in the exchange. Likewise, the jumpers each have optically-encoded data formed thereon that uniquely identifies the jumper or jumper end and distinguishes the jumper from any other jumper used in the exchange. If no jumper is to be connected to a particular receptacle, a cover with optically-encoded data can be attached to a receptacle to indicate that no jumper is connected to the receptacle. The system of this invention also includes a handheld optical scanner that can be used by an operator to scan the optically-encoded data associated with a receptacle(s) and the optically-encoded data of a jumper(s) connected to the receptacle(s), and transmits the optically-encoded data signals to a computer of the system of this invention. The computer can generate a display of the physical location of a receptacle(s) in association with the identity of the jumper(s) and connected thereto, so that an operator can diagnose misconnections of the jumpers between receptacles in the exchange.

Claims26

Dependent claims

For use in an exchange having a plurality of receptacles the exchange having first optically-encoded data placed thereon for identifying physical locations of the receptacles in the exchange, the first optically-encoded data being independent of any connector to be received in the receptacles, an apparatus comprising:

a jumper for establishing a cross-connection having a first end and a second end, each end having a radially extending surface that is substantially perpendicular to a central axis of the jumper and on which second and third optically-encoded data are formed, the second optically-encoded data uniquely identifying one of the jumper ends and the third optically-encoded data uniquely identifying the other jumper end, said first, second and third optically-encoded data representing, in combination, an address of the physical location of a receptacle in association with the identity of the jumper if any connection is made to the receptacle.

A system comprising:

a plurality of jumpers, each jumper having a first end and a second end, each end having a radially extending surface that is perpendicular to a central axis of the jumper and on which first and second optically-encoded data are respectively formed, the first optically-encoded data uniquely identifying the first end of an associated jumper and the second optically-encoded data uniquely identifying the second end;
an exchange having receptacles each adapted to receive one said jumper end, said exchange having third optically-encoded data placed thereon for identifying physical locations of said receptacles in said exchange, said third optically-encoded data being independent of any said jumper to be received in said receptacles;
a scanner for scanning the first, second and third optically-encoded data, and generating first, second and third signals based on the first, second and third optically-encoded data, respectively;
and
a computer adapted to receive the first, second and third signals, and generating a display including at least an address of the physical location of a receptacle in association with an identity of a jumper, if any, connected to the receptacle, based on the first, second and third signals.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Labeling and tracing system for jumper used in an exchange

Life of this patent

Labeling and tracing system for jumper used in an exchange

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26