Optical fiber cable tracing system

A system for identifying opposite ends of jumper cables that extend between first and second patch panels comprising:

• first and second patch panels, each having a plurality of optical/electrical receptacles mounted thereon, each receptacle comprising an optical port for receiving an optical plug and an electrical port for receiving an electrical plug, said electrical port including a metallic conductor that connects to the panel;
• a plurality of jumper cables that extend between the panels, each cable interconnecting a receptacle on the first patch panel with a corresponding receptacle on the second patch panel, each cable including an optical fiber and an electrical wire that terminate in a plug connector-at opposite ends of the cable, each plug connector being designed to mate with the optical port and to provide an electrical connection between the wire within the cable and the metallic conductor within the electrical port of the receptacle;
• and
• a plurality of substantially identical circuits mounted on each panel, each circuit being associated with a different receptacle, each circuit including a light and a manually operated switch that has an active state and a normal state, wherein manual activation of a switch on the first patch panel causes the light at the corresponding receptacle on the second patch panel to turn on.

A method of identifying opposite ends of a jumper cable that extends between a pair of mounting surfaces comprising:

• providing first and second mounting surfaces, each having a hybrid receptacle mounted thereon, each receptacle comprising an optical port for receiving an optical plug and an electrical port for receiving an electrical plug, said electrical port including a metallic conductor that connects to the mounting surface;
• extending the jumper cable between the first and second mounting surfaces to make optical and electrical connection to corresponding receptacles on each mounting surface, said cable including an optical fiber and an electrical wire;
• and
• disposing substantially similar circuits on the first and second mounting surfaces, each circuit including a light and a manually operated switch, said circuits being designed such that manual activation of a switch on the first mounting surface causes the light at the corresponding receptacle on the second mounting surface to turn on.