Shelf detection system for a fiber distribution frame
AssigneeFitel USA Corp.
InventorsMark R. Jennings, Frank S. Leone, Richard Pimpinella
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The location and type of equipment shelf installed in an optical fiber distribution frame is detected and transmitted to a software management system automatically. A plurality of photo transceivers, arrayed on the frame, detects encoded indicia on each shelf. The coded information is inventoried into a database and displayed in a virtual graphical representation of the frame.
Claims20
A shelf detection system for a fiber distribution frame comprising:
- an upright support member extending between upper and lower ends;
- at least one shelf releasably mounted on the upright support member at a selected location;
- a plurality of detectors spaced apart along the upright support member, the detectors being operatively linked with a controller associated with the fiber distribution frame;
- and
- a medium detectable by ones of the detectors disposed on the shelf and arranged to be within a detection field of a proximately located detector when the shelf is mounted on the upright support member;
- wherein a detection of the detectable medium by the proximally located detector is communicated to the controller and translated thereby to a location in the fiber distribution frame for the shelf.
A shelf detection system for a fiber distribution frame comprising:
- an upright support member extending between upper and lower ends;
- at least one shelf releasably mounted on the upright support member at a selected location;
- a plurality of detectors spaced apart along the upright support member, the detectors being operatively linked with a controller associated with the fiber distribution frame;
- and
- a medium detectable by ones of the detectors disposed on the shelf and arranged to be within a detection field of a proximately located detector when the shelf is mounted on the upright support member;
- wherein the detectable medium includes encoded specification of the shelf upon which the detectable medium is disposed and a detection of the detectable medium by the proximally located detector is communicated to the controller and translated thereby to a location of the shelf in the fiber distribution frame and a specification for the shelf.
A method of shelf detection for a fiber distribution frame, for use in connection with a controller, the method comprising the steps of:
- extending an upright support member between upper and lower ends;
- mounting at least one shelf releasably in a selected location on the upright support member;
- mounting a plurality of detectors on the upright support member;
- spacing the detectors apart along the upright support member;
- connecting the detectors to the controller;
- mounting a detectable medium on the shelf;
- causing the detectable medium to be aligned with a proximately located detector when the shelf is mounted on the upright support member;
- in response to a detection of the detectable medium by the proximally located detector, communicating that detection to the controller and causing the controller to translate the detection to a location in the fiber distribution frame for the shelf.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.