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US 7,054,163 B2Granted
Multi-interface patch panel system
AssigneeADC Telecommunications, Inc.
InventorJoseph C. Coffey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A patch panel system including a chassis and a plurality of modules. The chassis includes elongated structures configured to interconnect top, bottom and side portions of the chassis. The elongated structures are also configured to receive and secure a printed circuit board and the plurality of modules to the chassis. The modules include a housing and a module card. The card can include a variety of connections that provide communication to connections located on a back plane of the chassis. The system can include a combination of passive and active modules that are interchangeable to provide a variety of interface configurations.
Claims17
A patch panel interface system, comprising:
- a) a chassis having a plurality of module compartments and a printed circuit board, the printed circuit board including a plurality of back plane connectors and a power input;
- b) a first module positioned within a first module compartment of the plurality of module compartments, the first module being configured to transmit signals to one of the plurality of back plane connectors of the printed circuit board, the first module having a passive configuration requiring no power from the power input;
- and
- c) a second module positioned within a second module compartment of the plurality of module compartments, the second module being configured to transmit signals to another of the plurality of back plane connectors of the printed circuit board, the second module having an active configuration requiring power from the power input.
1 more element
A method of configuring a patch panel system, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a chassis having a plurality of module compartments and a printed circuit board, the printed circuit board including a plurality of back plane connectors and a power input;
- b) inserting a first passive module into a first module compartment of the plurality of module compartments, and interconnecting the first passive module with an associated one of the plurality of back plane connectors, the first passive module requiring no power from the power input for operation;
- and
- c) removing the first passive module from the first module compartment;
- and
- d) inserting a second active module into the first module compartment of the plurality of module compartments, and interconnecting the second active module with the associated one of the plurality of back plane connectors, the second active module requiring power from the power input for operation.
3 more elements
A patch panel interface system, comprising:
- a) a chassis having a plurality of module compartments and a back plane, the back plane including a plurality of interface connectors and at least a plurality of first back plane connectors;
- b) a first module having a first front connector, the first module being configured to interconnect to one of the plurality of interface connectors to transmit signals to one of the plurality of first back plane connectors;
- and
- c) a second module having a second front connector, the second module being configured to interconnect to another of the interface connectors to transmit signals to another of the first back plane connectors, the second front connector of the second module being different than the first front connector of the first module.
1 more element
A method of configuring a patch panel system, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a chassis having a plurality of module compartments and a back plane, the back plane including a plurality of interface connectors and a plurality of first back plane connectors;
- b) inserting a first module into a one of the plurality of module compartments, and coupling the first module to a corresponding one of the interface connectors to interconnect the first module with one of the plurality of first back plane connectors, the first module including a first front connector;
- c) inserting a second module into another of the plurality of module compartments, and coupling the second module to another corresponding one of the interface connectors to interconnect the second module with another of the plurality of first back plane connectors, the second module including a second front connector that is different from the first front connector.
A patch panel interface system, comprising:
- a) a chassis having a plurality of signal transmission module compartments and a printed circuit board, the printed circuit board including a plurality of back plane connectors and a power input;
- b) a first signal transmission module operably positionable within any one compartment of the plurality of signal transmission module compartments for signal transmission to a corresponding one of the plurality of back plane connectors, the first module having a passive configuration requiring no power from the power input;
- and
- c) a second signal transmission module operably positionable within any one compartment of the plurality of signal transmission module compartments for signal transmission to a corresponding one of the plurality of back plane connectors, the second module having an active configuration requiring power from the power input.
1 more element
A patch panel interface system, comprising:
- a) a chassis having module compartments, including signal transmission module compartments and at least one control module compartment;
- b) a back plane coupled to the chassis, the back plane including a plurality of back plane connectors and a power input;
- c) a plurality of signal transmission modules, each of the signal transmission modules being positionable within one of the signal transmission module compartments;
- d) a plurality of signal interface connectors configured to couple each of the signal transmission modules to the back plane, each of the signal interface connectors being connected to the power input;
- e) at least one control module positionable within the control module compartment;
- f) a control interface connector configured to couple the control module to the back plane, the control interface connector being connected to the power input;
- g) wherein each of the signal interface connectors is configured to receive signal transmission modules having either a passive configuration requiring no power from the power input, or an active configuration requiring power from the power input.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.