Method and apparatus for the automatic determination of network cable connections using RFID tags and an antenna grid

An apparatus for determining connectivity between one or more device ports thereof and one or more cable ends having corresponding RFID tags attached thereto, the apparatus comprising:

• means for sensing, with use of a first one of a plurality of RFID antennas, said first RFID antenna being in close physical proximity to each of two or more of said plurality of device ports, whether one or more of said RFID tags attached to said cable ends is in close physical proximity to said first RFID antenna;
• and
• means for detecting a connection between one of said plurality of device ports which is in close physical proximity to said first RFID antenna and a cable end having a corresponding RFID tag attached thereto based on said means for sensing with use of said first RFID antenna having determined that said corresponding RFID tag attached to said cable end is in close physical proximity to said first RFID antenna,
• wherein one or more of said plurality of device ports is in close physical proximity to each of at least two of said plurality of RFID antennas, at least one of said plurality of device ports which is in close physical proximity to each of at least two or said plurality of RFID antennas being one of said device ports having one of said cable ends connected thereto,
• wherein each of said plurality of RFID antennas is in said close physical proximity to each of two or more of said plurality of device ports and wherein each of said plurality of device ports is in said close physical proximity to each of at least two of said plurality of RFID antennas,
• wherein the plurality of device ports are arranged in a substantially rectangular arrangement comprising a plural number of columns of device ports and a plural number of rows of device ports,
• wherein said plurality of RFID antennas comprises a number of column antennas equal to at least one more than the number of columns of device ports and a number of row antennas equal to at least one more than the number of rows of device ports, and
• wherein each column of device ports is in said close physical proximity to a corresponding adjacent pair of two of said column antennas and each row of device ports is in said close physical proximity to a corresponding adjacent pair of two of said row antennas.

A method for determining connectivity between one or more of a plurality of device ports and one or more cable ends having corresponding RFID tags attached thereto, the method comprising the steps of:

• sensing, with use of a first one of a plurality of RFID antennas, said first RFID antenna being in close physical proximity to each of two or more of said plurality of device ports, whether one or more of said RFID tags attached to said cable ends is in close physical proximity to said first RFID antenna;
• and
• detecting a connection between one of said plurality of device ports which is in close physical proximity to said first RFID antenna and a cable end having a corresponding RFID tag attached thereto based on said step of sensing with use of said first RFID antenna having determined that said corresponding RFID tag attached to said cable end is in close physical proximity to said first RFID antenna,
• wherein at least one of said plurality of device ports which is in close physical proximity to said first RFID antenna is also in close proximity to a second one of said plurality of said RFID antennas, the method further comprising the step of
• sensing, with use of said second RFID antenna, whether one or more of said RFID tags attached to said cable ends is in close physical proximity to said second RFID antenna,
• and wherein the step of detecting the connection between one of said plurality of device ports and the cable end having the corresponding RFID tag attached thereto comprises
• (i) determining that said step of sensing with use of said first RFID antenna determined that one of said RFID tags attached to said cable ends is in close physical proximity to said first RFID antenna, and
• (ii) determining that said step of sensing with use of said second RFID antenna also determined that said one of said RFID tags attached to said cable ends is in close physical proximity to said second RFID antenna.

A method for determining connectivity between one or more of a plurality of device ports and one or more cable ends having corresponding RFID tags attached thereto, the method comprising the steps of:

• sensing, with use of a first one of a plurality of RFID antennas, said first RFID antenna being in close physical proximity to each of two or more of said plurality of device ports, whether one or more of said RFID tags attached to said cable ends is in close physical proximity to said first RFID antenna;
• and
• detecting a connection between one of said plurality of device ports which is in close physical proximity to said first RFID antenna and a cable end having a corresponding RFID tag attached thereto based on said step of sensing with use of said first RFID antenna having determined that said corresponding RFID tag attached to said cable end is in close physical proximity to said first RFID antenna,
• wherein the step of detecting a connection between one of said plurality of device ports which is in close physical proximity to said first RFID antenna and a cable end having a corresponding RFID tag attached thereto detects a first connection between a first device port and a first cable end having a first RFID tag attached thereto,
• the method further comprising the steps of:
• detecting a second connection between a second device port and a second cable end having a second RFID tag attached thereto;
• and
• determining that said first device port is connected to said second device port based on a determination that the first cable end and the second cable end are opposing ends of a common cable,
• wherein said step of determining that said first device port is connected to said second device port comprises comparing an ID value of the first RFID tag with an ID value of the second RFID tag and determining that a previously defined relationship exists therebetween.