Cabling system and method for monitoring and managing physically connected devices over a data network

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and system configured to monitor devices that are physically connected over a data network, said system comprising at least one scanner configured to monitor said data network and to determine devices that are physically connected over said data network, said at least one scanner being connected to at least one panel over said data network, wherein at least one terminal of each panel is connected to an electronic circuitry, which comprises one or more electronic components, for enabling said at least one scanner to determine changes in one of voltage or current level over at least one of said one or more electronic components, said changes occurring due to connecting or disconnecting devices over said data network, thereby enabling said at least one scanner to monitor devices that are physically connected over said data network.

1 . A system configured to monitor devices that are physically connected over a data network, said system comprising at least one scanner configured to monitor said data network and to determine devices that are physically connected over said data network, said at least one scanner being connected to at least one panel over said data network, wherein at least one terminal of each panel is connected to an electronic circuitry, which comprises one or more electronic components, for enabling said at least one scanner to determine changes in one of voltage or current level over at least one of said one or more electronic components, said changes occurring due to connecting or disconnecting devices over said data network, thereby enabling said at least one scanner to monitor devices that are physically connected over said data network. 
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the panel is one of the following:
 a) a patch panel; and   b) a cross-connect panel.   
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 2 , wherein the patch panel is substantially identical to the cross-connect panel. 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring is performed substantially in real-time. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the scanner comprises an Input/Output (I/O) Interface for communicating with the at least one panel. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 5 , wherein the I/O Interface comprises a plurality of I/O ports for enabling connecting the at least one panel to the scanner. 
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 5 , wherein the I/O Interface comprises a plurality of transceivers for enabling receiving and transmitting data. 
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the scanner comprises a scan-mode activation unit for activating at least one scan-mode. 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 8 , wherein the scan-mode activation unit comprises at least one switch for enabling switching from one scan-mode to another. 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 7 , wherein the scan-mode is selected from at least one of the following:
 a) a patching scan-mode;   b) an impedance scan-mode;   c) an inductance scan-mode;   d) a capacitance scan-mode; and   e) a port detecting scan-mode.   
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the scanner further comprises a sensing unit for determining the changes in one of the voltage or current level. 
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the scanner comprises a microcontroller configured to perform at least one of the following:
 a) control operation of a sensing unit of the scanner, said sensing unit enabling determining the changes in one of the voltage or current level;   b) select at least one corresponding panel port;   c) receive and process scan results from the scanner; and   d) convey the scan results to a server.   
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the scanner comprises a processing unit configured to perform at least one of the following:
 a) control operation of the scanner;   b) send and receive instructions related to devices connected over the data network; and   c) manage execution of at least one work order, which is provided from a server.   
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the scanner comprises a programmable memory means. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 2 , wherein the electronic circuitry is at least partially integrated into at least one of the following:
 a) the patch panel;   b) the cross-connect panel; and   c) the scanner.   
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the device is a passive device, thereby a switched OFF device. 
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the device is an active device, thereby a switched ON device. 
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein each panel comprises a microcontroller and/or processing unit configured to control operation of said each panel and of at least one unit of said each panel. 
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the panel comprises a programmable memory means. 
     
     
         20 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the panel comprises a plurality of ports, each port having a plurality of electrically conductive terminals. 
     
     
         21 . The system according to  claim 20 , wherein each port has a mating interface, including a contact portion of each terminal to the port. 
     
     
         22 . The system according to  claim 20 , wherein each port comprises an electrical connector receptacle. 
     
     
         23 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the panel comprises a Light Emitting Diode (LED) unit for activating at least one LED being related to corresponding at least one Keystone Jack (KJ) of said panel. 
     
     
         24 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the electronic circuitry comprises at least one of the following:
 a) at least one impedance connected to a corresponding terminal of the panel;   b) a power supply for supplying power to said electronic circuitry; and   c) at least one sense component for enabling sensing the change in one of voltage or current level.   
     
     
         25 . The system according to  claim 24 , wherein the electronic circuitry further comprises an amplifier for amplifying the voltage level on the at least one sense component, giving rise to the amplified voltage level to be further processed and analyzed for determining one or more physically connected devices. 
     
     
         26 . The system according to  claim 24 , wherein the electronic circuitry further comprises a switch for enabling charging and discharging at least one capacitor, which is located within the device. 
     
     
         27 . The system according to  claim 24 , wherein the power supply is located within the scanner. 
     
     
         28 . The system according to  claim 24 , wherein the at least one sense component is located within the scanner. 
     
     
         29 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring is performed over a conventional cabling infrastructure. 
     
     
         30 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the conventional cabling infrastructure relates to the fiber optics infrastructure. 
     
     
         31 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the data network is at least one of the following:
 a) a local area network (LAN);   b) Ethernet;   c) a fire detection network;   d) an intrusion prevention network;   e) Intranet; and   f) Extranet.   
     
     
         32 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the device is one or more of the following:
 a) a panel;   b) a node;   c) a switch;   d) a unit or component;   e) a system;   f) an outlet; and   g) a port.   
     
     
         33 . The system according to  claim 32 , wherein the outlet is provided with at least one impedance component. 
     
     
         34 . The system according to  claim 32 , wherein the node is a remote node. 
     
     
         35 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the panel is connected to a network switch. 
     
     
         36 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the panel is physically located within a network switch. 
     
     
         37 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the scanner is further connected to a server, said server configured to perform at least one of the following:
 a) communicating with said scanner, and obtaining and storing the scanning results;   b) managing the devices over the data network; and   c) providing work orders over the data network.   
     
     
         38 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring is performed by using at least one of the following:
 a) a differential mode; and   b) a single-ended mode.   
     
     
         39 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one panel comprises a detection unit configured to enable detecting physically connected devices over the data network. 
     
     
         40 . A system configured to monitor patching between at least two devices over a data network, said system comprising at least one scanner being connected to each of said at least two devices over said data network for monitoring said patching, wherein at least one terminal of each device is connected to an electronic circuitry, which comprises one or more electronic components, for enabling said at least one scanner to determine changes in one of voltage or current level over at least one of said one or more electronic components, said changes occurring due to connecting or disconnecting each of said at least two devices over said data network, thereby enabling said at least one scanner to monitor patching between said at least two devices. 
     
     
         41 . The system according to  claim 40 , wherein the at least two devices are interconnected by means of at least one patch cord. 
     
     
         42 . The system according to  claim 41 , wherein the patch cord is at least one of the following or a combination thereof:
 a) a copper wire cable; and   b) a fiber optics cable.   
     
     
         43 . The system according to  claim 40 , wherein the scanner comprises a sensing unit configured to sense patching between the at least two panels, and configured to sense the physically connected devices over the data network. 
     
     
         44 . The system according to  claim 40 , wherein the device is one or more of the following:
 a) a patch panel;   b) a cross-connect panel;   c) a node;   d) a switch;   e) a unit or component;   f) a system;   g) an outlet; and   h) a port.   
     
     
         45 . The system according to  claim 44 , wherein the outlet is provided with at least one impedance component. 
     
     
         46 . The system according to  claim 44 , wherein the node is a remote node. 
     
     
         47 . The system according to  claim 44 , wherein each panel comprises a detection unit configured to enable detecting patching between the at least two panels. 
     
     
         48 . The system according to  claim 44 , wherein the patch panel is substantially identical to the cross-connect panel. 
     
     
         49 . The system according to  claim 40 , wherein the monitoring is performed substantially in real-time. 
     
     
         50 . The system according to  claim 40 , wherein the scanner comprises an Input/Output (I/O) Interface for communicating with the at least one panel. 
     
     
         51 . The system according to  claim 50 , wherein the I/O Interface comprises a plurality of I/O ports for enabling connecting the at least one panel to the scanner. 
     
     
         52 . The system according to  claim 50 , wherein the I/O Interface comprises a plurality of transceivers for enabling receiving and transmitting data. 
     
     
         53 . The system according to  claim 40 , wherein the scanner comprises a scan-mode activation unit for activating at least one scan-mode. 
     
     
         54 . The system according to  claim 53 , wherein the scan-mode activation unit comprises at least one switch for enabling switching from one scan-mode to another. 
     
     
         55 . The system according to  claim 53 , wherein the scan-mode is selected from at least one of the following:
 a) a patching scan-mode;   b) an impedance scan-mode;   c) an inductance scan-mode;   d) a capacitance scan-mode; and   e) a port detecting scan-mode.   
     
     
         56 . The system according to  claim 40 , wherein the scanner further comprises a sensing unit for determining the changes in one of the voltage or current level. 
     
     
         57 . The system according to  claim 40 , wherein the scanner comprises a microcontroller configured to perform at least one of the following:
 a) control operation of a sensing unit of the scanner, said sensing unit enabling determining the changes in one of the voltage or current level;   b) select at least one corresponding panel port;   c) receive and process scan results from the scanner; and   d) convey the scan results to a server.   
     
     
         58 . The system according to  claim 40 , wherein the scanner comprises a processing unit configured to perform at least one of the following:
 a) control operation of the scanner;   b) send and receive instructions related to devices connected over the data network; and   c) manage execution of at least one work order, which is provided from a server.   
     
     
         59 . The system according to  claim 40 , wherein the scanner comprises a programmable memory means. 
     
     
         60 . The system according to  claim 44 , wherein the electronic circuitry is at least partially integrated into at least one of the following:
 a) the patch panel;   b) the cross-connect panel; and   c) the scanner.   
     
     
         61 . The system according to  claim 40 , wherein the device is a passive device, thereby a switched OFF device. 
     
     
         62 . The system according to  claim 40 , wherein the device is an active device, thereby a switched ON device. 
     
     
         63 . The system according to  claim 44 , wherein each panel comprises a microcontroller and/or processing unit configured to control operation of said each panel and of at least one unit of said each panel. 
     
     
         64 . The system according to  claim 44 , wherein the panel comprises a programmable memory means. 
     
     
         65 . The system according to  claim 40 , wherein the device comprises a plurality of ports, each port having a plurality of electrically conductive terminals. 
     
     
         66 . The system according to  claim 65 , wherein each port has a mating interface, including a contact portion of each terminal to the port. 
     
     
         67 . The system according to  claim 65 , wherein each port comprises an electrical connector receptacle. 
     
     
         68 . The system according to  claim 40 , wherein the device comprises a Light Emitting Diode (LED) unit for activating at least one LED being related to corresponding at least one Keystone Jack (KJ) of said device. 
     
     
         69 . The system according to  claim 40 , wherein the electronic circuitry comprises at least one of the following:
 a) at least one impedance connected to a corresponding terminal of the panel;   b) a power supply for supplying power to said electronic circuitry; and   c) at least one sense component for enabling sensing the change in one of voltage or current level.   
     
     
         70 . The system according to  claim 69 , wherein the electronic circuitry further comprises an amplifier for amplifying the voltage level on the at least one sense component, giving rise to the amplified voltage level to be further processed and analyzed for determining one or more physically connected devices. 
     
     
         71 . The system according to  claim 69 , wherein the electronic circuitry further comprises a switch for enabling charging and discharging at least one capacitor, which is located within the device. 
     
     
         72 . The system according to  claim 69 , wherein the power supply is located within the scanner. 
     
     
         73 . The system according to  claim 69 , wherein the at least one sense component is located within the scanner. 
     
     
         74 . The system according to  claim 40 , wherein the monitoring is performed over a conventional cabling infrastructure. 
     
     
         75 . The system according to  claim 74 , wherein the conventional cabling infrastructure relates to the fiber optics infrastructure. 
     
     
         76 . The system according to  claim 40 , wherein the data network is at least one of the following:
 a) a local area network (LAN);   b) Ethernet;   c) a fire detection network;   d) an intrusion prevention network;   e) Intranet; and   f) Extranet.   
     
     
         77 . The system according to  claim 40 , wherein the scanner is further connected to a server, said server configured to perform at least one of the following:
 a) communicating with said scanner, and obtaining and storing the scanning results;   b) managing the devices over the data network; and   c) providing work orders over the data network.   
     
     
         78 . The system according to  claim 40 , wherein the monitoring is performed by using at least one of the following:
 a) a differential mode; and   b) a single-ended mode.   
     
     
         79 . A method of monitoring devices that are physically connected over a data network, said method comprising:
 a) providing at least one scanner configured to monitor devices that are physically connected over the data network;   b) providing at least one panel connected to said at least one scanner over said data network, wherein at least one terminal of each panel is further connected to an electronic circuitry, which comprises one or more electronic components; and   c) determining changes in one of voltage or current level over at least one of said one or more electronic components, said changes occurring due to connecting or disconnecting devices over said data network, thereby enabling to monitor devices that are physically connected over said data network.   
     
     
         80 . The method according to  claim 79 , further comprising selecting the panel from one of the following:
 a) a patch panel; and   b) a cross-connect panel.   
     
     
         81 . The method according to  claim 79 , wherein the monitoring is performed substantially in real-time. 
     
     
         82 . The method according to  claim 79 , further comprising activating at least one scan-mode. 
     
     
         83 . The method according to  claim 82 , further comprising selecting the scan-mode from at least one of the following:
 a) a patching scan-mode;   b) an impedance scan-mode;   c) an inductance scan-mode;   d) a capacitance scan-mode; and   e) a port detecting scan-mode.   
     
     
         84 . The method according to  claim 79 , further comprising selecting the device from one or more of the following:
 a) a panel;   b) a node;   c) a switch;   d) a unit or component;   e) a system;   f) an outlet; and   g) a port.   
     
     
         85 . The method according to  claim 79 , wherein the monitoring is performed by using at least one of the following:
 a) a differential mode; and   b) a single-ended mode.   
     
     
         86 . A method of monitoring patching between at least two devices over a data network, said method comprising:
 a) providing at least one scanner being connected to each of the at least two devices over said data network, said at least one scanner configured to monitor said patching;   b) providing an electronic circuitry, which comprises one or more electronic components, said electronic circuitry connected to at least one terminal of each device; and   c) determining changes in one of voltage or current level over at least one of said one or more electronic components, said changes occurring due to connecting or disconnecting each of said at least two devices over said data network, thereby enabling to monitor patching between said at least two devices.   
     
     
         87 . The method according to  claim 86 , further comprising interconnecting the at least two devices by means of at least one patch cord. 
     
     
         88 . The method according to  claim 87 , further comprising providing the patch cord as at least one of the following or a combination thereof:
 a) a copper wire cable; and   b) a fiber optics cable.   
     
     
         89 . The method according to  claim 86 , wherein the monitoring is performed substantially in real-time. 
     
     
         90 . The method according to  claim 86 , further comprising activating at least one scan-mode. 
     
     
         91 . The method according to  claim 90 , further comprising selecting the scan-mode from at least one of the following:
 a) a patching scan-mode;   b) an impedance scan-mode;   c) an inductance scan-mode;   d) a capacitance scan-mode; and   e) a port detecting scan-mode.   
     
     
         92 . The method according to  claim 86 , further comprising selecting the device from one or more of the following:
 a) a panel;   b) a node;   c) a switch;   d) a unit or component;   e) a system;   f) an outlet; and   g) a port.   
     
     
         93 . The method according to  claim 86 , wherein the monitoring is performed by using at least one of the following:
 a) a differential mode; and   b) a single-ended mode.