Component identification and tracking system for telecommunication networks

Abstract

Identification elements (e.g., tracking elements, tracing elements, locating elements, etc.) ( 22 A, 100 ) are provided on various communication components ( 20, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 35, 36, 40, 42, 48, 49, 60, 62, 64, 120 ) provided within a communication network such as a fiber optic network or a copper network. Fiber optic hubs 20 can be identified and/or managed. Data centers ( 110 ) with patch panels ( 120 ) can also be identified and/or managed. Example passive identification elements include bar codes (e.g., 2d barcodes) and radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. In certain embodiments, RFID tags and the bar codes can include network information included therein. In certain embodiments, bar codes can be used to direct technicians to network links at which additional information stored elsewhere is provided. In certain embodiments, identification elements can be provided on communication components through an application downloaded to a mobile device by scanning the bar code. Such application on the mobile device can then be used to manage the network connections, change the network connections, or check the status of the network connections. Multiple mobile devices can be used and synchronized together with a central application, website or network. One example bar code useful for reading information from a network device and linking to a management application is a QR code ( 100 ).

1 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A communications system configured to carry communications signals over a communications network, the communications system comprising:
 a communications panel of the communications network, the communications panel including a plurality of receptacles at which connectorized ends of cables can be received; and   an identifying element disposed at the patch panel, the identifying element being associated with information about the communications panel and with a link to an application for downloading to a mobile device for managing the information about connectivity of the patch panel.   
     
     
         13 . The communications system of  claim 12 , wherein the identifying element is an RFID tag. 
     
     
         14 . The communications system of  claim 12 , wherein the identifying element is a bar code. 
     
     
         15 . The communications system of  claim 14 , wherein the bar code is a two dimensional barcode. 
     
     
         16 . The communications system of  claim 15 , wherein the two dimensional barcode is a QR code. 
     
     
         17 . The communications system of  claim 12 , wherein the receptacles of the communications panel include ports of optical adapters configured to receive connectorized ends of optical cables. 
     
     
         18 . The communications system of  claim 12 , wherein the receptacles of the communications panel include jack sockets configured to receive connectorized ends of electrical cables. 
     
     
         19 . The communications system of  claim 12 , wherein the information about the communications panel includes test results. 
     
     
         20 . The communications system of  claim 12 , wherein the information about the communications panel includes user manuals. 
     
     
         21 . The communications system of  claim 12 , wherein the information about the communications panel includes reorder information. 
     
     
         22 . The communications system of  claim 12 , wherein the information about the communications panel includes product pricing and availability. 
     
     
         23 . The communications system of  claim 12 , wherein the information about the communications panel includes warranty information. 
     
     
         24 . The communications system of  claim 12 , wherein the application for managing the information enables a user to manually enter network connections made at the communications panel. 
     
     
         25 . The communications system of  claim 12 , further comprising a mobile device configured to read the identifying element and to download the application via the link. 
     
     
         26 . The communications system of  claim 22 , wherein the mobile device is configured to locally store information obtained from scanning the identifying element and to communicate the information about the connectivity to the management network at a subsequent time. 
     
     
         27 . A method of tracking connections within a communications network, the method comprising:
 providing an identifying element on a communications panel;   associating the identifying element with port identification information and port mapping information for the communications panel;   associating the identifying element with an internet link to a management application downloadable to a mobile device, the management application being configured to enable the user to update the port mapping information.   
     
     
         28 . A method of updating port mapping of a communications panel, the method comprising:
 accessing a management application on a mobile device;   providing identifying information about the communications panel, the identifying information including a room number, a row number, a rack number, a panel number of the communications panel, the identifying information also including an identifying element associated with the communications panel;   storing the identifying information locally on the mobile device; and   updating port identification information of the communications panel using the management application.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising viewing existing connections between ports of the communications panel to make a manual check and verification of the connections.