Visual cable builder

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a visual cable builder, and accompanying systems, methods, and computer programs. Specifically, a plurality of selectable characteristics of a cable component are displayed to a user. A user selection is received of various selectable characteristic(s) of a cable component. Respective display element(s) associated with the user selection of the selectable characteristic(s) are retrieved. The display element(s) are displayed to the user as part of a configured communications cable. In some embodiments, a part number may also be displayed, the part number being generated based on the selected characteristic(s) of the configured communications cable. An alias part number may also be inputted by the user, which may then be associated with the configured communications cable.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for providing interactive visualization of a configurable communications cable:
 under control of a client device,
 displaying a user interface for configuring a communications cable, 
 in response to a user selection of a selectable characteristic of a cable component, sending a request of the selection to an application server, 
   under control of an application server,
 receiving the request, 
 retrieving a display element associated with the selected characteristic of the cable component, and 
 displaying the display element to the user as part of a configured communications cable. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the cable component comprises a first connector. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the selectable characteristic of the first connector comprises a first connector type. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the selectable characteristic of the first connector comprises a first connector polish. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the cable component further comprises a second connector. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the selectable characteristic of the second connector comprises a second connector type. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the selectable characteristic of the second connector comprises a second connector polish. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the cable component further comprises a cable. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the selectable characteristic of the cable comprises a fiber core. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the selectable characteristic of the cable comprises the strand type. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the selectable characteristic of the cable comprises the cable length. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the selectable characteristic of the cable comprises the jacket color. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the selectable characteristic of the cable comprises the jacket type. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the selectable characteristic of the cable comprises the jacket diameter. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 displaying a part number for the configured communications cable, the part number being generated based on one or more of the selected characteristics of the configured communications cable. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising:
 receiving an alias part number transmitted from the client device at the application server, 
 associating the alias part number with the configured communications cable, wherein the configured communications cable is already associated with another identifier. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving a request from the client device to check the inventory of the configured communications cable, 
 displaying inventory data. 
 
     
     
         18 . A computer program on a non-transitory computer readable medium, for execution by a computer for providing interactive visualization of a configurable communications cable, the computer program comprising:
 a user input code segment configured to:
 display a plurality of selectable characteristics of a cable component to a user, 
 receive a user selection of selectable characteristic(s) of the cable component from the user, 
   a cable display code segment configured to:
 retrieve respective display element(s) associated with the user selection of the selectable characteristic(s) of the cable component, 
 display the display element(s) to the user as part of a configured communications cable. 
   
     
     
         19 . The computer program of  claim 18  further comprising:
 a parts number code segment configured to:
 display a part number for the configured communications cable, the part number being generated based on the selected characteristic(s) of the configured communications cable. 
 
 
     
     
         20 . The computer program of  claim 19  further comprising:
 an alias part number code segment configured to:
 receive an alias part number inputted by the user, 
 associate the alias part number with the configured communications cable, wherein the configured communications cable is already associated with another identifier.