Systems and methods of identifying patch cord connections in a communications patching system using common mode transmission

Abstract

A communications patching system includes first and second patch panels, each having a plurality of connector ports, and a patch cord that is configured to selectively interconnect a connector port in the first patch panel with a connector port in the second patch panel. Each patch panel includes a port identification circuit that is electrically coupled with the connector ports of the respective patch panel. The port identification circuit of each patch panel is configured to transmit a signal to a connector port of the other patch panel over a common mode transmission path of the patch cord. The first and second connector ports connected by the patch cord are identified from the signal path.

1. A method of identifying the physical location of first and second patch cord connectors of a patch cord in a communications patching system, wherein the first patch cord connector is inserted within a first patch panel connector port and the second patch cord connector is inserted within a second patch panel connector port, the method comprising:
 transmitting a signal from the first patch panel connector port to the second patch panel connector port over a common mode transmission path of the patch cord simultaneously with data transmission over a differential mode transmission path of the patch cord; and 
 identifying the first and second patch panel connector ports based at least in part on the transmitted signal. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the signal comprises a DC signal. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the signal comprises an AC signal. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising logging the location of the patch cord connectors in a database. 
     
     
       5. A method of identifying the physical location of patch cord connectors in a communications patching system, wherein the communications patching system includes a first patch panel having a plurality of connector ports and a first port identification circuit electrically coupled with the first patch panel connector ports, a second patch panel having a plurality of connector ports and a second port identification circuit electrically coupled with the second patch panel connector ports, and a patch cord having one connector inserted within a connector port in the first patch panel and an opposite connector inserted within a connector port in the second patch panel, the method comprising:
 transmitting, via the first port identification circuit, a signal from the first patch panel connector port to the second patch panel connector port over a common mode transmission path of the patch cord, wherein transmitting the signal over the common mode transmission path of the patch cord is performed simultaneously with data transmission over a differential mode transmission path of the patch cord; and 
 identifying the first and second patch panel connector ports from the signal path. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the signal comprises a DC signal. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the signal comprises an AC signal. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 5 , further comprising logging the location of the patch cord connectors. 
     
     
       9. A communications patching system, comprising:
 a first patch panel comprising a plurality of connector ports and a port identification circuit electrically coupled with the first patch panel connector ports; 
 a second patch panel comprising a plurality of connector ports and a port identification circuit electrically coupled with the second patch panel connector ports; and 
 a patch cord configured to selectively interconnect a connector port in the first patch panel with a connector port in the second patch panel; 
 wherein the port identification circuit of each patch panel is configured to transmit a signal to a connector port of the other patch panel over a common mode transmission path of the patch cord, wherein the first and second connector ports connected by the patch cord are identified from the signal path, and wherein the port identification circuit of each patch panel is configured to transmit a signal over the common mode transmission path of the patch cord simultaneously with data transmission over a differential mode transmission path of the patch cord. 
 
     
     
       10. The communications patching system of  claim 9 , further comprising a database that logs patch cord interconnections with connector ports of the first and second patch panels. 
     
     
       11. The communications patching system of  claim 9 , wherein the port identification circuit of each patch panel is configured to transmit a DC signal over the common mode transmission path of a patch cord. 
     
     
       12. The communications patching system of  claim 9 , wherein the port identification circuit of each patch panel is configured to transmit an AC signal over the common mode transmission path of a patch cord. 
     
     
       13. A method of transmitting signals through a communications patching system that comprises one or more patch panels and at least one patch cord, the method comprising:
 transmitting a differential signal over a pair of conductive paths in the communications patching system; 
 simultaneously transmitting a first common mode signal over the pair of conductive paths; and 
 using the common mode signal to identify patching system connector ports. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the pair of conductive paths comprise one of a plurality of differential pairs in the patch cord. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the common mode signal is used to identify the communications ports on the one or more patch panels to which the patch cord is connected. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first common mode signal is generated by a port identification circuit of the patching system. 
     
     
       17. The method of claim 1, wherein the common mode transmission path of the patch cord comprises a first differential pair of conductors and a second differential pair of conductors of the patch cord. 
     
     
       18. The method of claim 17, wherein a positive component of the signal is coupled onto both of the conductors of the first differential pair of conductors and a negative component of the signal is coupled onto both of the conductors of the second differential pair of conductors. 
     
     
       19. The method of claim 17, wherein the signal is inductively coupled onto the conductors of the first and second differential pairs of conductors. 
     
     
       20. The method of claim 19, wherein a first center tapped inductor is used to couple a first portion of the signal onto the two conductors of the first differential pair of conductors and a second center tapped inductor is used to couple a second portion of the signal onto the two conductors of the second differential pair of conductors. 
     
     
       21. The method of claim 17, wherein the signal is capacitively coupled onto conductors of the first and second differential pairs of conductors. 
     
     
       22. The method of claim 17, wherein the signal is transmitted on each conductor of the first differential pair of conductors in a first direction and the signal returns on each conductor of the second differential pair of conductors in a second direction that is opposite the first direction. 
     
     
       23. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising transmitting the signal from the first patch panel connector port to the second patch panel connector port over the common mode transmission path of the patch cord in response to determining that the patch cord has been inserted into the first patch panel connector port. 
     
     
       24. The method of claim 5, wherein the first port identification circuit comprises a circuit that generates the signal that is transmitted over the common mode transmission path of the patch cord. 
     
     
       25. The method of claim 5, wherein the common mode transmission path of the patch cord comprises a first differential pair of conductors and a second differential pair of conductors of the patch cord. 
     
     
       26. The method of claim 25, wherein a positive component of the signal is coupled onto both of the conductors of the first differential pair of conductors and a negative component of the signal is coupled onto both of the conductors of the second differential pair of conductors. 
     
     
       27. The communications patching system of claim 9, wherein the common mode transmission path of the patch cord comprises a first pair of conductors of the patch cord and a second pair of conductors of the patch cord. 
     
     
       28. The communications patching system of claim 27, further comprising a circuit that is configured to couple a positive component of the signal onto both of the conductors of the first pair of conductors of the patch cord and to couple a negative component of the signal onto both of the conductors of the second pair of conductors of the patch cord. 
     
     
       29. The communications patching system of claim 28, wherein the circuit comprises a first center-tapped inductor that is connected to the conductors of the first pair of conductors of the patch cord and a second center-tapped inductor that is connected to the conductors of the second pair of conductors of the patch cord. 
     
     
       30. The communications patching system of claim 9, further comprising a switch that is configured to identify when the patch cord is inserted into one of the plurality of connector ports on the second patch panel. 
     
     
       31. A method of identifying a first connector port and a second connector port that are connected by a patch cord that includes a plurality of pairs of conductors, the method comprising:
 determining that the patch cord has been inserted into the first connector port;   in response to determining that the patch cord has been inserted into the first connector port, transmitting a signal over a common mode transmission path of the patch cord simultaneously with data transmission over a differential mode transmission path of the patch cord, wherein the common mode transmission path comprises a first of the plurality of pairs of conductors of the patch cord and a second of the plurality of pairs of conductors of the patch cord; and   identifying the first and second connector ports based at least in part on the transmitted signal;   wherein the signal is transmitted on both conductors of the first of the plurality of pairs of conductors in a first direction and the signal returns on both conductors of the second of the plurality of pairs of conductors in a second direction that is opposite the first direction.   
     
     
       32. The method of claim 31, wherein a mechanical switch is used to determine that the patch cord has been inserted into the first connector port. 
     
     
       33. The method of claim 31, wherein an electrical switch is used to determine that the patch cord has been inserted into the first connector port. 
     
     
       34. A method of transmitting a common mode signal over a common mode transmission path of a patch cord that has a first patch cord connector that is inserted within a first connector port and a second patch cord connector that is inserted within a second connector port, the patch cord including a plurality of differential pairs, the method comprising:
 transmitting the common mode signal from the first connector port to the second connector port on each conductor of a first of the plurality of differential pairs of the patch cord and providing a return path for the common mode signal from the second connector port to the first connector port on each conductor of a second of the plurality of differential pairs of the patch cord; and   using the common mode signal to identify that the patch cord is connected between the first and second connector ports,   wherein the current of the common mode signal flows in a first direction on each conductor of the first of the plurality of differential pairs of the patch cord and the current of the common mode signal flows in a second direction that is opposite the first direction on each conductor of the second of the plurality of differential pairs of the patch cord, and   wherein the common mode signal is transmitted simultaneously with data transmission over a differential mode transmission path of the patch cord.   
     
     
       35. The method of claim 34, wherein the common mode signal comprises an AC signal. 
     
     
       36. The method of claim 34, wherein the common mode signal is inductively coupled onto the conductors of the first and second differential pairs of the patch cord. 
     
     
       37. The method of claim 36, wherein the common mode signal is inductively coupled onto the conductors of the first and second differential pairs of the patch cord using first and second center tapped inductors. 
     
     
       38. The method of claim 34, wherein the common mode signal is capacitively coupled onto conductors of the first and second differential pairs of the patch cord. 
     
     
       39. A method of identifying a first patch panel connector port and a second patch panel connector port in a communications patching system that are connected by a patch cord, the method comprising:
 transmitting a signal from the first patch panel connector port to the second patch panel connector port over a common mode transmission path of the patch cord simultaneously with data transmission over a differential mode transmission path of the patch cord; and   identifying the first and second patch panel connector ports based at least in part on the transmitted signal.