Patent ID: 7170393
Filing Date: 2007-01-30
Classification: G01R,G06K

Abstract:
1. 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 the number of columns of device ports and a number of row antennas equal to the number of rows of device ports, and wherein each column antenna is in said close physical proximity to each of the plurality of device ports in a corresponding one of said columns of device ports and each row antenna is in said close physical proximity to each of the plurality of device ports in a corresponding one of said rows of device ports.