Port occupancy detection

Port occupancy can be detected by positioning signal responders on shutters disposed at the ports. The signal responders are detectable when the shutters are undeflected (i.e., the respective ports are available). The signal responders are not detectable when the shutters are deflected (i.e., the respective ports are occupied). The signal responders may include RFID tags. Each shutter having a corresponding signal responder may span more than one port.

BACKGROUND

Automated systems have been developed for monitoring and recording cable connections at termination ports. However, many of these known systems require active electronics to be incorporated into the systems at the termination ports. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,994,547 discloses a circuit board carrying signal emitters (e.g., an infra-red emitter) and corresponding signal detectors (e.g., an infra-red detector) mounted at a patch panel. In such systems, the emitters and detectors are disposed at opposite sides of the termination ports, thereby limiting the density of the termination ports. Further, in such systems, the emitters and detectors are each hardwires to processors via the circuit board; each of these components takes up space within the system.

Others of these known systems require the use of specialized cables (e.g., cables having a sensing wire) or cables terminated by specialized plug connectors (e.g., plug connectors that carry identification components, sensing pads, etc.) that interact with detectors at the ports. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 9,140,859 discloses mounting EEPROMs storing physical layer information (PLI) onto plug connectors along with a contact interface. As another example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,468,669 discloses interconnect cables terminated by plug connectors carrying RFID transponders that can be read by a handheld RFID scanner.

RFID is a generic term for technologies that use radio waves or radio frequency (RF) signals to automatically identify objects. Passive and active RFID transponders or tags contain coiled antennas to enable them to receive and respond to radio-frequency queries from an RFID reader or transceiver (which also includes an antenna). Once queried, the RFID transponder generates a radio wave signal containing information concerning the tagged object. The transceiver converts the radio waves returned from the RFID transponder into a form that can be stored and manipulated on a computer, such as digital bytes of data. Passive RFID transponders do not have a power supply. A minute electrical current induced in an antenna of the transponder by the incoming radio-frequency query scan provides enough power for the transponder to transmit a response in the form of the stored data. Active RFID transponders have an on-board power source and may have longer ranges and larger memories than passive tags. Semi-passive RFID transponders may use an on-board power source to run the transponder's circuitry, but communicate with the reader by drawing power from the radio wave generated by the reader, like a passive transponder. Memory chips in RFID transponders may be configured as read-write or read-only, depending upon the particular application. Particular advantages to RFID identification systems are that such systems are reliable, cost effective, and the components can be very small in size.

Improvements are desired. For example, automated systems that can detect insertion and/or removal of non-specialized plug connectors and non-specialized cables are desired. Further, automated systems with enhanced port density are desired.

SUMMARY

Some aspects of the disclosure are directed to systems, components, and methods for sensing the presence of a plug connector at a port. In certain implementations, the port is defined by an optical adapter. A shutter is mounted at the port to move between an undeflected position and a deflected position. The shutter blocks access to the port when in the undeflected position. The shutter allows access to the port when in the deflected position. The shutter carries a component to be sensed when the shutter moves between the undeflected and deflected positions. The component and a reader are configured to determine whether the shutter is disposed in the undeflected position or the deflected position. In certain examples, the reader cannot sense the component when the shutter is disposed in the deflected position.

In various implementations, the port is one of many ports defined by an optical component, such as a termination module, a termination cassette, a termination block, a termination panel, a termination blade, etc.

In certain implementations, the component includes an RFID tag and the reader includes an RFID reader configured to transmit power to the RFID tag and to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal back from the RFID tag in response.

In certain examples, the RFID tag changes between first and second orientations relative to the reader when the shutter moves between the undeflected and deflected positions. In certain examples, the reader is able to sense the RFID tag when the RFID tag is disposed in the first orientation and is not able to sense the RFID tag when the RFID tag is disposed in the second orientation.

In certain examples, at least a portion of the RFID tag contacts an inhibitor that impedes the ability of the RFID tag to send signals back to the reader. The RFID tag contacts the inhibitor when the shutter is disposed in the deflected position and does not contact the inhibitor when the shutter is disposed in the undeflected position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure is directed to a termination component100including a body110carrying a plug receptacle112defining a termination port114. A shutter116is mounted to the body110at the plug receptacle112. The shutter116is movable between an undeflected position and a deflected position. When the termination port114is unoccupied (i.e., when no plug connector is received at the plug receptacle112), the shutter116is disposed in the undeflected position (e.g., see shutter116ainFIG.1). When a plug connector118is received at the plug receptacle112, the shutter116is disposed in the deflected position (e.g., see shutter116binFIG.1).

The shutter116has an exterior side120that faces outwardly from the port114and an interior side122that faces into the port114when the shutter116is disposed in the undeflected position. An insertion axis I for each plug receptacle112intersects the interior side122of the shutter116when the shutter116is disposed in the undeflected position. When moved to the deflected position, the insertion axis I no longer intersects the shutter116. In some implementations, the shutter116extends generally vertically across the insertion axis I. In other implementations, however, the shutter116extends at an angle across the insertion axis I (e.g., seeFIG.3).

A signal responder124is mounted to the shutter116. The signal responder124is configured to emit a response signal when a triggering signal (e.g., a query signal from an RFID scanner) is received. The shutter116carries the signal responder124along as the shutter116moves between the undeflected and deflected positions. The signal responder124is detectable (e.g., emits a response signal readable by the RFID scanner) when the shutter116is disposed in the undeflected position. The signal responder124is not detectable (e.g., is unable to receive the triggering signal and/or is unable to emit the response signal) when the shutter116is disposed in the deflected position.

In certain implementations, the signal responder124includes both a memory that stores a response signal (e.g., a serial identification number) and a transceiver that enables the stored response signal to be wirelessly transmitted to a scanner (e.g., a handheld scanner). For example, the signal responder124can include an RFID tag. In some examples, the signal responder124includes an active RFID tag. In other examples, the signal responder124includes a passive RFID tag. In some examples, the signal responder124includes a read-only memory. In other examples, the signal responder124includes a read-write memory. In still other examples, the signal responder124includes a WORM (write once, read many) memory.

FIG.5illustrates an example signal responder124suitable for use with the termination component100. InFIG.5, the signal responder124is implemented as an RFID transponder. The signal responder124includes a substrate130carrying an integrated circuit132and an antenna134. The integrated circuit132includes a memory136in which the response signal is stored and a processor138that reads the memory136when sufficient power is received by the antenna134. The processor138also causes the antenna134to transmit the stored information (e.g., as radio-frequency signals).

In some implementations, movement of the signal responder124to the deflected position renders the signal responder124unreadable by moving the signal responder124out of alignment with the scanner. For example, an antenna of the signal responder124may no longer be disposed within the electro-magnetic field generated by the scanner. In other implementations, movement of the signal responder124to the deflected position may cause physical contact between the signal responder124and an inhibitor128. For example, the inhibitor128may be formed of a material (e.g., metal) that interferes with the functioning of the signal responder124(e.g., interferes with the134antenna of the signal responder124).

In certain implementations, the shutter116is biased to the undeflected position by a spring126. In certain examples, the spring126includes a metal leaf spring. In certain implementations, the spring126has a first part126athat extends over the interior side122of the shutter116and a second part126bthat extends into the port114of the plug receptacle112. In certain examples, the second part126bof the spring126forms the inhibitor128. In some implementations, the signal responder124(e.g., an antenna of the signal responder124) physically contacts the second part126bof the spring126when the shutter116is disposed in the deflected position. In other implementations, the signal responder124is positioned sufficiently close to the inhibitor128to interfere with the emission and/or reception of radio frequency signals at the signal responder124.

In use, a scanner (e.g., a handheld scanner) sends out a triggering signal (e.g., a radio frequency signal) towards the signal responders124at the termination component100. As each signal responder124receives the triggering signal, the signal responder124transmits the response signal stored in memory136using the antenna134. The scanner receives the response signals from the signal responders124and provides the signals to a system processor (e.g., within the scanner, cabled to the scanner, wirelessly connected to the scanner, etc.). By analyzing the response signals received, the system processor can determine which shutters116are deflected and which shutters116are undeflected. From this information, the system processor can make a logical inference of which termination ports are occupied and which ports are available.

In certain implementations, it is possible to automatically track the connections (e.g., patching connections) within a communications system by detecting the insertions and removals of cables (e.g., of plug connectors terminating the cables) at the termination ports if operators of the system follow certain conventions when making connections. For example, when an operator inserts a plug connector terminating a first end of a cable into a port114on a first termination component100, the plug connector pushes the shutter116from the undeflected position to the deflected position. If the scanner is periodically sending out triggering signals (e.g., every few seconds, every few milliseconds, every few microseconds, every few minutes, etc.), then the system processor will detect this insertion when the scanner stops receiving a response signal from the signal responder associated with the shutter116deflected by the plug. At some point in time thereafter, the operator inserts a second plug terminating the opposite end of the cable into a port114on another termination component100(e.g., the same termination component or another termination component). The system processor will detect this insertion when the scanner stops receiving a response signal from the signal responder associated with the shutter116deflected by the second plug. By instructing operators of the communications system to always plug in the two ends of a cable into their respective connector ports before proceeding to plug in (or remove) any other cables in the communications system, the communications system may make a logical inference that a cable is connected between the identified ports on the first and second termination components100. Thus, in this fashion, the communications system may automatically track connections between the termination components100without specialized cables or specialized plug connectors. Similar operations may be performed to track the removal of cables.

In certain implementations, the signal responder124is mounted to the interior side122of the shutter116and so it not accessible from an exterior of the port114. In certain examples, the signal responder124is recessed into the interior side122of the shutter116(e.g., seeFIG.8). For example, the signal responder124can be mounted within a pocket123defined in the shutter116at the interior side122. In some examples, the pocket123is sufficiently shallow to enable the signal responder124to contact the inhibitor128(e.g., the second part126bof the spring126) when the shutter116is deflected. In other examples, the pocket123is sufficiently deep to prevent direct contact between the signal responder124and the inhibitor128.

As shown inFIGS.6-9, one or more shutters116can be formed as modular shutter sub-assembly150that mount within ports114at a termination component100. For example, one or more shutters116can be mounted to a substrate140that is mountable at the termination component100. In the example shown, a first shutter116is mountable to a first side of the substrate140and a second shutter116is mountable to a second side of the substrate140. In other examples, the substrate may carry one or more shutters116at only one of the sides. The first shutter116and the second shutter116move between the respective undeflected and deflected positions independently of each other. In certain implementations, each shutter116is moved by a respective spring126that is not shared with the other shutters116on the substrate140.

In certain implementations, each shutter116is sized and shaped to selectively block and provide access to two adjacent ports114(e.g., seeFIG.1). For example, as shown inFIG.7, a shutter116may have a first portion116athat blocks access to a first port114and a second portion116bthat blocks access to a second port114that is adjacent the first port114. The first and second portions116a,116bmove unitarily with each other as the shutter116is moved between the undeflected and deflected positions. In certain examples, only one inhibitor128is carried by each other. For example, the shutter116may be disposed at a pair of ports intended to receive a duplex connector. Accordingly, the pair of ports can be determined to be “occupied” or “available” as a single unit.

The substrate140of each modular shutter sub-assembly150includes an attachment arrangement that holds the modular shutter sub-assembly150to the termination component100. In the example shown, the attachment arrangement includes a latch arm142extend into the termination component100from the substrate140. In certain examples, the attachment arrangement also can include a frame152that mounts to the termination component100to hold the modular component150at the termination component100. For example, the frame152shown inFIG.6includes a bar154that extends over surfaces144of the modular shutter assemblies150to hold the modular shutter assemblies150at the termination component100.

Having described the preferred aspects and implementations of the present disclosure, modifications and equivalents of the disclosed concepts may readily occur to one skilled in the art. For example, the shutters116carrying the signal responders124can be mountable at ports114defined by adapter blocks, optical patch panels, optical panels, etc. However, it is intended that such modifications and equivalents be included within the scope of the claims which are appended hereto.