Patent Publication Number: US-9838761-B2

Title: Intelligent patching system

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/797,635, filed Jul. 13, 2015, which will issue as U.S. Pat. No. 9,426,032 on Aug. 23, 2016; which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/081,443, filed Nov. 15, 2013, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,083,088 on Jul. 14, 2015; which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/616,424, filed Nov. 11, 2009, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,588,050 on Nov. 19, 2013; which claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 61/113,868, filed Nov. 12, 2008, the subject matter of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present application relates to network documentation and revision systems, and more particularly to a system for implementing an intelligent interconnect and cross-connect patching system. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Communications networks are growing in number and complexity, and are continually being interconnected to satisfy customers&#39; needs. Patch panels are used in communications networks as intermediate elements between horizontal cabling (to which endpoint devices such as computers and telephones are connected) and network switches. Specifically, patch panels include a panel of network ports that connect incoming and outgoing lines of a local area network (LAN) or other communication system. In a LAN, for example, the patch panel connects the network&#39;s computers to switches or routers that enable the LAN to connect to the Internet or another wide area network (WAN). Connections are made with patch cords. The patch panel allows connections to be arranged and rearranged by plugging and unplugging the patch cords. 
     When physical connections between endpoint devices and network switches are added, moved or removed, patch panels are the points at which technicians complete the required installations or removals of patch cords within patch fields. Patch panels offer the convenience of allowing technicians to quickly change the path of selected signals. 
     It is important to maintain a record of changes that are made to patch cord connections within the patch field. Proper documentation of changes in the patch field assures that the routing of patch cords is always known and further assures that any future changes are completed correctly. 
     Human error associated with the implementation and maintenance of physical cable connections between network communication equipment can result in significant negative impact to a network. Such negative impact can be avoided through improved control and verification of network cable installation and removal work orders implemented by network technicians. 
     SUMMARY 
     In some embodiments of the present invention, systems for guiding patch cord installations and removals in a network are provided. Patch panels are provided including ports and panel management modules (PMM) having the capability to detect insertion or removal of patch cords at ports of the patch panel. PMM&#39;s are also equipped to communicate with a network management system (NMS). Systems according to the present invention may also include additional patch panels having expansion modules (EM&#39;s). The EM&#39;s are connected to the PMM and extend the functionality of the system to additional patch panels while employing simpler electronics and lowering the overall cost of the system. Panels having PMM&#39;s or EM&#39;s installed therein are termed “intelligent patch panels.” 
     A system may be used to provide a method of guiding patch cord installations and removals in a cross-connect network by detecting insertion or removal of patch cords at ports of the patch panels. The method includes receiving a “nine-wire” patch cord into a patch panel port and determining whether a far end of the nine-wire patch cord is plugged into an intelligent patch panel. The method also includes initiating communications and exchanging data via a ninth wire of the nine-wire patch cord when both ends of the nine-wire patch cord are inserted into intelligent patch panel ports, and communicating connection status to the PMM. Further, the PMM is equipped to supply a network management system (NMS) with information regarding the connection. 
     The term “nine-wire” is used herein to denote an extra conductor being used beyond the eight conductors in a standard eight-conductor Ethernet patch cord. It is to be understood that this term denotes an additional conductor being used for patch cord management purposes, and thus the principles of this invention may be employed in, for example, optical systems or systems employing more or fewer than eight conductors, as long as an additional conductor in the patch cord can be used for management functions. Similarly, the term “ten-wire” is used herein to indicate patch cords and systems that have two additional conductors in patch cords that can be used for management functions. These terms are not meant to literally limit the present invention to include only patch cords having nine or ten wires within them. 
     The system may be used to provide for a method of guiding patch cord installations and removals in an interconnect network. This aspect of the present invention involves detecting insertion or removal of nine-wire patch cords at ports of an intelligent patch panel. Further, insertion or removal of switch-side patch cord plugs into switch ports is detected via various embodiments, including ground detection, as the ninth wire is connected to a grounding shield on a switch plug of the patch cord. 
     These and other aspects of the present invention are explained to those of ordinary skill in the art in the following detailed description, with reference to the drawings. It should be understood that the embodiments noted herein are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a cross-connect network architecture; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating an interconnect network architecture; 
         FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of an intelligent patch panel with a panel management module (PMM); 
         FIG. 4  is a rear perspective view of an intelligent patch panel with a panel management module (PMM); 
         FIG. 4 a    is a partially exploded view of an intelligent patch panel with a PMM; 
         FIG. 4 b    is a front view of a user interface; 
         FIG. 5  is a front perspective view of a PMM; 
         FIG. 6  is a rear perspective view of a PMM; 
         FIG. 7  is a rear perspective view of an expansion module (EM); 
         FIG. 8  is a front perspective view of a user interface; 
         FIG. 9  is a front perspective view of a patch panel blank insert; 
         FIG. 10  is a front perspective view of a wing board according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 11  is a block diagram of a configuration of PMM&#39;s and EM&#39;s; 
         FIG. 12  is a front view of an intelligent patch panel installed in an interconnect configuration; 
         FIGS. 12 a - d    show printed and graphical technician instructions presented on a PDA for patch cord operations in a “nine-wire” embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 13  is a side view illustrating the operation of an interconnect patch cord; 
         FIG. 14  is a side view of a shielded interconnect patch cord; 
         FIG. 15  is a front view of intelligent patch panels installed in a cross-connect configuration; 
         FIG. 16  is a rear view of a patch panel having a PMM that is daisy-chained to EM&#39;s; 
         FIGS. 17 a - d    show printed and graphical technician instructions presented on a PDA for patch cord operations in a “ten-wire” embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIGS. 18 a - d    show user interface modes according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present application provides a system with modular patch panels, panel management modules (and optional expansion modules), user interface modules, enhanced patch cords, and software that enables operations and management aspects of the system. Systems according to the present invention enable guided installation and removal of patch cords in cross-connect and interconnect environments. 
     Patch panel systems of the present application may be used within cross-connect or interconnect type architectures.  FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a cross-connect architecture  10 , which is a configuration including a switch  12  coupled to an end computer  18  through a first patch panel  14  and a second patch panel  16 . It is to be understood that the computer  18  could be replaced with any endpoint device, such as a VoIP phone or a wireless access point. In the present invention, the panels  14  and  16  are provided with “intelligence” in the form of active electronic components and circuitry, which may be provided in PMMs and wing boards for example. The switch  12  is connected to the first patch panel  14  via a standard patch cord  20 . The first and second patch panels  14  and  16  are connected via nine-wire cross-connect patch cords  22  (explained in more detail below; for clarity, only one is shown in  FIG. 1 ); and the second patch panel  16  is connected to the computer  18  via horizontal cabling  24 . One of the patch panels  14  is connected via an Ethernet management connection  26  to a network management system  28 , which may contain software to allow a user to view information about the connections between the first and second patch panels  14  and  16 . The network management system  28  may also be connected to the switch  12  via a switch connection  30 . 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating an interconnect architecture  32 , which is a configuration including a switch  12  coupled to the end computer  18  through one patch panel  14 . As with the cross-connect architecture, the panel  14  in an interconnect architecture is also provided with “intelligence” in the form of circuitry, preferably contained within a PMM as described further below. In the interconnect architecture  32 , the patch panel  14  is connected to the switch  12  with a nine-wire interconnect patch cord  88 . As described further below, in a preferred embodiment, determination of the connection of the nine-wire interconnect patch cord  88  to a port of the switch  12  is achieved via ground detection. 
       FIG. 3  is a front view of a PMM  36  installed within a patch panel  14 .  FIG. 4  is a rear view of a PMM  36  installed within a patch panel  14 . The PMM  36  provides a processor for managed network solution products and application-specific wing boards  38  (shown in  FIG. 10 ), which are installed along the left and right sides of the PMM and communicate with the PMM. Firmware within the PMM  36  allows the support of different types of wing boards. The wing boards, such as wing board  38 , may include discrete components, program array logic (PAL) devices, PIC microcontrollers, or microprocessors, and the PMM  36  may communicate with any of these devices. Arrow  39  in  FIG. 3  shows the location where a right wing board is installed. 
     The patch panels with PMMs include a provisioning port  40  (shown in  FIG. 3 ). The provisioning port  40  is part of a user interface  42  in a patch panel  14  having an installed PMM  36 . The provisioning port is used during the installation of interconnect patch cords. The user interface  42  has a number of LEDs used to provide information to a technician. Further, each port of the patch panel is provided with a patch panel port LED  44  to help guide a technician during the installation or removal of a patch cord. Preferably, the patch panel port LEDs  44  are tri-color LEDs (for example, red-green-amber) to enable the guiding of installation or removal of a patch cord as further described below. 
       FIG. 4 a    is a partially exploded view of an intelligent patch panel  14 , more clearly showing where elements of the patch panel are installed. The PMM  36  is installed at the rear of the intelligent patch panel  14  and the user interface  42  is installed in the front. Both the PMM  36  and the user interface  42  may be held in place with a mounting bracket  43 . Patch panel jacks  45  may be installed from the rear, as in standard patch panels. Specialized patch cords, such as the nine-wire interconnect patch cord  34  may be inserted into the jacks  45 , such that their ninth-wire contacts  96  are inserted between contact pairs  84  (as shown in  FIGS. 10 and 13 ) associated with each patch panel port. LEDs  44  associated with each patch panel port are also seen in  FIG. 4   a.    
       FIG. 4 b    is a front view of a user interface  42 . The user interface is shown with four LED&#39;s  47   a - d  which are used to indicate various types of information to a technician. For example, one LED  47   a  may be used to indicate to a technician the location of a panel on which a proper port is located for a cord installation procedure as described further below. Other LED&#39;s may be used for various status alerts as may be designed into the system. The user interface also includes two buttons  49   a  and  49   b , which a technician may use to interact with the user interface. For example, although many of the functions of patch panels according to the present invention are automatic, in one embodiment the first button  49   a  may be a “confirmation key” that a technician can press to indicate that a step has been completed. The second button  49   b  may be a “next key” to indicate that the technician wishes to move on to the next operation or command in certain installation or removal procedures. 
     These buttons may also be used in a “trace mode,” in which a technician may cycle through all of the patch panel ports to confirm the connectivity of patch cords in a patch field. For example, in a cross-connect environment, this mode may be used to illuminate LED&#39;s  44  associated with both ends of each patch cord in a serial manner. In a cross-connect environment, communication between patch panels allows for the tracing of all connectivity between patch panels via signaling along ninth wires of nine-wire patch cords and communication of that connectivity to an NMS. 
     The provisioning port  40  is provided on the user interface  42  and is used during interconnect patch cord installation. According to one embodiment, provisioning ports  40  are provided only on patch panels having PMM&#39;s installed. Patch panels with EM&#39;s installed will have all other elements of the user interface  42 , but they will not have provisioning ports  40 . 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , front and rear views of a PMM  36  are shown. The PMM  36  preferably includes three card edge connectors  46 ,  48 , and  50  that connect with the patch panel. The patch panel accepts the PMM in a center of the patch panel. The connector  46  mates with a user interface of the patch panel, while connectors  48  and  50  mate with left and right wing boards of the patch panel. As shown in  FIG. 6 , on the rear of the PMM  36  are two power ports  52  and  54 , which can allow for a daisy-chain power connection. The power ports  52  and  54  may be 48-volt DC power connectors, and the PMM  36  can use either connector to receive power, with the other available to pass power to another PMM, an EM, or other module. In another embodiment, only one power port  52  is provided. 
     In the center of the rear of the PMM  36  are two Ethernet ports  56  and  58 , which may be used for connecting to an Ethernet network and/or for daisy chaining Ethernet connectivity between PMM&#39;s or between a PMM and an EM (via a cat5e Ethernet cable, for example). The PMM also includes an additional data port  60  (such as an RS-485 port) that may be used for daisy-chaining to EM&#39;s or connecting to other expansion devices. 
       FIG. 7  shows a rear view of an expansion module (EM)  62 . The EM  62  is capable of performing some functions of the PMM, but it is electronically simpler than the PMM and therefore less expensive on a per-port basis. For example, the EM  62  does not support a provisioning port on a panel that it is installed on, and it does not support direct communication with an NMS. Rather, the EM has a data connection to the PMM, either directly or daisy-chained through other EM&#39;s. Daisy chaining of power is enabled by two power ports  64  and  66  on the EM, and daisy chaining of data connectivity is enabled by two data ports  68  and  70 , such as RS-485 ports. According to one embodiment, the data ports  68  and  70  are RJ-45 jacks. Daisy chaining configurations involving EMs  62  is shown in  FIGS. 11 and 16 . 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the user interface  42 . A card-edge connector  80  is provided on the back of the user interface  42  to connect to a PMM. According to one embodiment of the invention, a blank insert  82 , as shown in  FIG. 9 , may be installed on patch panels that do not allow the functionality of the user interface  42 . 
       FIG. 10  is a front view of a wing board  38 . The wing board is preferably a printed circuit board assembly that includes microcontrollers (not shown), patch panel port LED&#39;s  44 , and contact pairs  84 . The contact pairs  84  receive ninth-wire contacts of patch cords. Wing boards  38  may be attached to the left and right side of a patch panel. The wing boards are electrical/mechanical assemblies that provide the mechanical and electrical interfaces to patch cords as well as low-level communications hardware for data transfer between patch panels (through PMMs or EM&#39;s). The wing boards may selected from different designs, such as a power over Ethernet (PoE) wing board, a visual display wing board (such as a wing board with an LCD display), a variant wing board (such as a wingboard having environmental sensors such as temperature or moisture sensors) and/or combinations of the above. 
       FIG. 11  is a block diagram showing a basic architecture for a patch cord management system according to the present invention employing PMM&#39;s  36  and EM&#39;s  62 . In one embodiment, Ethernet ports  56  and  58  are used to daisy-chain PMM&#39;s  36  to one another for data connectivity between PMM&#39;s. For example, PMM patching cord  85   a  connects a first PMM  36   a  to a second PMM  36   b  by using a second Ethernet port  58   a  on the first PMM and a first Ethernet port  56   b  on the second PMM. In this embodiment, the first Ethernet port  56   a  of the first PMM  36   a  is connected to the customer network  86  for network management purposes. Additional PMM patching cords, which may be standard eight-conductor Ethernet patch cords, are used to allow for additional daisy chaining of more PMM&#39;s. 
     The data port  60   a  of the first PMM  36   a  is used to connect the first PMM  36   a  to a first EM  62   a , via a first EM data port  68   a . Subsequent EM&#39;s may be similarly daisy-chained.  FIG. 11  shows four EM&#39;s  62   a - d  daisy chained to the first PMM  36 , and two EM&#39;s  62   e  and  62   f  daisy-chained to a second PMM  36   b . Additional EM&#39;s may be daisy-chained to additional PMM&#39;s, but are not shown in  FIG. 11 . Dedicated power connections are not shown in  FIG. 11 , but in one embodiment the PMM&#39;s have separate power connections and power is supplied to the EM&#39;s through the daisy-chained connections between the EM&#39;s and their respective PMM&#39;s. 
     Different patch cords are used with the present invention depending on whether intelligent patch panels are being used in an interconnect or a cross-connect configuration.  FIG. 12  shows an interconnect configuration, in which interconnect patch cords  88   a - c  are used to connect a switch  12  to an intelligent patch panel  14 . As further illustrated in  FIG. 13 , the interconnect patch cords  88  comprise nine-wire cords  90  terminated at one end at a panel plug  92  and at the other end at a switch plug  94 , which connects to a switch port  104 . The panel plugs  92  have ninth-wire contacts  96  (shown in  FIG. 13 ) that are connected to the ninth wires  98  of the interconnect patch cords  88 . The ninth-wire contacts  96  are designed to fit between and complete electrical contact between the contact pairs  84  (as shown in  FIGS. 10 and 13 ) associated with ports  106  of an intelligent patch panel  14 . Horizontal cabling  24  is shown connecting the intelligent patch panel  14  to wall jacks  100 , to which endpoint devices  102 , such as VoIP phones, computers, or printers, are connected. The provisioning port  40  and other elements of the user interface  42  are also shown in  FIG. 12 . Patch panel port LEDs  44  associated with each port are also shown.  FIG. 12  shows switch ports  104   a - c  connected to ports  106   a - c  with interconnect patch cords  88   a - c.    
       FIGS. 12 a - d    will now be used to describe the use of indicator LEDs in the present invention to guide a technician in the installation or removal of a patch cord, including alerting the technician to problems that can occur during these processes. Throughout the present invention, LEDs are used in uniform colors and patterns to indicate particular conditions of a patch cord insertion or removal. The following guide shows general indications associated with LED colors and patterns:
         Flashing Green (FG): Install plug   Solid Green (G): The plug was installed correctly   Flashing Red (FR): Remove plug   Solid Red (R): The plug was removed correctly   Flashing Amber (FA): Error—remove plug       
     Work order software can be provided on a handheld device to control each step of a cable installation, removal, or change and to communicate instructions to the installation technician via a screen. This software can graphically illustrate the relevant LED signals for the operation as well as the location of a subject port. A work order may be received via wireless transmission to the handheld device that prompts the steps for patch cord installation or removal. The handheld device can also advise if each step is completed correctly or incorrectly. 
       FIGS. 12 a - d    show images that will be used on an installation device, such as a personal digital assistant (PDA) device, along with written descriptions of the steps illustrated. In each of  FIGS. 12 a - d   , images of LEDs on plugs are shown to help guide a technician, although in nine-wire embodiments of the present invention, no LEDs are actually provided on the physical plugs. Text describing each step is also shown for clarity in  FIGS. 12 a   - d.    
       FIG. 12 a    shows images that are displayed on the screen of a handheld device to guide plug installation and removal in an interconnect configuration for a “nine-wire” embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 12 b    shows images that are displayed to guide plug installation and removal in a cross-connect configuration for a “nine-wire” embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 12 c    shows images that are displayed in connection with problem moves, adds, or changes (“MAC&#39;s”) in an interconnect configuration for a “nine-wire” embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 12 d    shows images that are displayed in connection with problem MAC&#39;s in a cross-connect configuration for a “nine-wire” embodiment of the present invention. 
     The PDA or other handheld device can also tell the technician the type and length of a patch cord which is directed to be installed. The system can create a “Bill of Material” for patch cord requirements for each work order. The system can also determine the patch cord inventory. In addition, each type of patch cord can be color-coded, and each length of each type of patch cord could contain a barcode which is read before installation. 
       FIG. 13  shows how the patch cord management system of the present invention detects the insertion status of a switch plug  94  at a switch port  104 . The ninth wire  98  of the interconnect patch cord  88  is connected at the panel plug  92  to a ninth-wire contact  96 , which is adapted to make contact with and complete a circuit between the contacts of the contact pair  84  associated with the panel port  106 . The ninth wire  98  is connected at the switch plug  94  to a plug shield  108  which is adapted to make electrical contact with a grounded jack shield  110  of the switch port  104 . 
     When the panel plug  92  is inserted into the panel port  106 , a voltage is placed on the ninth wire  98  of the interconnect patch cord  88 , such that when the switch plug  94  is inserted into the switch port  104 , the connection to ground will be detected by circuitry within the intelligent patch panel  14 . When the switch plug  94  is removed from the switch port  104 , the connection to ground is lost and this disconnection is likewise detected by circuitry within the intelligent patch panel  14 . 
       FIG. 14  shows a shielded eight-wire interconnect patch cord  112  for use an alternate embodiment of the present invention. Similarly to the interconnect patch cord  88  shown in  FIG. 13 , the shielded interconnect patch cord has a ninth-wire contact  96  provided on the unshielded panel plug  92  and a plug shield  108  provided on the switch plug  94 . An internal shield  114 , which is connected to the ninth-wire contact  96 , is provided within the cable and serves as the ninth conductor for purposes of patch cord management. 
     In another alternative embodiment, a nine-wire shielded cable is utilized. In this embodiment, the ninth wire and the shield are electrically connected to a pogo switch provided in the switch plug of the cable, and also electrically connected to separate contacts in the panel plug of the cable. The switch completes a circuit between the ninth wire and the cable shield upon insertion of the switch plug into a switch port. This switch can be switched automatically upon insertion of the plug—for example a “pogo pin” style switch could be used. Using such a system, it is possible for an intelligent patch panel to detect when a switch plug has been inserted into a switch port or removed from a switch port. 
       FIG. 15  shows two intelligent patch panels  14  and  16  according to the present invention being used in a cross-connect configuration. Cross-connect patch cords  22   a - c  are used to connect panel ports  106   a - c  on the first intelligent patch panel  14  to panel ports  107   a - c  on the second intelligent patch panel  16 . Unlike the interconnect patch cords  88  and  112 , the cross-connect patch cords  22  have ninth-wire contacts  96  (as shown, for example, in  FIG. 14 ) on both of their plugs (i.e., first and second panel plugs  92   a - c  and  93   a - c ), as both plugs are panel plugs for insertion into intelligent patch panels. First panel plugs  92   a - c  are plugged into panel ports  106   a - c  on the first intelligent patch panel, and second panel plugs  93   a - b  are plugged into panel ports  107   a - c  on the second intelligent patch panel  16 . It is to be understood that patch cords according to the present invention, though designed for use with the present invention, are capable of mating with standard RJ-45 jacks. Standard patch cords  105  connect switch ports  104   a - c  to rear ports on the intelligent patch panel  14 . 
       FIG. 15  shows two intelligent patch panels with PMMs  36  installed, and thus both intelligent patch panels  14  and  16  are shown in  FIG. 15  with provisioning ports  40  thereon. Alternatively, one of the patch panels may have an EM rather than a PMM installed, in which case the panel with the EM installed will not have a provisioning port. This is because in an installation with EM-based panels, the provisioning port on the PMM-based panel will fulfill the functions of the provisioning port for all panels having EM&#39;s that are connected to that PMM. 
       FIG. 16  is a rear view of a patch panel arrangement in which a first intelligent patch panel  14  having a PMM  36  installed is daisy-chained to three additional intelligent patch panels  116 ,  118 , and  120  having EM&#39;s  62   a - c  installed. A power cable  122  supplies power to the first intelligent patch panel  14 . Power and data connectivity is provided to the daisy-chained EM&#39;s  62   a - c  via EM daisy-chain cables  124 . The PMM  36  is attached via a first RJ-45 patch cord  126  to a network switch, for example for network management purposes. The PMM may optionally be attached via a PMM patching cord  85 , which may be an RJ-45 patch cord, to other PMM&#39;s which are daisy-chained for data connectivity. 
     In an alternate interconnect embodiment, a switch is provided with an LED adjacent to each switch port, with the switch port LED&#39;s being controlled by an intelligent patch panel system. The switch plug on a “ten-wire” patch cord may be provided with LED&#39;s to assist in installation and removal procedures, plus a light detector, such as a silicon photo detector in series with a resistor. To map the patch field, the switch port LED&#39;s flash at a particular frequency one at a time, with the signal being received by the intelligent patch panel to which the patch cord is connected. In order to determine if any switch plug is connected or disconnected, all the switch LED&#39;s flash at a particular frequency on a regular cycle. In these functions, LED&#39;s provided on the switch plugs may be cycled off during a light detection mode. 
       FIGS. 17 a - d    show LED codes that are used to guide installations and removals of patch cords, along with codes used to guide a technician through problem MAC&#39;s. These illustrations may be provided on a PDA screen or other handheld device screen as discussed above. In addition, the LED&#39;s illustrated are physically located at each patch panel port and LED&#39;s are included in each cross-connect plug and in each interconnect switch plug. Text describing each step is also shown for clarity in  FIGS. 17 a - d   . The difference between  FIGS. 17 a - d    and  FIGS. 12 a - d    is that for the process shown in  FIGS. 12 a - d   , no actual LED&#39;s are provided on patch cord plugs and thus the illuminated patch cord plug LED&#39;s are merely displayed as illuminated on a PDA screen. In the embodiment of  FIGS. 17 a - d   , patch cord plugs are provided with LED&#39;s, and thus the LED&#39;s on the patch cord plugs are illuminated, and the LED images on the PDA are displayed as illuminated, when appropriate. 
       FIG. 17 a    shows images that are displayed on the screen of a handheld device to guide plug installation and removal in an interconnect configuration for a “ten-wire” embodiment of the present invention. The operation of LED&#39;s shown in these images correspond to the operation of LED&#39;s provided on patch cord plugs and panel ports, providing the technician with a very easy-to-follow instruction set. 
       FIG. 17 b    shows images that are displayed to guide plug installation and removal in a cross-connect configuration for a “ten-wire” embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 17 c    shows images that are displayed in connection with problem moves, adds, or changes (“MAC&#39;s”) in an interconnect configuration for a “ten-wire” embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 17 d    shows images that are displayed in connection with problem MAC&#39;s in a cross-connect configuration for a “ten-wire” embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIGS. 18 a - d    show aspects of the user interface  42 , including interface modes for use in one embodiment of the present invention. Text accompanying each of the images of the user interface  42  describes the operation of each mode. The referenced Physical Infrastructure Management (PIM) software is a software tool that allows an operator to access information about patch cord connections and to use functions of intelligent patch systems according to the present invention, including initiating work orders. Any of the illustrated and described modes can be initiated or terminated with PIM software (including access via a PDA or other handheld device with established permissions). 
     Intelligent patch panel systems of the present invention provide a number of functions and benefits. They can guide moves, adds, and changes of patch cords. They can provide an administrator with real-time information regarding network status and monitor connectivity of patch cords. They can map patch fields and facilitate planning, implementation, and documentation of connectivity installations and removals. Further, the systems monitor patch field changes and alert administrators of any patch field changes or potential security risks, for example by communication with an NMS. A web-based management system may be used to allow access to the functions of the systems, and to interface with third-party network management systems, help desk applications, and other enterprise systems.