Patent Publication Number: US-2009227123-A1

Title: Connectorized alarm cross connect panel

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In the telecommunications industry, cross connect panels have been used to connect components. Typical alarm aggregation and cross connect panels use a manual wire wrap termination, which is extremely labor intensive, time consuming, unreliable and prone to miswiring during system integration. Manual, semiautomatic, and automatic wire wrapping techniques may be used. Prior approaches utilized in the telecommunication industry involve a pinfield matrix and wire wrap terminations. Wire wrap terminations are used to develop electronic assemblies. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The summary that follows describes some of the example embodiments included in this disclosure. The information is proffered to provide a fundamental level of comprehension of aspects of this disclosure. 
     An example embodiment of the present invention may include apparatus and corresponding method for a cross connect panel. The cross connect panel may include a circuit board, trace, and cross connect field of user-configurable assignment terminals. The circuit board may be configured with input connectors and output connectors on an equipment side of the circuit board. The trace on the circuit board may be connected to a first subset of equipment terminals on the input and output connectors, which provides a reference to the first subset of the equipment terminals. The cross connect field may be on a user side of the circuit board and allow a user to cross connect selectively a second subset of the equipment terminals on the input connectors and output connectors. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing will be apparent from the following more particular description of example embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1A  is a high level diagram of a system employing a cross connect panel. 
         FIGS. 1B and 1C  are prospective views of a connectorized alarm cross connect panel in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 2A-2D  are schematic diagrams of a circuit side, component side, and trace of a circuit board in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 3A and 3B  are block diagrams illustrating a method to cross connect a panel in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A description of example embodiments of the invention follows. 
     With the wire wrap technique used in current practice, discrete alarm wires are run from multiple shelves to a pinfield. At the pinfield, wires are cross connected by wire wrap into appropriate groups (e.g., power alarms, signal alarms, etc.). 
     In contrast, example embodiments of the present invention allow for cable assemblies to be pre-manufactured and connectorized by a machine. Doing so may create a perfect seal between wires and connectors, which results in long-term reliability. Once the shelves are installed, the cable assembles may be run from each shelf to an alarm cross connection. An intermediate connector shroud may allow for the grouping of alarms regardless of the shelf or physical location from which an alarm is generated. The following are example advantages provided by certain aspects of the present invention: (i) increase in connection reliability, (ii) elimination of the possibility of miswiring, (iii) allows the use of machine-terminated or pre-made cable assemblies that may be connectorized on each end, (iv) decreased time required during system integration and diagnosis, and (v) decreased labor required during system integration and diagnosis. 
     An example embodiment of the present invention may include apparatus and corresponding method for a cross connect panel. The cross connect panel may include a circuit board, a trace, and a cross connect field of user-configurable assignment terminals. The circuit board may be configured with input connectors and output connectors on an equipment side of the circuit board. The trace on the circuit board may be connected to a first subset of equipment terminals on the input connectors and output connectors, which provides a reference to the first subset of the equipment terminals. The cross connect field may be on a user side of the circuit board and may allow a user to cross connect selectively a second subset of the equipment terminals on the input connectors and output connectors. 
     The second subset of the equipment terminals may be configured to be cross connected in at least one of the following exemplary manners: mechanical, electro-mechanical, electrical, and opto-electrical. The input connectors and output connectors may include wire wrap pins. 
     In another example embodiment, the input connector may be connected to an equipment monitoring device configured to generate an alarm signal. The output connector may be connected to an equipment status transport device. The cross connect field may be configured to route an alarm signal transmitted by the equipment monitoring device to the equipment status transport device, which may be configured to report the alarm signal to a management node or to generate an alarm signal. 
     An example embodiment of the present invention may have user-configurable assignment terminals that provide more connection points with a larger pitch than user-configurable assignment terminals in an absence of the input connectors, output connectors, and trace. 
     In another example embodiment, the cross connect panel may be mounted in an enclosure with other equipment that includes devices electrically configured to connect pairs of the first subset of terminals with the reference to the first subset of the equipment terminals and a reference wire connected to the trace and the enclosure. The enclosure may include an electrical ground reference node, and the reference wire may be connected to the electrical ground reference node. 
       FIGS. 1A-1C  are illustrations of a connectorized alarm cross connect panel  100  in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 1A  is a high level diagram of a system  170  employing a cross connect panel  100 .  FIGS. 1B and 1C  are prospective views of a connectorized alarm cross connect panel (or cross connect panel)  100  in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1A-1C  in unison unless otherwise indicated, the cross connect panel  100  may include a circuit board  145 , trace  153   a,  and cross connect field  153   b.    FIG. 1A  is a diagram of a system  170  in which a cross connect panel  100  may be employed. The cross connect panel  100  may be mounted in an enclosure (e.g., shelves) with other equipment, such as alarm generating equipment  101  and alarm (or equipment) monitoring/status transport device  102 . The alarm monitoring/status transport device  102  may produce an audible or visual local alarm or status message  102   a.  The alarm monitoring/status transport device  102  may send a status message or alarm  103  to the local or wide area network  104 , which may then direct the status message or alarm  103  to a management node  105 . The other equipment may also be electronically configured to connect pairs of the user-configurable assignment terminals  153   b  with the reference to a second subset of the equipment terminals. The enclosure may also include a reference wire  135  that is connected to the trace  153   a  and the enclosure  170 . 
     The circuit board  145  may have input connectors  110   b  and output connectors  115   b  on an equipment side  148  of the circuit board  145  that allow for cross wiring  100   a.  The trace  153   a  on the circuit board  145  may be connected to a first subset of equipment terminals on the input connectors  110   b  and output connectors  115   b  to provide a reference to the first subset of the equipment terminals. The cross connect field  153   b  of user-configurable assignment terminals, in which an electronic component  160  may be inserted on an equipment side  148  of the circuit board  145 , allows a user to cross connect selectively a second subset of the equipment terminals on the input connectors  110   b  and output connectors  115   b.  The cross connect field of user-configurable assignment terminals  153   b  may include terminals of a collection of wirewrap pins (pins)  150  that are positioned in alignment with each respective input connector terminals  110   b,  output connector terminals  115   b,  and diode terminals  120   b.  The pins  150  may be configured to receive or transmit low voltages. Cross connecting the second subset of the equipment terminals may be performed in at least one of the following manners: mechanical, electro-mechanical, electrical, and opto-electrical. 
     The electrical components  160  may provide more connection points with a larger pitch than user-configurable assignment terminals in an absence of the input and output connectors  110   b,    115   b  and trace  153   a.  The trace  153   a  may be beneath the surface of the circuit board  145  and configured to provide a reference to a subset of the equipment terminals and the ground reference wire  135 . 
     The cross connect panel  100  may also include a faceplate  124  with pass through-holes for the following: equipment cross connect terminals  110   a,  cross connect terminals  115   a,  diode terminals  120   a,  and ground reference node  123   a.  The ground reference node is optionally not configured for the insertion of an electrical component  160 . The faceplate  124  may be connected (e.g., screw  125 , washer  130 , and screw hole  137 ) to a reference (ground) wire  135 . The circuit board  145  may be connected to the faceplate  124  using a screw  125 , washer  130 , screw hole  137 , and a hex nut  126 . The faceplate  124  may be connected to a backplate (not shown) using backplate connections  140 . 
     The use of screws, washers, and hex nuts is done for exemplary purposes only. Screws, bolts, clasps, or other fasteners and necessary accessories may be used in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention. The connections between the cross connect panel  100  and any equipment may be done using wires, cable assemblies, or the like in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention. 
     The tolerances between the hole centers of each pin  150  may be ±0.005 in., for example. The maximum height of a electrical component  160  (conductive or nonconductive) may be 0.18 in. on the component side  148  of the circuit board  145  and 1.00 in. on the circuit side  152  of the circuit board  145 . In this example embodiment, the maximum lead length from the circuit aide  152  of the circuit board  145  is 0.060 in. for leaded components and 0.100 in. for compliant pin connectors. 
       FIGS. 2A-2D  are schematic diagrams of a circuit side  202 , component side  204 , and trace  260  of a circuit board  200  in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention. Each electrical component (such as electrical component  160  of  FIG. 1A ) connected to the circuit side  202  of the circuit board  200  may have a corresponding junction  207 ,  210 ,  211 ,  214 ,  215 ,  218 ,  219 ,  222 ,  223 ,  226 ,  227 ,  230 ,  231 ,  234 ,  235 ,  238 ,  239 ,  242 ,  243 ,  246  connected to the trace  260  on the component side  204  of the circuit board  200 . Each column of pins that may be connected to input connectors, output connectors, or diode terminals (such as input connectors  110 , output connectors  115 , and diode terminals  120  of  FIG. 1A ) may have a corresponding junction  208 ,  209 ,  212 ,  213 ,  216 ,  217 ,  220 ,  221 ,  224 ,  225 ,  228 ,  229 ,  232 ,  233 ,  236 ,  237 ,  240 ,  241 ,  244 ,  245 ,  247 ,  248 ,  249 ,  250  connected to the trace  260  on the component side  204  of the circuit board  200 . 
     The junctions may be grouped, and each group and junction may be connected to several alarm options. Group 1  261  may include four junctions  207 ,  208 ,  209 ,  210 . Group 2  262  may include four junctions  211 ,  212 ,  213 ,  214 . Group 3  263  may include four junctions  215 ,  216 ,  217 ,  218 . Group 4  264  may include four junctions  219 ,  220 ,  221 ,  222 . Group 5  265  may include four junctions  223 ,  224 ,  225 ,  226 . Group 6  266  may include four junctions  227 ,  228 ,  229 ,  230 . Group 7  267  may include four junctions  231 ,  232 ,  233 ,  234 . Group 8  268  may include four junctions  235 ,  236 ,  237 ,  238 . Group 9  269  may include four junctions  239 ,  240 ,  241 ,  242 . Group 10  270  may include four junctions  243 ,  244 ,  245 ,  246 . 
       FIG. 2D  is a close-up view of a schematic of Group 5  265  of the trace  205  on the component side  203  of a circuit board in accordance with the present invention. Group 26 5  includes four junctions  223 ,  224 ,  225 ,  226 . The four junctions may be connected in the following manner: pin 1  223   a  is connected  275   a  to pin 1  226   a,  pin 2  223   b  is connected  275   b  to pin 1  224   a,  pin 2  226   b  is connected  275   c  to pin 1  225   a,  pin 3  223   c  is connected  275   d  to pin 3  226   c,  pin 4  223   d  is connected  275   e  to pin 2  224   b,  pin 4  226   d  is connected  275   f  to pin 2  225   b,  pin 5  223   e  is connected  275   g  to pin 5  226   e,  pin 6  223   f  is connected  275   h  to pin 3  224   c,  pin 6  226   f  is connected  275   i  to pin 3  225   c,  pin 7  223   g  is connected  275   j  to pin 7  226   g,  pin 8  224   h  is connected  275   k  to pin 4  224   d,  pin 8  226   h  is connected  275   l  to pin 4  225   d,  pin 9  223   i  is connected  275   m  to pin 9  226   i,  pin 10  223   j  is connected  275   n  to pin 4  224   e,  and pin 10  226   j  is connected  275   o  to pin 5  225   e.  Each group may be configured in accordance with the aforementioned description. 
     Group 1  261  and Group 6  266  are connected  271  to one another. Group 2  262  and Group 7  267  are connected  272 . Group 3  263  and Group 8  268  are connected  273 . Group 4  264  and Group 9  269  are connected  274 . Group 5  265  and Group 10  270  are connected  275 . The group connections  271 ,  272 ,  273 ,  274 ,  275  are connected  276  to one another and connected  277  to several alarm options  278   a - 1 . 
       FIGS. 3A and 3B  are block diagrams of a method to cross connect a panel in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 3A  is a block diagram illustrating a method  300  that may be employed to cross connect a panel in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention. First, the circuit board is configured  305  with input connectors and output connectors on an equipment side of the circuit board. Next, a trace is connected  310  on the circuit board to a first subset of equipment terminals on the input connectors and output connectors to provide a reference to the first subset of the equipment terminals. Then, a user may selectively cross connect  315  a second subset of the equipment terminals in a selective manner on the input connectors and output connectors to a cross connect field of user-configurable assignment terminals on a user side of the circuit board. 
       FIG. 3B  is a block diagram of a method  320  that may be employed to cross connect a panel in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention. The circuit board is configured  325 , and the trace is connected  330  on the circuit board as illustrated by  FIG. 3A . A user may selectively cross connect  335  a second subset of the equipment terminals in a selective manner on the input connectors and output connectors to a cross connect field of user-configurable assignment terminals on a user side of the circuit board. The user may cross connect the second subset of the equipment terminals in at least one of the following example manners: mechanical, electro-mechanical, electrical, and opto-electrical. Next, the input connector may be connected  340  to an equipment monitoring device (EMD) that is configured to generate an alarm signal, the output connector may be connected to an equipment status transport device (ESTD), and the cross connect field may be configured to route an alarm signal transmitted by the equipment monitoring device to the equipment status transport device, which may report the alarm signal to a management node or generate an alarm signal. Next, the user may con figure 345  the user-configurable assignment terminals to provide more connection points with a larger pitch than user-configurable assignment terminals in an absence of the input connectors, output connectors, and trace. Then, the circuit board may be mounted  350  in an enclosure with other equipment, which includes electrically configuring devices to connect pairs of the first subset of the equipment terminals with the reference to the first subset of the equipment terminals, and connecting a reference wire to the trace and the enclosure. A reference wire may also be connected  355  to an electrical ground reference node. 
     While this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to example embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention encompassed by the appended claims.