Patent ID: 8382501

Claim:
A method of determining the connectivity of a backbone cable in a communications patching system that includes a plurality of patch panel ports, the method comprising: a) transmitting a common-mode signal with identification information over a common-mode channel of a first of the plurality of patch panel ports that is connected to a first end of the backbone cable, where the first of the plurality of patch panel ports is located in a first patching zone, wherein the common-mode signal is transmitted via each conductor of at least one pair of conductors in the backbone cable; b) scanning common-mode channels of ones of the plurality of patch panel ports that are located in a patching zone other than the first patching zone to determine that the common-mode signal is being received at a second of the plurality of patch panel ports; and c) identifying the second of the plurality of patch panel ports as being connected to a second end of the backbone cable based at least in part on receipt of the common-mode signal.