Patent ID: 7096164

Claim:
A method for adding a connection between pieces of equipment in a design of an equipment-based system, the pieces of equipment each having a model and containing one or more ports, the method comprising: comparing port detail, payload, protocol, signal types, and cabling requirements in the model for the ports of the pieces of equipment; indicating the connection is not valid if ports are not available for connection; indicating the connection is valid if a fixed connection rule is available for the connection of said ports of said pieces of equipment; indicating the connection is not valid if said protocol and signal type carried by both of said pieces of equipment are not compatible, and a converter is not available to bridge the gap between said incompatible protocol and/or signal types; indicating the connection is not valid if a medium at said pieces of equipment is not compatible, and a converter is not available to bridge the gap between said incompatible media; indicating the connection is not valid if the connection is listed in a compatibility issues table and no resolution code is listed which can be executed; and displaying an indication of whether the configurations valid.