Patent ID: 7024627

Claim:
A method of presenting to a user a visual representation of a frame laid out in a matrix of blocks, each block laid out in a matrix of pins, the frame resident at a central office of a telecommunications system, the method comprising: maintaining in a database data describing the frame, including (a) data uniquely identifying blocks in the frame, and (b) data describing a current condition of the frame, including data indicating which pins in the frame are currently in use and which pins in the frame are currently available for use wherein the database identifies blocks in the frame using a triple for each identified block, the triple indicating for each identified block a module, a shelf within the module and a block within the shelf in a case where the frame is a single-sided frame and a side, a vertical coordinate and a horizontal coordinate in a case where the frame is a double-sided frame; accessing the database to determine a current condition of the frame; displaying, based on the accessed data, a graphical representation of the frame, the graphical representation including a visual indication of the current condition of the frame including a visual indication of a plurality of pins currently in use and a visual indication of a plurality of pins available for use; and allowing a user to interface with the graphical representation to effect a mapping between available pins on the frame and telecommunications lines leading to and from the frame.