Patent ID: 7160143

Claim:
A data transmission cable adapted for use in a system for monitoring and determining a connection pattern of data ports, said data transmission cable comprising: one or more data conductors for transmitting data from a first data port to a second data port, and a dedicated signal conductor for transmitting a monitoring signal along said signal conductor; a first jack at one end of said data transmission cable and a second jack at the other end of said data transmission cable, said first and second jacks adapted to mate with corresponding sockets of the first and second data ports wherein, when the first and second jacks are mated to the corresponding sockets of the first and second data ports, said one or more data conductors are coupled to associated contacts within said first and second data ports to transmit data between said first and second data ports along said one or more data conductors; and a first adapter jacket at one end of said data transmission cable and a second adapter jacket at the other end of said data transmission cable, said first adapter jacket comprising a first electrical contact and said second adapter jacket comprising a second electrical contact, said signal conductor extending between said first and second electrical contacts; said first electrical contact adapted to make electrical contact with a first socket contact proximate said first data port when the first jack is mated with the socket of said first data port, and said second electrical contact adapted to make electrical contact with a second socket contact proximate said second data port when the second jack is mated with the socket of said second data port, wherein said first and said second socket contacts are electrically coupled to a microprocessor, said microprocessor adapted to transmit said monitoring signal to said first socket contact, said monitoring signal passing from said first socket contact to said first electrical contact, along said signal conductor to said second electrical contact, from said second electrical contact to said second socket contact, and from said second contact back to said microprocessor, said microprocessor utilizing said monitoring signal to automatically monitor and determine a connection pattern of data ports.