Patent ID: 7127041

Claim:
An audio frequency cable-tracing system for tracing telephone and data cables originating from a plurality of service outlet locations and running to a junction facility where, at installation, the cables need to be identified and connected to a telecommunication service provider's terminal panel, the cable-tracing system comprising; a set of senders in a designated quantity in a range from 16 to 48, each sender being made and arranged to generate an audio voice signal, originated by a voice synthesizer microchip, that includes a unique sender identification number repeated at designated time intervals, each sender delivering the associated audio signal for connection to at least one conductor at a first end of a multi-conductor cable at a service outlet location, so as to enable identification of the sender at a second and opposite end of the cable amongst a bundle of similar cables; an audio frequency sensing device made and arranged to sense the audio signal present in a cable when placed in close proximity to the second end of the cable in the junction facility so as to enable detection of the identification number by a technician, such that, amongst a plurality of cables in the bundle of simultaneously energized by the corresponding senders, the technician is enabled to sequentially identify each cable for purposes of connecting the cable correctly to the telecommunication service provider's terminal panel; and a user-operable four-position range switch made and arranged to make three additional unique identification numbers available in increments of the designated quantity of said set of senders added to the sender's basic unique identification number, selectable by the range switch to constitute the audio signal voice message.