Patent ID: 7140782

Claim:
A patch cable management system for an optical waveguide distributing device comprising; a plurality of subracks; each subrack receiving a number of plug modules and an electronic module, the electric module supplying power to the plug modules and performing electronic addressing of the plug modules; the plug modules of each subrack being connected to the corresponding electronic module via a multipoint connector; each plug module comprising a processor; each electronic module comprising a processor and a switch; the processor of the electronic module and the processors of the plug modules of each subrack communicating via at least one address line provided within the multipoint connector of each subrack; the processor of each plug module providing a first address for each coupling of the respective plug module; the processor of the electronic module of each subrack transmitting a bit pattern to the processor of each plug module associated with the respective electronic module, the bit pattern providing a second address for each plug module within the respective subrack; the switch of the electronic module of each subrack providing a third address for each electronic module within the optical waveguide distributing device, the third address being transmitted to the processor of each plug module of the respective subrack; the first address, the second address and the third address providing a three part address for each coupling of each plug module, the processor of each plug module transmitting the three part address together with a status statement relating to the respective coupling to a central computer, thereby providing an electronic patch cable localization.