Cable management system and method

Abstract

We provide devices, systems, and methods for more efficiently tracking cables and quickly auditing existing installations. [Solution] In the cable management system, each of the multiple cables 10 includes first and second labels 12, each having a unique identifier 13 in the form of a barcode to which it is associated, the first label being located near the first end of the cable and the second label being located near the second end of the cable. The barcode scanner includes a clip for receiving one of the cables. A mobile computing device having a user interface including a processor, a data storage medium, a communication unit and a display receives location information of the first end of the first cable via the user interface, receives the first barcode of the first cable from the barcode scanner, stores and displays the location information of the first end associated with the unique identifier of the first cable contained in the first barcode.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - reference to Related Applications This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 986,890, filed Mar. 9, 2020, and also claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 056,092, filed Jul. 24, 2020, the entireties of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

[0002] The following relates to devices, systems, methods, and non - transient computer - readable media for managing cables in telecommunications or data centers.

Background Art

[0003] Data centers and telecommunications rooms communicate large amounts of data using cables. Some data centers may have hundreds of thousands of cables. Thus, cable management is a time - consuming and labor - intensive task. Today, there are two well - known approaches that are widely used.

[0004] The first well - known approach is to manually trace each cable and document the physical location of each end of the cable (i.e., the end of the cable #1 is at port 3 of patch panel "A" and the end of the cable #2 is at port 5 of patch panel "B"). This approach is time - consuming and relies on static documentation, so it can quickly become outdated without regular updates and attention. When using data center infrastructure management (DCIM) or other cable management software, the location information of the cables needs to be manually entered.

[0005] A second known approach is to avoid documentation altogether. That is, the cable infrastructure is not documented, and instead, the cables are traced "as needed." Quite often, this tracing is done after an outage occurs, but the outage may result in extended downtime or increased revenue loss.

[0006] Neither of these approaches is optimal. The first approach is time-consuming, and the second approach may require significant time for recovery in the event of a failure. In this respect, data center outages can result in not only the loss of valuable resources for businesses but also high costs for remediation. Solutions that reduce the time it takes to trace cables save costs and resources during installation and maintenance, and shorten the mean time to repair (MTTR) while the system is down. Anything that helps reduce downtime during outages can lead to significant savings.

[0007] Therefore, there is a need for cable management devices, systems, methods, and application programs designed to track cables more efficiently, quickly audit existing installations, and dynamically upload data to a cable management system. [Overview of the Initiative]

[0008] According to one non-limiting exemplary embodiment described herein, a cable management system is provided. The system includes a plurality of cables, each of which has an associated unique identifier, and each of the plurality of cables includes a first barcode and a second barcode, the first barcode including the unique identifier and positioned close to the first end of the cable, and the second barcode including the unique identifier and positioned close to the second end of the cable. The system further includes a barcode scanner configured to scan the barcodes of the plurality of cables, the barcode scanner including a clip configured to receive one of the plurality of cables. The system further includes a mobile computing device including a user interface including a processor, a data storage medium, a communication unit, and a display, the mobile computing device configured to receive first end location information for a first of the plurality of cables via the user interface, receive a first barcode for a first of the plurality of cables from the barcode scanner, and store and display the first end location information in relation to the unique identifier of the first of the plurality of cables contained in the first barcode.

[0009] According to another non-limiting exemplary embodiment described herein, a method is provided for managing a plurality of cables, each of the plurality of cables having an associated unique identifier, and each of the plurality of cables comprising a first barcode and a second barcode, the first barcode comprising the unique identifier and positioned close to the first end of the cable, and the second barcode comprising the unique identifier and positioned close to the second end of the cable. The method comprises identifying location information of the first end of the first of the plurality of cables, scanning the first barcode of the first of the plurality of cables with a barcode scanner comprising a clip configured to receive the first of the plurality of cables, and storing the location information of the first end in relation to the unique identifier of the first of the plurality of cables contained in the first barcode in a data storage medium.

[0010] According to another non-limiting exemplary embodiment described herein, a non-temporary computer-readable storage medium is provided which stores computer-executable instructions for managing a plurality of cables, each of the plurality of cables having an associated unique identifier, each of the plurality of cables including a first barcode and a second barcode, the first barcode including the unique identifier and located adjacent to the first end of the cable, and the second barcode including the unique identifier and located adjacent to the second end of the cable. Upon execution of the instructions, the processor receives location information of the first end of the first of the plurality of cables, receives the first barcode of the first of the plurality of cables from a barcode scanner, and stores the location information of the first end of the first cable associated with the unique identifier of the first of the plurality of cables contained in the first barcode in the data storage medium.

[0011] A detailed description of these and other non-limiting exemplary embodiments of cable management systems, methods, and non-temporary computer-readable storage media is given below, along with the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] A non-limiting exemplary embodiment of this disclosure shows multiple network cables connected between two patch panels. [Figure 2] A non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure shows a cable having a unique identifier at each end. [Figure 3] A non-limiting exemplary embodiment of this disclosure shows a patch cable having a machine-readable unique identifier adjacent to the end of the cable. [Figure 4] A simplified block diagram of a cable management system according to a non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. [Figure 5A]A perspective view of a scanner clip for use with a barcode scanner to scan a unique identifier of a cable is shown, according to a non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5B] Figure 5A shows a perspective view of the scanner clip, in which, in a non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the scanner clip is attached to a barcode scanner to scan a unique identifier of a cable. [Figure 6] A non-limiting exemplary embodiment of this disclosure shows a mobile computing device which may include a display, a data storage medium, and a processor configured to execute computer-readable instructions in order to implement a cable management tool. [Figure 7] A non-limiting exemplary embodiment of this disclosure describes a mobile computing device which may include a display, a data storage medium, and a processor configured to execute computer-readable instructions for entering “scan” mode. [Figure 8] A non-limiting exemplary embodiment of this disclosure describes a mobile computing device which may include a display, a data storage medium, and a processor configured to execute computer-readable instructions for receiving and / or inputting network device information in “scan” mode. [Figure 9] A non-limiting exemplary embodiment of this disclosure describes a mobile computing device which may include a display, a data storage medium, and a processor configured to execute computer-readable instructions for receiving and / or inputting port information in “scan” mode. [Figure 10] A non-limiting exemplary embodiment of this disclosure describes a mobile computing device which may include a display, a data storage medium, and a processor configured to execute computer-readable instructions for generating and displaying matching unique identifier tags and corresponding physical port outputs in “scan” mode. [Figure 11]A non-limiting exemplary embodiment of this disclosure describes a mobile computing device which may include a display, a data storage medium, and a processor configured to execute computer-readable instructions for entering a “scan and verify” mode. [Figure 12] A non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure describes a mobile computing device which may include a display, a data storage medium, and a processor configured to execute computer-readable instructions for receiving and / or inputting panel name and port number information for the following ports for scanning in “scan and verify” mode. [Figure 13] A non-limiting exemplary embodiment of this disclosure describes a mobile computing device which may include a display, a data storage medium, and a processor, configured to execute computer-readable instructions for generating and displaying output results of "pass" and "fail" statuses of cables in "scan and verify" mode. [Figure 14] A non-limiting exemplary embodiment of this disclosure describes a mobile computing device which may include a display, a data storage medium, and a processor configured to execute computer-readable instructions for entering “search” mode. [Figure 15] A logic flowchart illustrating the “scan” mode and “scan and verify” mode processes performed using a cable management tool, according to a non-limiting exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, is provided. [Figure 16] A logical flowchart illustrating the process performed using the cable management tool for “search” mode, according to a non-limiting exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, is shown. [Figure 17] A non-limiting exemplary embodiment of this disclosure illustrates a structured cabling system installed in an environment where a cable management tool is being run. [Figure 18] One non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure shows a cable having a unique identifier pre-printed at predetermined intervals on the outer layer of the cable. [Figure 19] FIG. 18 shows a logic flow chart for explaining an exemplary installation process implemented by a cable management tool using the cable shown in FIG. 18. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] In the present disclosure, detailed non-limiting embodiments are disclosed herein. However, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary and can take various alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale. Some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of a particular component. Therefore, the specific structures and functional details disclosed herein should not be construed as limiting, but rather as a representative basis for teaching one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0014] Referring to the figures, a more detailed description of non-limiting exemplary embodiments of cable management devices, systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media is presented. For ease of explanation and to facilitate understanding, like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings for like components and features.

[0015] As described above, there is a need for cable management devices, systems, methods, and application programs designed to save time spent on cable tracing, quickly audit existing installations, and dynamically upload data to a cable management system

[0016] This disclosure provides cable management devices, systems, methods, and non-temporary computer-readable storage media that address and / or satisfy such needs and resolve problems associated with the aforementioned known cable management approaches. The cable management devices, systems, methods, and non-temporary computer-readable storage media of this disclosure provide and / or utilize a unique cable identifier, combined with intelligence, that enables documentation of patchfield cables without the need to manually trace and document the location of the cables. Once the patchfield is scanned, the cable management devices, systems, methods, and non-temporary computer-readable storage media of this disclosure can then use the stored information to verify or locate existing connections.

[0017] The cable management devices, systems, methods, and non-transient computer-readable media of this disclosure for identifying and documenting connections between patch panel ports include, provide, and / or utilize equipment having one or more patch panels or multiple network ports for connecting cables. The cable management devices, systems, methods, and non-transient computer-readable media of this disclosure may further include, provide, and / or utilize various functions described herein.

[0018] Cable management devices, systems, methods, and media may include one or more cables 10 connected between patch panels 14, 16, as shown in Figure 1. While this disclosure describes cables 10 connected between patch panels 14, 16 according to exemplary embodiments, the cable management solutions described herein may be implemented so that the cables 10 are connected between other network devices, such as servers, switches, routers, or other network devices to which the cables are installed.

[0019] Figure 1 shows a plurality of network cables 10 connected between a first patch panel A14 and a second patch panel B16, according to a non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. One or more of the cables 10 are fitted with labels 12, the labels 12 containing unique identifiers 13 (i.e., they may be collectively referred to as “unique ID cables”). A unique ID cable may include network patch cables 10 containing unique identifiers 13 that are fitted, attached to, or positioned near, or at each end of the cable 10. According to some embodiments, the unique identifiers 13 are positioned at a predetermined distance from the ends of the cable 10, such as within 3 inches from one or both ends of the cable 10, or within a range of 0.25 to 6 inches from one or both ends of the cable 10. According to some embodiments, the unique identifiers 13 are positioned to provide a predetermined distance (e.g., 2 inches with a tolerance of 0.5 inches) between the end of the cable plug boot and the edge of the label 12. According to some embodiments, the unique identifier 13 is placed at a predetermined location (for example, between 0.25 and 6 inches from one or both ends of the cable 10, depending on the type of cable 10 being used (CAT6, shielded, breakout, fiber, etc.)).

[0020] According to the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2, the unique identifier 13 is printed on a label 12 and affixed to the cable 10, although the unique identifier 13 is printed in the form of a barcode. However, according to other embodiments, the unique identifier 13 may be printed or etched directly onto the cable 10. Furthermore, the unique identifier 13 may take the form of other machine-readable codes, such as a QR code®, an alphanumeric passcode, or other passively detectable forms. The unique identifier 13 represents an identification code associated with the cable 10, and is intended to associate the cable 10 with additional information such as installation location, manufacturing data, and / or cable attribute data.

[0021] Figure 2 shows a cable 10 having labels 12 with unique identifiers 13 at each end, according to a non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. In a system of multiple cables 10, each unique identifier 13 is generated to identify the location where each unique cable 10 and / or both ends of the cable 10 are installed. Thus, according to some embodiments, the unique identifiers 13 placed at each end of a unique cable 10 are slightly different to identify which end of the cable 10 the unique identifier 13 is located at. For example, a barcode placed at a first end A may correspond to a first identification code, a barcode placed at a second end B may correspond to a second identification code, and the first and second identification codes typically include the same identification code (e.g., 10000090A and 10000090B) with only slight differences to identify their respective placements at the first end A or the second end B. Figure 3 shows a patch cable 10 having a machine-readable unique identifier 13 adjacent to the end of the cable 10 according to a non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, the unique identifier 13 is located at a predetermined position on the cable 10 (for example, at a predetermined distance from the plug 17 that terminates at the end of the cable 10 shown in Figure 3).

[0022] Figure 4 is a simplified block diagram of a cable management system 200 according to a non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown herein, the system 200 comprises a mobile computing device 20, such as a tablet, smartphone, laptop, or other mobile computing device. The mobile computing device 20 may include a display 24, a data storage medium or memory 26, and a processor 28 configured to run the cable management program or software according to the present disclosure (this application program may be referred to as the “Cable Management Tool”).

[0023] The system 200 may further include a barcode scanner 30, such as a general-purpose scanning device, which can be used to scan a unique identifier 13 (e.g., a barcode identifier) ​​attached to the cable 10 and communicate the barcode information to a mobile computing device 20. Such communication may be achieved via a wired or wireless connection 32 between the barcode scanner 30 and the mobile computing device 20. According to other embodiments, the barcode scanner 30 may be a standalone device or can be replaced with a different detection device (e.g., a digital video camera, a digital image camera, an RFID reader, etc.) integrated into the mobile computing device 20 that can read the unique identifier 13.

[0024] The system 200 may further comprise a scanner clip 34 attached to, affixed to, or otherwise mounted on the barcode scanner 30. Alternatively, the scanner clip 34 may be an integral part of the barcode scanner 30 or integrated with the barcode scanner 30. The scanner clip 34 includes a display window 36 formed therein so that a user operating the barcode scanner 30 can see the unique identifier 13 of the cable 10 held by the scanner clip 34. The display window 36 may be a notched portion or may be made from a sheet of opaque material. According to some embodiments, the display window 36 may not be included. The scanner clip 34 includes a hook portion 38 configured to receive / or grasp and separate individual cables 10 having the identifier 13 to be scanned, as will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 5A and 5B.

[0025] In this regard, Figures 5A and 5B are perspective views of a scanner clip 34 for use with a barcode scanner 30, according to a non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the scanner clip 34 is configured to hold the cable 10 while the barcode scanner 30 scans a unique identifier 13. As shown in Figure 5A, the scanner clip 34 includes an mounting function 37 configured to attach, affix, or mount the scanner clip 34 to the barcode scanner 30.

[0026] Figure 5B shows a scanner clip 34 attached, affixed, or mounted on the scanning end of a barcode scanner 30. As seen therein, the hook portion 38 of the scanner clip 34 is configured to receive / grasp and separate individual cables 10, bringing a unique identifier 13 into the field of view of the scanning input window at the scanning end of the barcode scanner 30. The display window 36 of the scanner clip 34 allows a user holding the barcode scanner 30 to view the unique identifier 13 through the display window 36 when the cable 10 is held by the hook portion 38. Thus, the scanner clip 34 allows individual cables 10 to be quickly and easily separated from other adjacent cables, and their unique identifier 13 can be successfully and accurately scanned for input into a cable management tool. In this way, the scanner clip 34 helps to increase the efficiency of the scanning process for identifying and associating numerous cables attached to panels 14, 16 and port numbers by reducing the time required to do so in a patch panel system, as shown in Figure 1.

[0027] Referring again to Figure 4, the cable 10 can be any type, including but not limited to copper wire Ethernet cables, fiber optic cables, high-density fiber optic cables, or breakout cables. The cable 10 may include a label 12 containing a unique identifier 13 near each of its ends, and the label 12 may take the form of a printed label attached to or affixed to the cable 10 adjacent to each of its ends. The unique identifier 13 in the described embodiment is a barcode, which is used to obtain cable manufacturing data, including but not limited to an identification code used to locate each cable 10, the installation location where the cable 10 arrives / departs, and / or cable manufacturing information (such as cable length, part number, cable type), quality control data, country of origin, manufacturing date, material lot number, cable category, plenum or LSZH material verification, test result data such as insertion loss, crosstalk, DC resistance, or other known information about the cable (hereinafter collectively referred to as cable information). The unique identifier 13 is created to uniquely correspond to each relevant cable 10 included in the system. To enable the lookup function, the identification code and corresponding cable information obtained by scanning the unique identifier 13 may be stored as part of a lookup table or database, which is part of the cable management tools described herein. In the case of breakout cables, the cable ID may include a decimal format (e.g., 1.1, 1.2, 1.3) to correspond to a single breakout cable containing multiple individual cables fanning out from the formation of the main breakout cable.

[0028] It should be noted that the mobile computing device 20, the barcode scanner 30, and / or any other computing unit, module, controller, system, subsystem, mechanism, device, component, etc. described herein may include appropriate circuitry, for example, one or more appropriately programmed processors (e.g., one or more microprocessors including a central processing unit (CPU)) and associated memory or data storage media, which may include stored operating system software and / or application software executable by the processor(s) to control its operation and to execute specific algorithms represented by the various functions and / or operations described herein, which include interaction and / or communication and / or cooperation with each other. One or more or several such processors and / or circuits and / or hardware may be distributed among several separate units, modules, controllers, systems, subsystems, mechanisms, devices, components, etc.

[0029] The cable management tool may be an application installed on a mobile computing device 20 for use in performing the cable management method of this disclosure, and may be implemented at least in part as machine (e.g., computer) executable instructions stored on a non-temporary computer-readable storage medium. The cable management tool may further include software, hardware, middleware, application programming interfaces, circuits, and / or other components related to the cable management tool for implementing the functions described herein.

[0030] A cable management tool may be run by the processor 28 of a mobile computing device 20 and configured to manage and locate a number of cables 10 that are found to be attached to patch panels 14, 16 installed in a network rack (see, for example, Figure 1). The cable management tool receives unique identifier information 13 from a barcode scanner 30 and is configured to identify the identification code represented by the barcode. The cable management tool is then configured to retrieve cable information associated with the identification code in a database or table. For example, the cable management tool can communicate with an offsite server via an application programming interface (API) and access a database or table stored on the server. The cable information stored in the database or table can be downloaded to the mobile computing device 20 using the cable management tool and further printed on labels. Communication with the server can be carried out via either a wired or wireless connection 32 provided by the mobile computing device 20.

[0031] The cable management tool can operate within the cable management system 200 in one of three modes: 1) scan mode, 2) scan and verification mode, or 3) search mode. The cable management tool can also be configured to generate reports detailing the locations of cables. Such reports can be exported or uploaded to data storage media such as cloud storage, which can configure a database, be sent to another user at a remote location, and / or stored in memory storage contained in a mobile computing device 20. According to some embodiments, the reports may be in flat file format.

[0032] Figure 6 shows an exemplary diagram of a mobile computing device 20 that runs a cable management tool and displays the graphical user interface (GUI) of the cable management tool on a display 24. As described above, the mobile computing device 20 includes hardware, software, and / or circuitry for running the cable management tool. In particular, machine-readable instructions constituting the cable management tool are stored in memory 26, and a processor 28 reads these machine-readable instructions and executes them to run the cable management tool in accordance with this disclosure.

[0033] As described above, the cable management system 200 includes a barcode scanner 30 which may be connected to a mobile computing device 20 configured to operate the cable management tool via Bluetooth®, Universal Serial Bus (USB), or any other type of wired or wireless connection 32. In this case as well, the cable management system 200 further includes a barcode scanner clip 34 used to isolate individual cables 10 from multiple surrounding cables in order to scan a unique identifier 13 from the cable 10.

[0034] As mentioned above, cable management tools can operate in various modes or according to various modes. Such modes may include “Scan” mode, “Scan and Verify” mode, and “Search” mode, which manage cables as a front-end for panel solutions where cables are installed between network devices. Various non-limiting steps, functions, capabilities, operations, mechanisms, and / or processes of such modes are described below. In this regard, it should be noted that such steps, functions, capabilities, operations, mechanisms, and / or processes may be performed at different times, in an order other than the order described, and / or one or more may be omitted. The “Scan” mode, “Scan and Verify” mode, and “Search” mode may each consist of one or more of the following steps 1-6.

[0035] Step 1: Begin with an existing patch field incorporating the unique ID cable described herein. The existing patch field may include one or more patch panels 14, 16 (see Figure 1) containing multiple ports. The patch field uses the unique ID patch cable 10 to connect two ports of the patch field.

[0036] Step 2: Run the cable management tool on the mobile computing device 20. Again, Figure 6 shows the mobile computing device 20 displaying a GUI on its display 24 based on the execution of machine-readable instructions for the cable management tool, according to an exemplary embodiment of the non-limiting embodiments of this disclosure.

[0037] Step 3: Change, enter, and / or set the software mode to “Scan” mode. In this regard, Figure 7 shows a mobile computing device 20 that executes machine-readable instructions to perform “Scan” mode 40 and display the GUI of “Scan” mode 40 on the display 24, according to a non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] Step 4: Enter the name of the patch panel being scanned into the “Panel Name” field. Figure 8 shows a mobile computing device 20 executing a machine-readable instruction to perform “Scan” mode 40 to enable the input of patch panel name information into the “Panel Name” information input field 42, which is included in the GUI of “Scan” mode 40 displayed on the display 24, according to a non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The user can use an input device (e.g., a touchscreen keyboard, a mechanical keyboard, voice input, etc.) to enter the patch panel name information into the “Panel Name” information input field 42.

[0039] Step 5: Enter the port number in the “Scan Port” field. In this regard, Figure 9 shows a mobile computing device that executes a machine-readable instruction to perform “Scan” mode 40 according to one non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, allowing the port number information to be entered into the “Scan Port” information input field 44 included in the GUI of “Scan” mode 40 displayed on the display 24. The user can enter the port number information into the “Scan Port” information input field 44 using an input device (e.g., a touchscreen keyboard, a mechanical keyboard, voice input, etc.).

[0040] Step 6: Scan the unique identifier 13 of the cable 10 associated with the entered patch panel and port. After scanning the unique identifier 13 with the barcode scanner 30, the port number in the "Scan Port" information input field 44 (see, for example, Figure 9) will automatically increment by 1, allowing data to be entered for the next port. If the incrementing port number displayed in the "Scan Port" information input field 44 is incorrect, the user can manually enter the next patch panel name and / or correct the next port number to scan for information. This process continues until all cables 10 connected to the port have been scanned.

[0041] Step 7: While the user scans for the unique identifier 13 of cable 10, the cable management tool stores the information obtained from scanning the unique identifier 13 in a database, along with the corresponding panel and port number (i.e., location information). The cable management tool can now precisely identify matching unique identifiers and associate them with the associated cables and their physical patch panel and port locations. The cable management tool can also display these matches as connections on the display 24 of the mobile computing device 20.

[0042] In this regard, Figure 10 shows the display 24 of a mobile computing device 20 displaying an output GUI that matches unique identifier tags with their corresponding physical port information 1001a, 1001b in “scan” mode 40, according to a non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. These results can be exported 48 and / or sent as needed to a remote user, data storage media such as cloud storage (which may include a database), an Excel spreadsheet, or a file of comma-separated values ​​for import into another management system.

[0043] For example, data can be exported via a comma-separated text file (.csv file extension). Each file represents a telecom room or data center. The location field can be manually entered into the cable management tool, and the ID field is the value of the scanned unique identifier. As seen in Figure 10, the output fields may be near-end port location (NE port) 1010, near-end ID number (NEID) 1020, far-end port location (FE port) 1030, and far-end ID number (FEID) 1040. An example of outputting such fields in a comma-separated .csv file format for the data shown in Figure 10 may look like this: SwtchA-01,10000090,Panel-28,10000090 SwtchA-02,10000059,Panel-27,10000059 SwtchA-03,10000001,Panel-26,10000001 SwtchA-04,10000012,Panel-25,10000012

[0044] The "Scan and Verify" mode 50 may further include one or more steps 8-10, as described below with reference to Figures 11-13. Again, note that such steps, functions, functionalities, operations, mechanisms, and / or processes may be performed at different times, in an order other than that described, and / or one or more may be omitted.

[0045] Step 8: Select “Scan and Verify” mode 50. In this regard, Figure 11 shows a mobile computing device 20 executing a machine-readable instruction to enter “Scan and Verify” mode 50 according to a non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. In Figure 11, the GUI corresponding to “Scan and Verify” mode 50 is displayed on the display 24 of the mobile computing device 20. “Scan and Verify” mode 50 uses results previously saved from the “Scan” mode 40 operation (see, for example, Figures 7-10) to verify whether cable 10 has moved since the last scan. If no saved results exist, steps 1-6 described above are performed. Furthermore, or alternatively, according to some embodiments, the saved results used for verification may be downloaded as a set of results for a given location so that they can be compared with the current scan operation.

[0046] Step 9: Enter the panel name and port number of the current patch panel port location to be verified. Figure 12 shows a mobile computing device 20 that executes machine-readable instructions to perform the "Scan and Verify" mode 50 according to a non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, enabling the input of patch panel name information into the "Panel Name" information input field 52 included in the GUI of the "Scan and Verify" mode 50 displayed on the display 24. Figure 12 also shows a mobile computing device 20 that executes machine-readable instructions to perform the "Scan and Verify" mode 50 according to a non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, enabling the input of scan port name information into the "Scan Port" information input field 54 included in the GUI of the "Scan and Verify" mode 50 displayed on the display 24. The user can use an input device (e.g., touchscreen keyboard, mechanical keyboard, voice input, etc.) to input patch panel name information into the "Panel Name" information input field 52 and scan port name information into the "Scan Port" information input field 54.

[0047] Step 10: Scan the selected port for a unique identifier 13 of the cable 10. The cable management tool identifies the current cable 10 based on the scanned unique identifier 13, retrieves the corresponding location information from a stored database that tracks its panel, and / or retrieves the port location information from when it was last scanned (or based on previously downloaded location data). Next, a PASS / FAIL grade comparison is performed, which is a grade based on whether the location comparison entered from Step 9 matches (PASS) or does not match (FAIL) the previously installed location information retrieved in Step 10, and a corresponding notification may be output to the display 24. In this regard, Figure 13 shows a mobile computing device 20 according to one non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, which displays the results of PASS / FAIL status information 55 based on the comparison in “Scan and Verify” mode 50 (this may take the form of color-coded information such as green for pass and red for fail, or other visual indicators such as flags or other symbols to identify the fail or pass status). If the entered current location information matches the stored expected location information of the cable identified from the stored database based on the scanned unique identifier 13, a "Pass" status is reported. If the current location does not match the stored database record of the cable's identification code obtained from the scan of unique identifier 13, a "Fail" status is reported. The Failure status also reports the last recorded cable identification code 56 (cable identification code 10000007 expected near-end ID (ExpNEID)) at that location as the expected identifier value.

[0048] The "search" mode 60 may further include steps 11-13, as described below with reference to Figure 14. Again, note that such steps, functions, functionalities, operations, mechanisms, and / or processes may be performed at different times, in an order other than that described, and / or one or more may be omitted.

[0049] Step 11: Select “Search” mode 60. In this regard, Figure 14 shows a mobile computing device 20 executing a machine-readable instruction to enter “Search” mode 60 according to a non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 14 shows the GUI displayed on the display 24 of the mobile computing device 20 according to “Search” mode 60. “Search” mode 60 is useful when one end of cable 10 has been identified and you want to find the other end of the same cable 10. In “Search” mode 60, there is an initial known cable 10 that the user is trying to match, and a target cable 10 that may be the other end of the initial known cable 10.

[0050] Step 12: Scan the unique identifier 13 of the first end (i.e., the first location) of cable 10. Once the unique identifier 13 of the first end is scanned, a cable identification code corresponding to this scanned unique identifier 13 is obtained. This is because this first cable identification code represents the cable end being sought. Next, all subsequent cable identification codes obtained from subsequent scans of the unique identifier 13 in step 13 while in "search" mode are compared to this first cable identification code. A PASS status is given if the subsequently obtained cable identification code matches the first cable identification code, and a FAIL status is given if the subsequently scanned unique identifier 13 does not match the first unique identifier 13.

[0051] Step 13: Scan the subsequent unique identifier 13 at the second end of cable 10 (i.e., the second location) to obtain the cable identification code for the unknown cable end at the second location. In this "search" mode, each cable identification code obtained by scanning the subsequent unique identifier 13 at the second location is compared to the first cable identification code. A PASS status is given when the subsequently obtained cable identification code matches the first cable identification code, and a FAIL status is given if the subsequently obtained cable identification code does not match the first cable identification code. The status may be reported to the user via the display to the "search" mode GUI shown on display 24.

[0052] As described above, in each of the “Scan” mode 40, “Scan and Verify” mode 50, and “Search” mode 60, the cable management tool may also be configured to generate a report detailing the cable locations. These results can also be saved, exported, and / or sent as desired to a remote user or to data storage media such as cloud storage (which may include a database), an Excel spreadsheet, or a comma-separated value file for import into another management system. The GUI shown in Figure 14 includes save buttons 61 and export buttons 62 for performing each of these functions. The cable management tool may also be configured to provide the user with the option to save and proceed or save and exit after each scan and / or whenever new data is entered into the lookup table that stores the cable information.

[0053] Figure 15 is a logical flowchart 1500 illustrating the processes performed by the cable management tool for the “scan” mode 40 and “scan and verify” mode 50 described herein, according to a non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, the cable management tool can start execution based on two scenarios (72): firstly, a new installation environment in which the unique ID cables are not yet fully installed (74); or secondly, a previously installed environment in which the unique ID cables are already partially or fully installed (76). Once the cable management tool starts execution (72), it can enter “scan” mode 40, “scan and verify” mode 50, or “search” mode 60.

[0054] As previously described and shown in flowchart 1500, the “scan” mode 40 proceeds with the cable management tool receiving panel name information (80) and port number information (82). For example, the panel name information and / or port number information may be received via an input device (e.g., a keyboard or touchscreen) or, in some embodiments, from another data source and entered into the respective fields of the GUI.

[0055] Subsequently, the unique identifier of the current cable is scanned (84), and the information obtained from the scan of the unique identifier can be used to create or add to the database (86). For example, the cable management tool retrieves a cable identification code based on the scanned unique identifier and creates a database entry for the cable under the retrieved cable identification code. The database then stores the corresponding cable information and associates it with the database entry for the cable identification code. Such cable information may include one or more of the cable end installation locations, cable manufacturing data, and / or other cable attribute information accessed based on the cable identification code. Thus, the database becomes an effective and efficient storage of relevant information for installers to access in order to identify the cables used in the installation and associate them with the corresponding cable information. The database can be constructed, for example, in the form of a lookup table.

[0056] After such a scan (84), the port number is automatically incremented (88), and the cable management tool reaches a decision point where it determines whether or not a cable is attached to the next port number (90). In that case, the cable management tool performs a loop process in which it scans for the unique identifier of the next cable to obtain the cable identification code (84) of the next cable, adds the identification code of the next cable to the database, accesses any known cable information leading to the database entry (86), and automatically increments the port number (88). Otherwise, the cable management tool determines whether all cables associated with the current panel have been scanned (92). If not, the process in "scan" mode 40 moves to the next port on the current panel where a cable is attached (94). Otherwise, the cable management tool determines whether all scans of additional panels have been completed (96). If there are additional panels to scan, the process in "scan" mode 40 moves to the new panel (98). Otherwise, when there are no more panels to scan, the process in "scan" mode 40 terminates (100).

[0057] As previously mentioned, the "Scan and Verify" mode 50 can proceed to load saved results for scanned cables from the database (102). Saved results can be obtained from previous iterations of the "Scan" mode or from previously downloaded cable installation results. Next, panel name information and port number information are entered into and / or received by the cable management tool (104).

[0058] Subsequently, the unique identifier of the current cable is scanned (106), and the PASS / FAIL result is reported by the cable management tool based on whether the location entered and / or received for the unique identifier of the current cable (panel name and port number information) matches a previously stored location for that cable, and the cable is identified based on the scanned unique identifier (108). Next, the port number is automatically incremented (110), and the cable management tool decides whether to scan for the unique identifier of another cable to perform another “scan and verify” operation (112). If there are additional cables to verify, the “scan and verify” mode 50 process is repeated by looping back and entering / receiving the panel name and port number information for the next cable to be verified (104). Otherwise, the “scan and verify” mode 50 process ends (100).

[0059] Figure 16 is a logical flowchart 1600 illustrating the process performed by the cable management tool for “search” mode 60 according to a non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Again, as shown, the cable management tool can initially begin execution based on two scenarios (72): firstly, a new installation environment where unique ID cables are not yet fully installed (74); or secondly, a previously installed environment where unique ID cables are already partially or fully installed (76). Once the cable management tool (72) begins execution, it can enter “scan” mode 40, “scan and verify” mode 50, or “search” mode 60.

[0060] As described above, the cable management tool implements “search” mode 60 by identifying a first cable end by scanning for a unique identifier at a first location (120). By scanning for a unique identifier, the cable management tool searches for a corresponding cable identification code and establishes it as the first cable end, with the aim of finding the corresponding second cable end using “search” mode 60.

[0061] The user then moves to a second location and begins scanning for unique identifiers from the cable ends found at the second location to find a matching second cable end. Thus, at this second location, the unique identifier of the target cable end is scanned, and the cable management tool identifies the cable identification code of the target cable end (122). Next, the cable identification codes of the first cable end and the target cable end are compared to check if they match (124). If they match, the same cable identification code may be identified by their respective location codes (e.g., 10000090A and 10000090B).

[0062] If the cable management tool determines that there is a match, the PASS status is reported, for example, via the display of the mobile computing device and / or via a first audible sound emitted by the mobile computing device 20 (126). If the cable management tool determines that there is no match, the FAIL status is reported, for example, via the display of the mobile computing device and / or via a second audible sound, different from the first audible sound, emitted by the mobile computing device (128).

[0063] When the cable management tool reports a FAIL status, a unique identifier for the cable end of another target at a second location is scanned, and the search for the other end up to the first cable end continues (122). This looping process may continue until a match is detected indicating a PASS status (126) or until the user exits “search” mode.

[0064] Figure 17 shows an exemplary structured cabling system 1000 in which a first cabinet (e.g., cabinet A) is located separately from a second cabinet (e.g., cabinet B) and connected using bulk cables. Cable 150 is used to connect connector panels (e.g., modular patch panels or fiber enclosure trays) mounted on cabinet A to connector panels mounted on cabinet A in a one-to-one manner. In this structured cabling system 1000, cabinets A and B are directly connected one-to-one using one or more cable connections of cable 150 installed between the connector panels installed in each cabinet A and cabinet B. According to the structured cabling system 1000, cable 150 can represent one or more distinct connections of the same type of cable.

[0065] In the one-to-one wiring method shown in the structured cabling system 1000, port 1 on the patch panel or fiber enclosure of cabinet A is cabled to the corresponding port 1 on the patch panel or fiber enclosure of cabinet B. Therefore, during the installation process, the installer must track the cables 150 to ensure that the correct cables are routed to the correct ports. In past implementations, the installer may have attached temporary labels to the cables 150 to aid in identification during the cable pulling process. However, in situations where the cables 150 are not labeled with pulling labels, or where the pulling labels come off during the installation process, additional time must be spent troubleshooting and identifying the cables 150 and installing them in their appropriate corresponding locations.

[0066] System installers not only pull the cables and terminate them with connectors at the ends, but they may also provide documentation for the pulled cables to the customer. Because structured cables are used to connect two endpoints in different locations, the documentation for structured cables focuses on information describing the arrival and departure points, particularly which port the first cable end is from (one end or near end of the cable) and which port the second cable end for the same cable is headed to (the other end or far end of the same cable).

[0067] As shown in Figure 18, to assist in the management of the cables 150 used in the structured cable system 1000, the cables 150 themselves are bulk cables having pre-printed unique identifiers 151 directly placed at predetermined intervals on the cable jacket during manufacturing and winding onto the cable spools before installation. The unique identifiers 151 may be multipart barcodes containing unique numbers that identify individual spools of cable, and may also include distance markers indicating the distance of the cable unwound from the spool, and other descriptive information. Although the unique identifiers 151 are described herein as barcodes for illustrative purposes, other types of unique identifiers may be used (e.g., machine-readable codes such as QR codes, or unique alphanumeric codes for image recognition).

[0068] Figure 18 shows a partial view of cable 150 including two instances of a unique identifier 151 spaced apart by a predetermined distance. The unique identifier 13 shown in Figure 2 is printed on a label 12, while the unique identifier 151 shown in Figure 18 is pre-printed directly on cable 150. The unique identifier 151 is printed at positions spaced apart by a predetermined distance (e.g., 12 inches or less, 18 inches or less, 24 inches or less, or another predetermined distance). The unique identifier 151 is scanned by a cable management tool, which then identifies the cable identification code of the scanned cable. Using the cable identification code, the cable management tool can obtain further cable manufacturing data, including but not limited to cable manufacturing information (cable length, part number, cable type, etc.), quality control data, country of origin, manufacturing date, material lot number, cable category, plenum or LSZH material verification, test result data such as insertion loss, crosstalk, DC resistance, or other known information about the cable (hereinafter collectively referred to as cable information). In some embodiments, cable information may be stored on a mobile computing device 20 as part of a cable management tool, while in other embodiments, the cable management tool communicates with a remote server via an API to access and download cable information.

[0069] Furthermore, or alternatively, according to some embodiments, the cable 150 may further include one or more labels containing a unique identifier 151 or other information (e.g., cable information). The labels may be attached near one or both ends of the cable, similar to label 12 shown in Figure 2. The labels may be attached at a predetermined distance from the cable end to which it is attached closest or furthest away.

[0070] Cable 150 can be used in the cable management system 200, where a unique identifier 151 is scanned by the barcode scanner 30 to obtain corresponding information from the unique identifier 151. The barcode scanner 30 then similarly transmits the scanned information to a mobile computing device 20 to run a cable management tool, which can then obtain the cable identification code and / or other cable information using the scanned information. For example, the process for identifying the cable route during the bulk cable installation process in a structured cable system 1000 can be at least partially carried out by a cable management tool according to the process described in the flowchart 1900 shown in Figure 19.

[0071] According to the first step of flowchart 1900, the inventory of the number of cables required for installation is described by determining the number of cables to be used in the current installation (1901). This step may also include assigning a unique identification code to each cable and entering the unique identification code into a cable management tool. The installer can then physically draw out the required number of cables (1902).

[0072] Since each cable run may originate from its own separate cable spool, the inventory of spools used to pull out the cables is then considered by identifying the cable spool from which the cables originate (1903). This step may also involve entering the cable spool identification information into a cable management tool (1904).

[0073] Next, the cable management tool is updated to create a lookup table containing data insertion rows for each cable identified in this current installation, and each cable is associated with a unique identification code and cable information such as its source spool information (1905).

[0074] Next, the installer moves to the first location and inserts the first cable end into the first port at the first location (1906). After this insertion step, the installer enters the name of the port to which the cable end is installed into the cable management tool and scans the cable's unique identifier 151 using the barcode scanner 30. The scanned information is received by the cable management tool running on the mobile device 20, which automatically enters the cable information into a table and assigns it to the appropriate port in the table where the first cable end is installed (1907). For example, the installer may manually enter the patch panel and port information to which the cable end is installed in the cable management application tool (i.e., name=RoomA-panelA, port=01), and then scan the unique identifier 151 near the terminated cable, and the corresponding cable identification code and / or cable information will be automatically entered into the cable management application tool (such as a table) as being associated with the manually entered patch panel and port location.

[0075] Next, the cable management tool determines whether there are any additional cable ends to insert into the remaining ports at location 1 (1908). If the cable management tool determines that there are additional cable ends to insert into the remaining ports, the additional cable ends are inserted into the remaining ports (1909), and the tool also scans for unique identifiers as the cable ends are attached to their respective ports (1907). In this way, the cable management tool receives the correct identification information to assign the appropriate cables to the port locations installed at location 1. This loop-like process continues until there are no more cables to install at location 1.

[0076] If there is no remaining cable end to install into the port at location 1, the installer moves to location 2 and inserts the other end of the cable into the corresponding port at location 2 (2000).

[0077] At the second location, the installer uses a barcode scanner 30 to scan the cable's unique identifier 151 at the second cable end (2001). The cable management tool reads the cable's unique identifier 151, identifies the corresponding identification code, and obtains the installation location of the corresponding cable from when it was previously identified and attached to the port location at the first location. From this identification information, the cable management tool displays the port location to which the corresponding first cable end was attached at the first location. Using this information, the installer then determines the desired port installation location for the second cable end at the second location based on where the first cable end was attached to the patch panel at the first location (for example, mirroring the installation location).

[0078] In addition, or instead, the cable management tool may have pre-stored information that identifies the intended port installation location of the cable at a second location (e.g., not a mirrored installation location). Then, after identifying the cable based on the scanned unique identifier 151, the cable management tool displays the intended port installation location of the second cable end based on the pre-stored information.

[0079] Once installed, the scan information received by the cable management tool running on the mobile device 20 automatically populates the table with cable information and assigns the second cable end to the appropriate port where it is attached to the second location. Thus, the cable management tool has a record of where both the first and second cable ends of the same cable are attached for future reference.

[0080] The cable management tool determines whether there are any additional cable ends to install in the remaining ports at the second location (2002). If the cable management tool determines that there are remaining cable ends to install in the ports at the second location, the remaining cable ends are inserted into the remaining ports until the cable runs out (2003), scanning for each unique identifier 151 as the remaining cable ends are installed (2001). Scanning for unique identifiers ensures that the cable management tool has a record for future reference of where both the first and second cable ends of the same cable were installed. Since the second location may be where the cable spool is located, the cable can be cut from the spool after being scanned here at the second location.

[0081] Once all cable ends are connected to their respective locations and addressed with the cable management tool, the cable management tool can be run to perform an analysis and verify that the installation was done correctly (2004). The resulting cable location data (e.g., a table) can be stored locally on a mobile device 20 or sent to an offsite storage device (e.g., cloud storage or a server computer).

[0082] According to some embodiments, custom labels may be created by the installer, for example, using a cable management tool (2005). After the custom labels are created, they are sent to an on-site portable cable printer for printing (2006). The custom labels can then be affixed to the desired cables (2007). The custom labels may contain information not included in the unique identifier 151. For example, the custom labels may contain one or more portions of cable manufacturing data downloaded based on the cable identification from the scanned unique identifier 151. The desired cables for receiving the custom labels can be found using information collected by the cable management application tool.

[0083] According to some embodiments, a cable 150 including a unique identifier 151 pre-printed at predetermined intervals on the outer layer may also be used by a cable management tool during the implementation of the “scan” mode, “scan and verify” mode, and / or “search” mode described herein. In other words, a unique identifier 151 found on a cable 150 included in a structured cable system 1000 can be scanned by a barcode scanner 30, and the scanned information can be used to implement the “scan” mode, “scan and verify” mode, and / or “search” mode described herein.

[0084] The process described in flowchart 1900 is a more efficient and effective installation process, eliminating the need for installers to perform the initial step of traditional installation work, which previously required creating and drawing labels and attaching them to bulk cables.

[0085] Therefore, the installation process, in which installers pull cables from one location to another, can be significantly impacted by the time spent on cable identification and the creation of associated documentation. According to some embodiments, the management application tool may include a digital imaging function that captures images of the location where cable management is being performed (e.g., a server room), and may include the images along with reports generated in data files corresponding to the location.

[0086] According to some embodiments, the management application tool can store data files based on room names to better manage data files as the cable management plan scales up. A database stored locally on a mobile computing device 20 or remotely in cloud storage can also be used to store data files and reports generated by the management application tool.

[0087] According to some embodiments, during one or more of the processes described herein, the cable management tool may implement a graphical user interface (GUI) including increment (e.g., "+") and / or decrement (e.g., "-") buttons for easy navigation to the next or previous port and / or panel.

[0088] This disclosure describes a cable management device, system, method, and application program, including a non-temporary computer-readable storage medium, that solves the problems associated with the aforementioned known cable management approaches. The cable management device, system, method, and non-temporary computer-readable storage medium of this disclosure provide and / or utilize, in combination with intelligent software, a unique cable identifier that enables documentation of patchfield cables without the need to manually trace and document the location of the cables. Once the patchfield is scanned, the cable management device, system, method, and non-temporary computer-readable storage medium of this disclosure can then use the stored information to verify or locate existing connections.

[0089] As is readily apparent from the foregoing, various non-limiting embodiments of cable management devices, systems, methods, and non-temporary computer-readable storage media have been described. While various embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, they are merely illustrative and not intended to illustrate and describe all possible embodiments. Rather, the terms used herein are descriptive rather than limiting, and it should be understood that various modifications to these embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the subsequent claims.

Claims

1. A machine-readable memory storage device configured to communicate with a processor, wherein the machine-readable memory storage device includes processor-executable instructions, and when the processor-executable instructions are executed by the processor, the processor... A detection device detects a first cable identifier located at the first end of the cable. The detection device detects the second cable identifier located at the second end of the cable. Determine whether both the first cable identifier and the second cable identifier correspond to the same cable. If it is determined that the first cable identifier and the second cable identifier correspond to the same cable, the output of a notification indicating a passing status is controlled. If it is determined that the first cable identifier and the second cable identifier do not correspond to the same cable, the output of a notification indicating a failure status is controlled. A machine-readable memory storage device configured in such a way.

2. The machine-readable memory storage device according to claim 1, wherein the first cable identifier is located at a predetermined position measured from the end of the cable.

3. The machine-readable memory storage device according to claim 1, wherein the first cable identifiers are arranged on the cable at predetermined intervals of 18 inches or less.

4. When executed by the aforementioned processor, the aforementioned processor A label information corresponding to the aforementioned cable is generated, In order to print the label information onto the label, the label information is sent to a printer. The machine-readable memory storage device according to claim 1, further comprising processor-executable instructions configured in such a manner.

5. The machine-readable memory storage device according to claim 1, wherein the first cable identifier is used to identify at least one of cable attribute information, cable spool information, cable length information, or cable manufacturing data.

6. When executed by the aforementioned processor, the aforementioned processor It communicates with remote computing devices via a network interface. The network interface receives information corresponding to the cable from the remote computing device. The machine-readable memory storage device according to claim 1, further comprising processor-executable instructions configured in such a manner.

7. The machine-readable memory storage device according to claim 1, wherein the first cable identifier is a barcode, a QR code, or other machine-readable code.

8. The machine-readable memory storage device according to claim 1, wherein the first cable identifier is detected by a detection device via image recognition.

9. A mobile computing device, Processor and A machine-readable memory storage device configured to communicate with the aforementioned processor, The machine-readable memory storage device stores processor-executable instructions, and when the processor-executable instructions are executed by the processor, the processor... A detection device detects a first cable identifier located at the first end of the cable. The detection device detects the second cable identifier located at the second end of the cable. Determine whether both the first cable identifier and the second cable identifier correspond to the same cable. If it is determined that the first cable identifier and the second cable identifier correspond to the same cable, the output of a notification indicating a passing status is controlled. If it is determined that the first cable identifier and the second cable identifier do not correspond to the same cable, the output of a notification indicating a failure status is controlled. A mobile computing device configured in such a way.

10. The mobile computing device according to claim 9, wherein the first cable identifier is located at a predetermined position measured from the end of the cable.

11. The mobile computing device according to claim 9, wherein the first cable identifiers are arranged on the cable at predetermined intervals of 18 inches or less.

12. When executed by the aforementioned processor, the aforementioned processor A label information corresponding to the aforementioned cable is generated, In order to print the label information onto the label, the label information is sent to a printer. The mobile computing device according to claim 9, wherein the machine-readable memory storage device further stores processor-executable instructions configured in such a manner.

13. The mobile computing device according to claim 9, wherein the first cable identifier is used to identify at least one of cable attribute information, cable spool information, cable length information, or cable manufacturing data.

14. When executed by the aforementioned processor, the aforementioned processor It communicates with remote computing devices via a network interface. The network interface receives information corresponding to the cable from the remote computing device. The mobile computing device according to claim 9, wherein the machine-readable memory storage device further stores processor-executable instructions configured in such a manner.

15. The mobile computing device according to claim 9, wherein the first cable identifier is a barcode, a QR code, or other machine-readable code.

16. The mobile computing device according to claim 9, wherein the first cable identifier is detected by a detection device via image recognition.

17. A method for managing cables laid within a cable system, The steps include detecting a first cable identifier located at the first end of the cable via a detection device, The steps include detecting a second cable identifier located at the second end of the cable via the detection device, A step of determining whether both the first cable identifier and the second cable identifier correspond to the same cable, If it is determined that the first cable identifier and the second cable identifier correspond to the same cable, the step of controlling the output of a notification indicating a passing status, If it is determined that the first cable identifier and the second cable identifier do not correspond to the same cable, the step of controlling the output of a notification indicating a failure status, A method that includes [a certain feature].

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the first cable identifier is located at a predetermined position measured from the end of the cable.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the first cable identifier is a barcode, a QR code, or other machine-readable code.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the step of detecting the first cable identifier includes the step of the detection device detecting the first cable identifier using image recognition.

Images