Cable Management System Integrating Infrastructure Capacity Visualization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current cable management tools in telecommunications infrastructure struggle to effectively manage the vast number of cables and their logical structure, leading to challenges in resource allocation, cost management, and infrastructure capacity utilization, as they focus on visual attributes rather than logical connectivity and capacity.

Innovation Solution

A comprehensive cable management system that integrates infrastructure information into inventory objects, using a cable module to manage physical cables, an infrastructure module to manage building layouts, and a capacity module to calculate utilization values, providing a visualization of cable layouts and capacities to facilitate efficient resource planning and usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If current cable management tools focus on visual attributes of cables, then cable identification and tracking become simpler, but infrastructure capacity management and logical structure analysis deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecable identificationVSAvoidlogical structure information

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments cable management into multiple dimensions: visual attributes (color, type), logical attributes (connectivity, topology), and capacity attributes (space utilization, weight). Each dimension is managed separately through dedicated modules that collect and analyze specific aspects of cable infrastructure, allowing comprehensive management without overwhelming complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary layer between physical cables and management tools: cable objects that encapsulate both visual and logical attributes. These cable objects serve as mediators that translate physical cable characteristics into manageable data structures, enabling both visual identification and logical structure analysis through a unified interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If cable management tools track only basic cable information, then system complexity remains low, but resource allocation efficiency and cost management deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanagement system complexityVSAvoidresource allocation efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-defining cable objects with templates that include both basic identification information and detailed capacity attributes. Infrastructure objects are pre-configured with space and weight capacity parameters before cables are installed, enabling automatic capacity tracking and resource optimization without requiring complex real-time calculations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms cable management from tracking simple visual attributes to monitoring multiple parameters simultaneously: cable identifiers, connectivity relationships, space utilization, and weight capacity. This parameter expansion enables comprehensive resource allocation and cost management while maintaining system manageability through structured data organization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If infrastructure capacity information is not integrated into cable management, then system simplicity is maintained, but infrastructure utilization optimization and planning capability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem integration complexityVSAvoidinfrastructure capacity planning

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges cable management functions with infrastructure capacity management into a unified platform. Cable objects are associated with infrastructure objects (trays, conduits, pathways) and automatically inherit capacity constraints. This integration allows simultaneous management of cable inventories and infrastructure utilization without requiring separate systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the system continuously monitors infrastructure capacity utilization and provides real-time information to users. When capacity thresholds are approached, the system generates alerts and recommendations, enabling proactive planning and optimization. This feedback loop ensures reliable capacity planning while maintaining system simplicity through automated monitoring.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS8688410B2Cable management and inventory enhancement

Publication Date: 2014.04.01 NETCRACKER TECHNOLOGY CORP

AI summary

A cable-management system that integrates management information about infrastructure into objects and provides a visualization of cable and inventory objects within a building. An embodiment of the present invention comprises a computer-implemented cable management system comprising a cable module configured to manage at least one cable object associated with at least one physical cable and to automatically synchronize cable availability information with at least one inventory database, an infrastructure module configured to manage at least one infrastructure object associated with a building layout, wherein attributes of the at least one infrastructure object are associated with the at least one cable object, and a capacity module configured to calculate at least one utilization value associated with the at least one infrastructure object, whereby the at least one utilization value, the at least one cable object, and the at least one infrastructure object are integrated into a visualization of the building layout.