RJ45 Connector Patch Cable Identification System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cabling systems in communications and networking environments face challenges in identifying and managing patch cables, particularly in large-scale installations where hundreds of cables converge, leading to difficulties in tracking and reconfiguring connections without external testing equipment or permanent rewiring.
Innovation Solution
Integration of an internal power supply and light signaling system within a modular RJ45 connector, utilizing an unused wire pair to illuminate an LED on the opposite end of the patch cord when a switch is activated, allowing visual identification of the termination point without removing the cord from service.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional patch cables without identifying marks are used, then device complexity is reduced and manufacturing cost is lower, but cable identification and tracking becomes extremely difficult in large-scale installations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds identification components (LED, battery, switch) within the existing RJ45 connector housing. The LED is positioned to be visible through the connector shell, the battery is mounted inside the connector body, and the switch is integrated into the connector face. This nesting approach adds identification functionality without requiring external attachments or separate identification devices, thereby improving cable traceability while minimizing increases in overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector performs self-identification by illuminating its own position and identity information through the integrated LED. The battery-powered LED system allows the connector to actively display its identity without requiring external testing equipment or manual tracing, enabling the cable to service its own identification needs autonomously.
2Productivity
If external testing equipment is used to identify cable ends, then identification accuracy is improved, but productivity decreases due to time-consuming physical tracing
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is pre-equipped with identification components (LED, battery, switch) during manufacturing, so that identification capability is already in place before installation. This preliminary integration eliminates the need for post-installation testing equipment or manual tracing procedures, enabling immediate identification and reconfiguration of cables without sacrificing accuracy or requiring external tools.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical/physical tracing methods with an optical signaling system. Instead of physically following cables through conduits or using external tone generators and receivers, the integrated LED provides visual identification that can be seen directly at the connector location, substituting mechanical traceability with optical indication and dramatically improving reconfiguration speed.
3Ease of operation
If permanent rewiring is performed to improve cable management, then connection organization is improved, but loss of time and productivity during reconfiguration increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables dynamic reconfiguration of cable connections by providing immediate identification of cable ends and current connections. The LED identification system allows technicians to quickly locate and reassign cables as needed without permanent fixed assignments, making the cabling system adaptable and flexible while minimizing reconfiguration time through rapid cable identification and tracing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient reconfiguration and identification of patch cables in real-time, reducing the need for physical tracing and external testing, allowing multiple cables to be managed and connected quickly, even in complex environments.
Implementation Method 1
a light emitting diode integrated into the modular connector located at the opposite end of a given patch cord
Data Source
AI summary
A system for locating corresponding ends of a communications or data patch cable used to conduct a signal between computing or telecommunications devices. The invention provides a physical indication of the location of an opposite end of a given patch cable when a switching means on the first end of the same cable is activated. The invention utilizes an existing pair of wires in category-type cables to send a DC voltage when activated to illuminate a light emitting diode in the opposite end of a patch cable thereby providing an immediate indication of the location of the termination of the opposite end of a patch cable making it possible to visually identify a cable without removing the cable from service or from connection of the modular plugs on either end of the cable.