Guided cable assist of networking hardware

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12400528-B2
Application number	US-202217975739-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2022
Priority date	Feb 14, 2022
Publication date	Aug 26, 2025
Grant date	Aug 26, 2025

Abstract

Systems and methods provide a guided cable assist that blinks port LEDs on the faceplate cage of modules as an indication that assists the user in cabling a system optimally from start to finish. The systems and methods include receiving a signal responsive to a first end of a cable being coupled to a first port in a system; providing an indication, wherein the indication signifies where a second end of the cable is to be coupled; and responsive to the second end of the cable being coupled, performing a validation check of the cable connection.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to:
receive a signal responsive to a first end of a cable being coupled to a first port of a first module in a system;
provide an indication on the first module that signifies that the first end of the cable is coupled to the first port:
provide an indication on a second module that signifies a second port of the second module where a second end of the cable is to be coupled; and
responsive to the second end of the cable being coupled, perform a validation check of the cable connection;
wherein the indication on the first module and the indication on the second module indicate cable insertion integrity for the first port and the second port or disabled lanes including channels with insufficient signal integrity for the cable between the first port and the second port via indication illumination;
wherein the indication on the first module and the indication on the second module are controlled via messages sent between a plurality of control and timing modules of one or more network elements over a control plane to which the first module and the second module and the plurality of control and timing modules are coupled; and
wherein the indication on the first module and the indication on the second module are in the form of Augmented Reality (AR).

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein responsive to the coupling of the second end of the cable, the instructions further cause the processor to provide validation of a successful connection of the cable.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to repeat the receive, provide, and perform for a plurality of cables adapted to couple modules of one or more systems.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the indication on the first module and the indication on the second module include illuminating Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) disposed relative to one or more ports.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 4 , wherein the LEDs are visibly different when used for the validation check versus during normal operation for status.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the indication on the first module and the indication on the second module is invoked by one of the coupling of the first end of the cable and by a User Interface (UI), triggering an assist mode that is active until a predetermined timeout period expires or a cancellation event occurs.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the system is one of a plurality of systems disposed in the one or more network elements, and the first and second end of the cable are coupled to different systems.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the indication on the first module and the indication on the second module include illuminating Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) associated with one or more pluggable optical module cages.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the indication is adapted to guide an installer through a cabling sequence to ensure proper cable length and assist in physical cable install, and further to denote correctness of topology.

10. A method comprising steps of:
coupling a first end of a cable to a first port of a first module in a system;
receiving an indication on the first module responsive to coupling the first end of the cable, wherein the indication on the first module signifies that the first end of the cable is coupled to the first port;
receiving an indication on a second module responsive to coupling the first end of the cable, wherein the indication on the second module signifies a second port of the second module where a second end of the cable is to be coupled; and
coupling the second end of the cable based on the indication on the second module;
wherein the indication on the first module and the indication on the second module indicate cable insertion integrity for the first port and the second port or disabled lanes including channels with insufficient signal integrity for the cable between the first port and the second port via indication illumination;
wherein the indication on the first module and the indication on the second module are controlled via messages sent between a plurality of control and timing modules of one or more network elements over a control plane to which the first module and the second module and the plurality of control and timing modules are coupled; and
wherein the indication on the first module and the indication on the second module are in the form of Augmented Reality (AR).

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein responsive to the coupling of the second end of the cable, the steps further comprise receiving validation of a successful connection of the cable.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the steps are repeated for a plurality of cables adapted to couple modules of one or more systems.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the indication on the first module and the indication on the second module signifies where the second end of the cable is to be coupled by way of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) disposed relative to one or more ports.

14. An apparatus comprising:
a processor, and
memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to
receive a signal responsive to a first end of a cable being coupled to a first port of a first module in a system;
provide an indication on the first module that signifies that the first end of the cable is coupled to the first port;
provide an indication on a second module that signifies a second port of the second module where a second end of the cable is to be coupled; and
responsive to the second end of the cable being coupled, perform a validation check of the cable connection;
wherein the indication on the first module and the indication on the second module indicate cable insertion integrity for the first port and the second port or disabled lanes including channels with insufficient signal integrity for the cable between the first port and the second port via indication illumination;
wherein the indication on the first module and the indication on the second module are controlled via messages sent between a plurality of control and timing modules of one or more network elements over a control plane to which the first module and the second module and the plurality of control and timing modules are coupled; and
wherein the indication on the first module and the indication on the second module are in the form of Augmented Reality (AR).

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein responsive to the coupling of the second end of the cable, the instructions further cause the processor to provide validation of a successful connection of the cable.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the steps are repeated for a plurality of cables adapted to couple modules of one or more systems.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the indication on the first module and the indication on the second module include illuminating Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) disposed relative to one or more ports.

Assignees

• Ciena Corp

Inventors

• Rivaud Daniel
• Young Alex
• Colton Fabien
• Moynihan Jeffrey Scott

Classifications

• G08B21/18

  Status alarms (G08B21/02 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H05K7/1491

  having cable management arrangements (management of optical cables G02B6/444; in telecommunication cabinets H04Q1/06) · CPC title

• G06F30/18

  Network design, e.g. design based on topological or interconnect aspects of utility systems, piping, heating ventilation air conditioning [HVAC] or cabling (circuit design at the physical level G06F30/39; network planning tools for wireless communication networks H04W16/18) · CPC title

• G06F30/20

  Design optimisation, verification or simulation (optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30) · CPC title

• G06F2111/18

  using virtual or augmented reality · CPC title