Validating connection, structural characteristics and positioning of cable connectors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016266993-A1
Application number	US-201615159975-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 20, 2016
Priority date	Dec 20, 2013
Publication date	Sep 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

In one or more aspects, a determination is made as to whether a connector is securely fastened, whether the connector connected within a socket structure is the expected connector for that socket structure, and/or whether connectors coupled to one another via one or more cables are properly positioned for communication between them. Information on selected physical connection elements of a connector is used to determine one or more structural characteristics of the cable(s) connected to the connector and to determine whether the connector is the expected connector for a particular socket structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A computer program product comprising:
a computer readable storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising:
obtaining, from a connector connected to a socket structure, an identifier of a cable coupled to the connector at one end of the cable, the obtaining comprising reading information from a plurality of physical connection elements of the connector to obtain the identifier, wherein the identifier serves as an indication of whether the cable is properly physically engaged in the socket structure;
determining, based on the identifier, whether the cable is properly physically engaged in the socket structure; and
performing processing based on the determining whether the cable is properly physically engaged in the socket structure.

2 . The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein based on determining that the cable is properly physically engaged in the socket structure, the performing processing comprises continuing validation of connection of the connector.

3 . The computer program product of claim 2 , wherein the continuing validation comprises:
obtaining, from another connector coupled to the cable at another end of the cable and connected to another socket structure, another identifier, the obtaining comprising reading information from another plurality of physical connection elements of the another connector to obtain the another identifier; determining, based on the another identifier, whether the cable is properly physically engaged in the another socket structure; and based on determining that the cable is properly physically engaged in the another socket structure, initiating communication between the connector and the another connector.

4 . The computer program product of claim 3 , wherein the initiating communication comprises performing a communications handshake between the connector and the another connector using a selected plurality of connection elements of the connector and the another connector.

5 . The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein based on determining that the cable is not properly physically engaged in the socket structure, the performing processing comprises providing an indication that the connector is not as expected.

6 . The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein based on determining that the cable is not properly physically engaged in the socket structure, the performing processing comprises making a further determination as to whether the identifier is a first value, wherein based on the identifier being the first value, it is determined that the connector is not fully engaged in the socket structure.

7 . The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein based on determining that the cable is not properly physically engaged in the socket structure, the performing processing comprises making a further determination as to whether the identifier is a second value, wherein based on the identifier being the second value, it is determined that the connector is not to be used.

8 . The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein based on determining that the cable is not properly physically engaged in the socket structure, the performing processing comprises:
determining whether the identifier is a first value indicative that the connector is not fully engaged in the socket structure; determining whether the identifier is a second value indicative that the connector is not to be used; and based on the identifier being neither the first value nor the second value, determining that the connector is not a proper connector for the socket structure.

9 . The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein proper physical engagement of the cable in the socket structure comprises a structural characteristic of the cable being an expected structural characteristic for that socket structure.

10 . The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the information comprises a plurality of values read from the plurality of physical connection elements in a defined sequence to provide the identifier.

11 . A computer system comprising:
a memory; and a processor in communications with the memory, wherein the computer system is configured to perform a method, said method comprising:
obtaining, from a connector connected to a socket structure, an identifier of a cable coupled to the connector at one end of the cable, the obtaining comprising reading information from a plurality of physical connection elements of the connector to obtain the identifier, wherein the identifier serves as an indication of whether the cable is properly physically engaged in the socket structure;
determining, based on the identifier, whether the cable is properly physically engaged in the socket structure; and
performing processing based on the determining whether the cable is properly physically engaged in the socket structure.

12 . The computer system of claim 11 , wherein based on determining that the cable is properly physically engaged in the socket structure, the performing processing comprises continuing validation of connection of the connector.

13 . The computer system of claim 11 , wherein based on determining that the cable is not properly physically engaged in the socket structure, the performing processing comprises providing an indication that the connector is not as expected.

14 . The computer system of claim 11 , wherein based on determining that the cable is not properly physically engaged in the socket structure, the performing processing comprises:
determining whether the identifier is a first value indicative that the connector is not fully engaged in the socket structure; determining whether the identifier is a second value indicative that the connector is not to be used; and based on the identifier being neither the first value nor the second value, determining that the connector is not a proper connector for the socket structure.

15 . The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the information comprises a plurality of values read from the plurality of physical connection elements in a defined sequence to provide the identifier.

16 . The computer system of claim 11 , wherein proper physical engagement of the cable in the socket structure comprises a structural characteristic of the cable being an expected structural characteristic for that socket structure.

17 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
obtaining, from a connector connected to a socket structure, an identifier of a cable coupled to the connector at one end of the cable, the obtaining comprising reading information from a plurality of physical connection elements of the connector to obtain the identifier, wherein the identifier serves as an indication of whether the cable is properly physically engaged in the socket structure; determining, based on the identifier, whether the cable is properly physically engaged in the socket structure; and performing processing based on the determining whether the cable is properly physically engaged in the socket structure.

18 . The method claim 17 , wherein based on determining that the cable is properly physically engaged in the socket structure, the performing processing comprises continuing validation of connection of the connector.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein based on determining that the cable is not properly physically engaged in the socket structure, the performing processing comprises providing an indication that

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Brodsky William L
• Kostenko William P

Classifications

• H01R13/629

  Additional means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. aligning or guiding means, levers, gas pressure {electrical locking indicators, manufacturing tolerances (separate tools or apparatus H01R43/26)} · CPC title

• G06F13/102

  where the program performs an interfacing function, e.g. device driver (G06F13/105 takes precedence; contention policies within device drivers G06F9/4881; scheduling within device drivers G06F9/52) · CPC title

• G06F11/2289

  by configuration test · CPC title

• G06F11/3051 Primary

  Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the configuration of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring the presence of processing resources, peripherals, I/O links, software programs (verification or detection of system hardware configuration G06F11/2247) · CPC title

• G06F13/409

  Mechanical coupling (back panels H05K7/1438) · CPC title