RFID-enabled optical adapter for use with a patch panel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9448371-B2
Application number	US-201514693523-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 22, 2015
Priority date	Jul 11, 2012
Publication date	Sep 20, 2016
Grant date	Sep 20, 2016

Abstract

One embodiment is directed to a system comprising a panel comprising a plurality of openings. The system is configured to selectively couple a panel contact for each opening to an RFID reader. The system further comprises a plurality of optical adapters. Each optical adapter comprises: at least one radio frequency identifier (RFID) antenna; at least one adapter contact that is electrically connected to the RFID antenna; and at least one conductor configured to electrically connect the adapter contact to respective one of respective panel contacts when the optical adapter is inserted into one of the openings of the panel. The RFID antenna of each connector is configured to be positioned near an RFID tag attached to the connector when the connector is inserted into the body of the optical adapter. The system is configured to selectively couple the RFID reader to each of the panel contacts. Other embodiments are disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a panel comprising a plurality of openings, each of the opening comprising a respective panel contact, wherein the system is configured to selectively couple each panel contact to an RFID reader;
a plurality of optical adapters configured to be inserted into the openings of the panel, wherein each optical adapter comprises:
a body in which at least one connector can be inserted;
at least one radio frequency identifier (RFID) antenna;
at least one adapter contact that is electrically connected to the RFID antenna; and
at least one conductor configured to electrically connect the adapter contact to respective one of respective panel contacts when the optical adapter is inserted into one of the openings of the panel;
wherein the RFID antenna of each connector is configured to be positioned near an RFID tag attached to the connector when the connector is inserted into the body of the optical adapter; and
wherein the system is configured to selectively couple the RFID reader to each of the panel contacts.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to selectively couple each panel contact to a controller.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein each optical adapter further comprises a visual indicator that is electrically connected to at least one adapter contact, wherein the visual indicator is electrically connected to at least one of: at least one adapter contact that is also electrically connected to the RFID antenna of that optical adapter; and at least one adapter contact that is not also electrically connected to the RFID antenna of that optical adapter.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the visual indicator for each optical adapter comprises at least one light emitting diode.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein each optical adapter further comprises a printed circuit board on which the RFID antenna, the visual indicator, and the adapter contact for that optical adapter are mounted.

6. The system of claim 3 , wherein each optical adapter further comprises a light guide material, wherein each optical adapter is configured to optically couple the light guide material to the visual indicator for that optical adapter so as to provide a visual indication at a point that is remote from the visual indicator.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the RFID antenna for each optical adapter comprises a pair of antenna coils implemented as a common loop; and
wherein the pair of antenna coils for each optical adapter is configured to read a first RFID tag attached to a first connector inserted into a first side of the optical adapter and to read a second RFID tag attached to a second connector inserted into a second side of the optical adapter.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one conductor for each optical adapter is further configured to mechanically hold the optical adapter in the panel when the optical adapter is inserted into the panel.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one conductor for each optical adapter comprises a clip.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the clip for each optical adapter comprises a pair of clips.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein each optical adapter is configured to be removable and re-insertable into the panel.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one conductor for each optical adapter comprises a plurality of contact sections, wherein each of the plurality of contact sections for that optical adapter is configured to touch a corresponding contact on the panel in connection with at least one of: the connector being inserted into that optical adapter, the connector being removed from that optical adapter, and that optical adapter being inserted into the panel.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein each optical adapter further comprises a keying arrangement configured to mount the optical adapter to the panel in a particular rotational orientation.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the keying arrangement of each optical adapter comprises a rail that is configured to slide within a respective notch included in the panel.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein each optical adapter is keyed to mate with a corresponding connector at a particular rotational orientation.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the body of each optical adapter defines a keyway in order to key the optical adapter to mate with the corresponding connector at the particular rotational orientation.

17. A method comprising:
inserting an optical adapter into an opening of a panel, wherein the optical adapter comprises:
a body in which at least one connector can be inserted;
at least one radio frequency identifier (RFID) antenna;
at least one adapter contact that is electrically connected to the RFID antenna; and
at least one conductor configured to electrically connect the adapter contact to a panel contact on a panel when the optical adapter is inserted into the panel; and
wherein the RFID antenna is configured to be positioned near an RFID tag attached to the connector when the connector is inserted into the body of the optical adapter;

selectively coupling an RFID reader to the RFID antenna; and
reading the RFID tag associated with the connecter inserted into the body of the optical adapter.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the optical adapter further comprises a visual indicator that is electrically connected to at least one adapter contact of the optical adapter, wherein the visual indicator is electrically connected to at least one of: at least one adapter contact that is also electrically connected to the RFID antenna;
wherein the method further comprises:
selectively coupling a controller to the visual indicator via the adapter contact that is electrically connected to the visual indicator; and
providing a visual indication at the optical adapter using the visual indicator under the control of the controller.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the optical adapter further comprises a light guide material, wherein the optical adapter is configured to optically couple the light guide material to the visual indicator; and
wherein providing a visual indication at the optical adapter comprises providing a visual indication at a point that is remote from the visual indicator.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the at least one conductor is further configured to mechanically hold the optical adapter in the panel when the optical adapter is inserted into the panel.

21. The method of claim 17 , wherein the RFID antenna comprises a pair of antenna coils implemented as a common loop; and
wherein reading the RFID tag associated with the connecter inserted into the body of the optical adapter comprising:
reading a first RFID tag attached to a first connector inserted into a first side of the optical adapter; and
reading a second RFID tag attached to a second connector inserted into a second side of the optical adapter.

22. The method of claim 17 , further comprising keying the optical adapter so that the optical adapter will be mounted to the panel in a particular rotational orientation;
wherein inserting the optical adapter into the opening of the panel comprises inserting the optical adapter into the opening of the panel so that the optical adapter is mounted to the panel in the particular rotational orientation.

23. The method of claim 17 , further comprising keying the optical adapter so that the optical adapter will mate with the connector

Assignees

• Tyco Electronics Ltd Uk
• Tyco Electronics Shanghai Co Ltd
• Tyco Electronics Raychem Bvba
• Commscope Connectivity Uk Ltd
• Adc Telecommunications (Shanghai) Distrib Co Ltd
• CommScope Connectivity Belgium BVBA

Inventors

• Lambourn Stephen
• Standish Ian Miles
• Cheng Xingjun
• Taylor Christopher Charles
• Junius Erwin

Classifications

• G02B6/3897

  Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards (G02B6/44528 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06K7/10415

  the interrogation device being fixed in its position, such as an access control device for reading wireless access cards, or a wireless ATM (banking machines in general G07F19/00) · CPC title

• G06K7/10336

  the antenna being of the near field type, inductive coil · CPC title

• G02B6/3825 Primary

  with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs · CPC title

• G02B6/3895 Primary

  identification of connection, e.g. right plug to the right socket or full engagement of the mating parts (keying element on the plug or adapter G02B6/3831; keying element on the ferrule G02B6/3851; keying element for electrical connection H01R13/64) · CPC title