Electrical connectors – With indicating or identifying provision – Connection indicating provision
Reexamination Certificate
2002-08-14
2004-06-01
Nguyen, Truc (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With indicating or identifying provision
Connection indicating provision
C439S488000, C439S910000, C439S668000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06743044
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to digital cross-connect equipment. More particularly, the present invention relates to cross-connect switching systems having tracer lamp circuits.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the telecommunications industry, the use of switching jacks to perform digital cross-connect (DSX) and monitoring functions is well known. The jacks may be mounted to replaceable cards or modules, which in turn may be mounted in a chassis, and multiple chassis may be mounted together in an equipment rack. Modules for use in co-axial environments are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,701, which is incorporated herein by reference. Modules for use in twisted pair applications are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,961. Cross-connect modules are also used with fiber optic communications systems.
FIG. 1
shows a prior art cross-connect arrangement of the type used for co-axial applications. The depicted arrangement includes two jack modules
20
,
22
. The jack modules
20
,
22
may be mounted in separate chassis that are in turn mounted on separate racks. Each jack module
20
,
22
is cabled to a separate network element (i.e., piece of telecommunications equipment). For example, jack module
20
is connected to equipment
24
by cables
26
, and jack module
22
is connected to equipment
28
by cables
30
. The pieces of equipment
24
and
28
are interconnected by cross-connect jumpers
32
(e.g., cables) placed between the two jack modules
20
and
22
. Each jack module
20
,
22
includes IN and OUT ports
34
and
36
for direct access to the equipment's input and output signals. Each module
20
,
22
also includes X-IN and X-OUT ports
35
,
37
for providing direct access to the cross-connect input and cross-connect output signals. Ports
34
-
37
provide a means to temporarily break the connection between the pieces of equipment
24
and
28
that are cross-connected together, and to allow access to the signals for test and patching operations. The jack modules
20
,
22
also include monitor ports
38
for non-intrusive access to the input and output signals of each piece of telecommunications equipment
24
,
28
.
A typical telecommunications central office includes many jack modules and a large number of bundled cables interconnecting the modules. Consequently, absent indicators, it is difficult to quickly determine which two jack modules are cross-connected together. To assist in this function, the jack modules
20
,
22
include indicator lights
40
wired to power
42
and ground
44
. Switches
46
are positioned between the indicator lights
40
and ground
44
. The indicator lights
40
are also electrically connected to pin jacks
48
located at the rear of the jack modules
20
,
22
. The pin jacks
48
provide connection locations for allowing the tracer lamp circuits corresponding to each of the modules
20
,
22
to be interconnected by a messenger wire
50
. The messenger wire
50
is typically bundled with the jumpers
32
to form a cross-connect jumper assembly. When either switch
46
is closed, the indicator lamps
40
corresponding to both of the jack modules
20
,
22
are connected to ground and thereby illuminated. Thus, by closing one of the switches
46
, the two jack modules
20
,
22
that are cross-connected can be easily identified by merely locating the illuminated tracer lamps.
A problem with tracer lamp configurations as described above is that they are only visible from the front ends of the jack modules. Thus, a technician at the rear of the modules is required to walk around to the front to view the tracer lamps.
SUMMARY
The present disclosure describes representative embodiments that relate generally to DSX jumper assemblies having integral tracer lamps. The present disclosure also describes digital cross-connect LED circuitry that illuminates regardless of the direction of current travel. It will be appreciated that the various inventive aspects disclosed herein can be used together or separately from one another. It will further be appreciated that the disclosed examples are merely illustrative, and that variations can be made with respect to the depicted examples without departing from the broad scope of the inventive concepts.
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Burroughs Dennis
Demulling Richard T.
Good Thomas
Musolf Bruce
ADC Telecommunications Inc.
Merchant & Gould P.C.
Nguyen Truc
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