Methods, systems and computer program products for notifying telecommunications system technicians of pending work orders
Methods, systems and computer program products that notify technicians of work to be performed on a telecommunications system are provided. Interconnections with patch panel connector ports are monitored and a work order is generated in response to detecting the relocation of a patch cord connector at a patch panel. A technician automatically is notified that a work order has been generated. The technician is requested to acknowledge receipt of a work order notification. If an acknowledgement is not received within a predetermined period of time, an alternate technician is notified of the work order. A list of work orders are displayed on a display in communication with the telecommunications system. Displayed work orders can be filtered such that the a technician only views work orders he/she is authorized to view. A technician can select a displayed work order and retrieve additional information from a server managing the work orders.
1 . A method of notifying technicians of work to be performed on a telecommunications system, wherein the telecommunications system includes a patch panel having a plurality of connector ports, and a plurality of patch cords configured to selectively interconnect pairs of the connector ports, wherein each patch cord has opposite ends and a respective connector secured to each end, wherein each connector is configured to be removably secured within a connector port, the method comprising:
monitoring patch cord interconnections with the connector ports;
generating a work order in response to detecting relocation of a patch cord connector at the patch panel, wherein the work order details work to be performed by a technician associated with the relocation of the patch cord connector; and
automatically notifying a technician that a work order has been generated.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising requesting acknowledgment from a technician that a work order notification was received.
3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising notifying an alternate technician that a work order has been generated if an acknowledgment of a previously sent work order notification has not been received within a predetermined period of time.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying a list of work orders and work order locations on a display in communication with the telecommunications system.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein displaying a list of work orders and work order locations on a display comprises filtering work orders and work order locations according to technician.
6 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising displaying additional information about a work order in response to user selection of the work order via the display.
7 . A telecommunications system, comprising:
a patch panel comprising a plurality of connector ports;
a plurality of patch cords configured to selectively interconnect pairs of the connector ports, wherein each patch cord comprises opposite ends and a respective connector secured to each end, wherein each connector is configured to be removably secured within a connector port;
means for monitoring patch cord interconnections with the connector ports;
means for generating a work order in response to detecting relocation of a patch cord connector at the patch panel, wherein the work order details work to be performed by a technician associated with the relocation of the patch cord connector; and
means for automatically notifying a technician that a work order has been generated.
8 . The telecommunications system of claim 7 , further comprising means for requesting acknowledgment from a technician that a work order notification was received.
9 . The telecommunications system of claim 8 , further comprising means for notifying an alternate technician that a work order has been generated if an acknowledgment of a previously sent work order notification has not been received within a predetermined period of time.
10 . The telecommunications system of claim 7 , further comprising:
means for generating a work order independently of relocation of a patch cord connector at the patch panel, wherein the work order details work to be performed by a technician on the telecommunications system; and
means for automatically notifying a technician that a work order has been generated.
11 . The telecommunications system of claim 7 , further comprising means for displaying a list of work orders and work order locations on a display in communication with the telecommunications system.
12 . The telecommunications system of claim 11 , further comprising means for filtering work orders and work order locations according to technician.
13 . The telecommunications system of claim 11 , further comprising means for displaying additional information about a work order in response to user selection of the work order via the display.
14 . The telecommunications system of claim 7 , wherein the means for automatically notifying a technician that a work order has been generated comprises means for sending an electronic message to the technician.
15 . A computer program product for notifying technicians of work to be performed or a telecommunications system, wherein the telecommunications system includes a patch panel having a plurality of connector ports, and a plurality of patch cords configured to selectively interconnect pairs of the connector ports, wherein each patch cord has opposite ends and a respective connector secured to each end, wherein each connector is configured to be removably secured within a connector port, the computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied in the medium, the computer readable program code comprising:
computer readable program code that monitors patch cord interconnections with the connector ports;
computer readable program code that generates a work order in response to detecting relocation of a patch cord connector at the patch panel, wherein the work order details work to be performed by a technician associated with the relocation of the patch cord connector; and
computer readable program code that automatically notifies a technician that a work order has been generated.
16 . The computer program product of claim 15 , further comprising computer readable program code that requests acknowledgment from a technician that a work order notification was received.
17 . The computer program product of claim 16 , further comprising computer readable program code that notifies an alternate technician that a work order has been generated if an acknowledgment of a previously sent work order notification has not been received within a predetermined period of time.
18 . The computer program product of claim 15 , further comprising:
computer readable program code that generates a work order independently of relocation of a patch cord connector at the patch panel, wherein the work order details work to be performed by a technician on the telecommunications system; and
computer readable program code that automatically notifies a technician that a work order has been generated.
19 . The computer program product of claim 15 , further comprising computer readable program code that displays a list of work orders and work order locations on a display in communication with the telecommunications system.
20 . The computer program product of claim 19 , further comprising computer readable program code that filters work orders and work order locations according to technician.
21 . The computer program product of claim 19 , further comprising computer readable program code that displays additional information about a work order in response to user selection of the work order via the display.
22 . The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the computer readable program code that automatically notifies a technician that a work order has been generated comprises computer readable program code that sends an electronic message to the technician.