Method and apparatus for visual indication in cable network systems
View Patent ↗A cable network system includes a distribution assembly having a plurality of visual indicators mounted thereto, and a jack assembly removably coupled to the distribution assembly. The jack assembly has a plurality of jacks configured to receive cables of the cable network system therein. The visual indicators provide an indication of a status of a respective one of the jacks, and the jack assembly is removable from the distribution assembly while the visual indicators remain mounted to the distribution assembly.
1. A cable network system comprising:
a distribution assembly having a patch panel having a plurality of openings, the patch panel having a plurality of visual indicators mounted thereto; and
a plurality of jack assemblies received in the openings and removably coupled to the patch panel of the distribution assembly independently of the visual indicators, each jack assembly having a plurality of jacks configured to receive cables of the cable network system therein;
wherein the visual indicators provide an indication of a status of a respective one of the jacks,
and wherein the jack assembly is removable from the distribution assembly while the visual indicators remain mounted to the distribution assembly.
2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a light bar mounted to the distribution assembly wherein the visual indicators are mounted to the light bar, and further comprising a wire harness connected to a light bar and transmitting signals to the light bar to activate the visual indicators.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the status of the visual indicators identifies at least one of a jack location into which a plug is to be plugged, a jack location from which a plug is to be removed, and a connectivity status of the jack location.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the visual indicators are configured to identify which of the jacks are configured to receive a particular one of the cables of the cable network system.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the cables are configured to be coupled to a wall outlet remote from the distribution assembly, and the wall outlet is configured to receive a test signal transmitted along the cable to the respective jack, the visual indicator identifying the location of the jack receiving the test signal.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the patch panel includes a front surface and a rear surface, the system further comprising a light bar comprising a circuit board and the visual indicators mounted to the circuit board, the circuit board being mounted to the rear surface of the patch panel and the visual indicators extending from the circuit board such that the visual indicators are visible when viewed from the front surface of the patch panel, the jack assemblies being removably coupled to the patch panel independently of the light bar.
7. A cable network system comprising:
a distribution assembly having a light bar mounted to the distribution assembly, the light bar including a circuit board and visual indicators mounted to the circuit board; and
a jack assembly removably coupled to the distribution assembly, the jack assembly having a plurality of jacks configured to receive cables of the cable network system therein;
wherein the visual indicators provide an indication of a status of a respective one of the jacks,
and wherein the jack assembly is removable from the distribution assembly while the visual indicators remain mounted to the distribution assembly.
8. The system of clam 7 , wherein the distribution assembly defines a patch panel having a plurality of openings for receiving a plurality of jack assemblies, the visual indicators being coupled to the patch panel, the jack assemblies being removably coupled to the patch panel independently of the visual indicators.
9. A cable network system comprising:
a distribution assembly having a front connectivity interface configured for mating with cables of the cable network system, the distribution assembly includes an opening;
a light bar mounted to the distribution assembly, the light bar having a plurality of visual indicators visible at the front connectivity interface;
a jack assembly removably received in the opening, the jack assembly having a housing and a plurality of jacks mounted to the housing, the jacks being configured to receive cables, and each of the jacks having at least one of the visual indicators associated therewith; and
a wire harness electrically coupled to the light bar, wherein the wire harness is configured to activate the individual visual indicators based on a status of the associated jack.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the light bar includes a circuit board, the visual indicators are mounted to the circuit board, and the wire harness is electrically coupled to the circuit board for controlling the activation of the visual indicators.
11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the light bar includes a circuit board and the visual indicators include light emitting diodes mounted to the circuit board.
12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the light bar includes a first mating connector and the wire harness includes a second mating connector connected to the first mating connector.
13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the distribution assembly includes a plurality of visual indication ports, the light bar being mounted to the distribution assembly such that the visual indicators are aligned with, and visible through, respective ones of the visual indication ports.
14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the jack assembly housing has a plurality of windows, the visual indicators being visible through respective ones of the windows.
15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the distribution assembly includes a rear portion generally opposed to the front connectivity interface, the light bar and the wire harness are mounted to the rear portion of the distribution assembly.
16. The system of claim 9 , further comprising a driver, the wire harness being coupled to the driver and receives signals from the driver to transmit to the light bar, the signals relate to an operational status of the visual indicators.
17. The system of claim 9 , further comprising multiple light bars mounted to the distribution assembly, the wire harness includes an electrical connector and a plurality of wires extending from the electrical connector to respective ones of the light bars.
18. A method of visually identifying a jack location within a cable network system, the method comprising:
providing a distribution assembly having a frame that includes a patch panel and a jack assembly removably mounted to the frame, wherein the jack assembly has a plurality of jacks configured to receive cables of the cable network system therein; and
mounting a light bar to the patch panel of the frame, wherein the light bar includes visual indicators that provide an indication of a status of a respective one of the jacks, the jack assembly being removable from the frame independently of the light bar.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein providing a jack assembly includes providing a jack assembly removably mounted to the patch panel of the frame, and wherein mounting a light bar includes mounting a light bar to the patch panel, wherein the light bar includes a circuit board having the visual indicators mounted to the circuit board.
20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising connecting a wire harness to the light bar and the frame, wherein the wire harness transmits signals to the light bar to activate the visual indicators, and wherein the jack assembly is removable from the frame separate from the wire harness.