Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

A cable management system which provides routing of wired services between service lines (16) and user lines (18). Each service line enters the cable management system at a service termination unit circuit card (22) which also holds a portion of a crosspoint switch matrix (126). Each user line enters the system at a line termination unit circuit card (20). The service termination unit circuit cards are all mounted to connectors (36) on a first side of a centerplane board (24) and the line termination unit circuit cards are mounted to connectors (36) on the other side of the centerplane board. Pins (37) extending through the centerplane board interconnect the connectors so that any service line can be connected to any user line. A system controller card (26) mounted to the centerplane board communicates with the circuit cards via a bus (38) on the centerplane board. An operator controlled management station (14) provides commands to the controller to control the operation of the cable management system. Each user line includes a subset of the wires of a multi-wire cable (162) extending from a line termination unit circuit card to a remote outlet (200). At the outlet, there is provided a visible indicator (230). A selector (232) is coupled to the indicator and to wires of the multi-wire cable which do not form a part of the user line. The selector responds to commands from the management station for energizing the indicator.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim