AU2017101306A4 - Electrical Power or Communication Cable - Google Patents

Abstract

- 18 An electrical power or communication cable, comprising: an elongate transmitter for transmitting power or a communications signal, the elongate transmitter having a first end and a second end; a first connector connected to the first end; a second connector connected to the second end; a first RFID tag having a first identifier, and attached to the first connector or to the elongate transmitter proximate the first connector; and a second RFID tag having a second identifier, and attached to the second connector or to the elongate transmitter proximate the second connector. The first identifier is correlatable with the second identifier. A cable management system is also provided. 9521402_1 (GHMafems) PI 05836.AJ.2 20 1'4 Figure 1 Figure 2

Description

Electrical Power or Communication Cable

Related Applications

This application is associated with and claims the benefit of the filing and priority dates of Australian applications nos. 2017901608 filed 3 May 2017 and 2017903755 filed 15 September 2017, the content of both of which as filed is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to an electrical power or communication cable (such as an optical or electrical cable) with connecters.

Background of the Invention

Patching or other interconnect systems are used in communication networks in order to provide flexibility in implementing logical communication links. One interconnect system is a patch lead that comprises an optical or electrical cable with connectors at each end. In use, the connectors may be located in patch panels, racks or the like. In such an application, there may be hundreds or thousands of identical connectors located. Accordingly, each cable may be provided with stripe along its length to facilitate the tracing of that cable along its length and thereby match its two connectors. Such stripes may be of different colours to further facilitate the tracing of the respective cables. Alternatively, each connector end may be identified by a physical label.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrical power or communication cable (such as an optical or other patch lead), comprising: an elongate transmitter (such as an electrical cable or an optical cable) for transmitting power or a communications signal, the elongate transmitter having a first end and a second end; a first (e.g. source) connector connected to the first end; a second (e.g. destination) connector connected to the second end; a first RFID tag having a first identifier, and attached to the first connector or to the elongate transmitter proximate the first connector; and a second RFID tag having a second identifier, and attached to the second connector or to the elongate transmitter proximate the second connector; wherein the first and second identifiers may be set or written to the respective RFID tags so as to be mutually correlatable.

In some examples, the first and second connectors correspond to source and destination connectors connected to source and destination ends, respectively, of the elongate transmitter, with the first and second RFID tags corresponding to source and destination RFID tags, respectively, the first and second identifiers corresponding to source and destination identifiers, respectively.

In this context, “proximate” should be understood to mean sufficiently close to the respective connector to enable a user to readily associate the respective tag and connector.

In an embodiment, the first and second identifiers are written to user memory of the respective RFID tags.

In an embodiment, the first and second RFID tags include location information (such as in respective user memory of the first and second RFID tags), indicative of respective locations of the first and second connectors. The first and second identifiers may comprise the location information, or the location information may be stored separately from the first and second identifiers.

The locations may be identified at any desired level, whether high level (e.g. street address), medium level (e.g. room level) or low level (e.g. patch board level).

In another embodiment, the first and second RFID tags include service identification information (such as in respective user memory of the first and second RFID tags), indicative of one or more services provided by the cable. The one or more services may indicate, for example, a communications protocol for which the cable is adapted, provided or installed. The first and second identifiers may comprise the service identification information, or the service identification information may be stored separately from the first and second identifiers.

In an embodiment, the first and second identifiers are mutually correlatable.

The first and second RFID tags may be, for example, UHF RFID tags (including UHF Gen2 RFID tags) Furthermore, the first and second RFID tags may be different types of RFID tags.

The first and second connectors may be electrical, RF, optical or hybrid connectors, and may be of different types.

The first RFID tag may be a first UHF RFID tag and the second RFID tag a second UHF RFID tag.

The first and second RFID tags may be adhered to respectively the first and second connectors (whether to a connector body of the respective connector, to a cable boot of the respective connector, or otherwise), or adhered to the elongate transmitter. The first and second RFID tags may be integrated into the cable (including the elongate transmitter), such as adhered or inserted.

The first connector and/or second connector may have an elongated cable boot (that is, when compared with existing or industry standard cable boots) to house an antenna of the respective RFID tag.

The first and second RFID tags may be integrated into an adhesive labelling package adapted to be fitted or retrofitted to an existing cable. The first and second RFID tags may be integrated into a clip-on tag for application to the cable. The first and second RFID tags may be integrated into a flag label for application to the cable.

In an embodiment, the first and second RFID tags are provided with respective first and second secondary identifiers. The respective first and second secondary identifiers may comprise barcodes and/or ASCII characters, whether represented in numerical format, hexadecimal format or otherwise.

The secondary identifiers will generally be selected so as to be readable either by conventional means (such as a barcode reader) or by the naked eye. This will facilitate the use of cable in association with legacy systems that employ such conventional forms of identifier.

The first and second RFID tags may be positioned in essentially any orientation in or on a connector body of the respective connector, a cable boot of the respective connector or the elongate transmitter.

In an embodiment, the electrical power or communication cable is provided with first and second indicia that are human-readable, indicative of the first and second RFID tags respectively, and located so as to be associated with the first and second RFID tags respectively. The first and second indicia may be located on the elongate transmitter or on the first and second connectors respectively. The first and second indicia may comprise Electronic Product Codes (EPCs).

In this embodiment, the electrical power or communication cable may be provided with first and second labels (located, for example, on the elongate transmitter or on the first and second connectors respectively) bearing the first and second indicia respectively.

According to a second broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cable management system, comprising: data management system including asset management software; and an asset management database; wherein the data management system is configured to receive and store to said asset management database information (such as the first and second identifiers) pertaining to first and second connectors of an electrical power or communication cable according to the first aspect, and to identify the information pertaining to the second connector from the information pertaining to the first connector.

In an embodiment, the information pertaining to the first connector comprises identification information and/or the information pertaining to the second connector comprises identification information.

In an embodiment, the information pertaining to the second connector comprises location information.

In an embodiment, the method includes writing the first and second identifiers to user memory on the first and second RFID tags, respectively. In an embodiment, the method includes writing the information pertaining to the first and second connectors to user memory of the first and second RFID tags, respectively.

In an embodiment, the method includes writing service identification information to user memory on the first and second RFID tags, respectively.

In an embodiment, the method includes reading from the first and second RFID tags data comprising any one or more of: i) the first and second identifiers; ii) the information pertaining to the first and second connectors; and iii) service identification information indicative of one or more services provided by the cable; and uploading the data to the asset management database.

The cable management system may further comprise one or more RFID interrogators or readers.

The cable management system may further comprise one or more electrical power or communication cables according to the first broad aspect.

The data management system may be further configured to transmit the information pertaining to the second connector to a user device (e.g. an RFID reader) of a user.

In an embodiment, the system includes a network tracer configured to trace a network that comprises the cable by identifying the second connector (e.g. in the form of a location of the second connector) from the information pertaining to the second connector once identified from the information pertaining to the first connector. In one example, the network additionally comprises a further like cable, and the network tracer is configured to trace the network further by identifying the first connector of the further cable based on a correlation between the first connector of the further cable and the second connector of the cable. The second connector of the further cable may be identified from information pertaining to the second connector of the further cable once identified from information pertaining to the first connector of the further cable.

The network tracer may be configured to receive additional RFID information from RFID tags associated with one or more network assets other than the cable (such as pieces of active equipment, sub-racks and/or racks), and to employ the additional RFID information in tracing the network.

In an embodiment, the system is further configured to receive the information pertaining to the first connector from a first RFID reader, ascertain the information pertaining to the second connector from the information pertaining to the first connector, and transmit at least some of the information pertaining to the second connector to a second RFID reader sufficient to allow a user of the second RFID reader to locate the second connector with the second RFID reader by scanning for the second RFID tag with the second RFID reader until a match is found between information stored on the second RFID tag and the at least some of the information pertaining to the second connector. The first and second RFID readers may be a single RFID reader.

According to a third broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing an electrical power or communication cable, the method comprising: connecting a first connector to a first end of an elongate transmitter, the elongate transmitter being configured for transmitting power or a communications signal; connecting a second connector to a second end of an elongate transmitter, the elongate transmitter being configured for transmitting power or a communications signal; providing the first connector or the elongate transmitter proximate the first connector with a first RFID tag having a first identifier; and providing the second connector or the elongate transmitter proximate the second connector with a second RFID tag having a second identifier.

The method may include setting or writing (i.e. to the respective RFID tags) the first and second identifiers so as to be mutually correlatable.

The method may include setting or writing the first and second identifiers to user memory of the first and second RFID tags, respectively.

The method may include providing the first and second RFID tags with respective first and second secondary identifiers. The respective first and second secondary identifiers may be mutually correlatable.

The first and second secondary identifiers may be indicative respectively of the first and second identifiers.

The first and second secondary identifiers may comprise barcodes and/or ASCII characters, whether represented in numerical format, hexadecimal format or otherwise.

In an embodiment, the method includes providing the electrical power or communication cable with first and second indicia that are human-readable, indicative of the first and second RFID tags respectively, and located so as to be associated the first and second RFID tags respectively. The first and second indicia may be located on the elongate transmitter or on the first and second connectors respectively. The first and second indicia may comprise Electronic Product Codes (EPCs).

In this embodiment, the method may include providing the electrical power or communication cable with first and second labels bearing the first and second indicia respectively.

It should be noted that any of the various individual features of each of the above aspects of the invention, and any of the various individual features of the embodiments described herein including in the claims, can be combined as suitable and desired.

Brief Description of the Drawing

In order that the invention may be more clearly ascertained, embodiments will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic view of communication cable in the form of a patch lead according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a schematic view of communication cable in the form of a patch lead according to another embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a schematic view of communication cable in the form of a patch lead according to a further embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 4 is a schematic view of a variant of the patch lead of figure 1 according to a further embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 5 is a schematic view of a communication cable management system according to another embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 6A is a more detailed schematic view of the data management system of the communication cable management system of figure 5; and

Figure 6B is a more detailed schematic view of a variant data management system of the communication cable management system of figure 5 according to this embodiment.

Detailed Description of Embodiments

Figure 1 is a schematic view of a communication cable in the form of a patch lead 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Patch lead 10 of this embodiment is adapted for forming an electrical connection, but it will be appreciated that other embodiments may be adapted for forming, for example, an optical connection.

Patch lead 10 comprises a first connector 12 and a second connector 14 at its respective ends, and an electrical cable 16 electrically coupling first connector 12 to second connector 14. First connector 12 comprises a connector body 22 and a cable boot (or backshell) 24; second connector 14 comprises a connector body 26 and a cable boot 28. First connector 12 includes a first RFID tag in the form of a first UHF RFID tag 18, while second connector 14 includes a second RFID tag in the form of a second UHF RFID tag 20. First and second UHF RFID tags 18, 20 may be adhered to or contained within connector bodies 22, 26 of the respective first and second connectors 12, 14, or—as in this embodiment—embedded within connector bodies 22, 26. Cable boots 24, 28 are desirably lengthened to accommodate the respective antennas (not shown), in this example the UHF RFID antennas, of UHF RFID tags 18, 20. As a consequence, the respective UHF RFID antennas can be concealed within and protected by the respective cable boots 24, 28. UHF RFID tags 18, 20 have respective identifiers—that may be read with a suitable RFID reader—that are associated such that the identifier of one of UHF RFID tags 18, 20 may be deduced from the identifier of the other of UHF RFID tags 18, 20, or such that the identifier of one of UHF RFID tags 18, 20 constrains the possible identifiers of the other of UHF RFID tags 18, 20. The first and second identifiers may be stored in, for example, the user memory of the respective RFID tags 18, 20. For example, these identifiers may: i) be identical, ii) have a known mathematical (or the like) relationship, iii) be stored in association with each other in a database, iv) be stored in association with a common cable identifier in a database; or v) be the location of the other UHF RFID tag.

In this embodiment, first and second connectors 12, 14 may also be regarded as or termed a source connector and a destination connector, respectively. Likewise, first and second UHF RFID tags 18, 20 may be regarded as a source UHF RFID tag and a destination UHF RFID tag, respectively, while first and second identifiers may be regarded as a source identifier and a destination identifier, respectively, etc. UHF RFID tags 18, 20 may store a variety of connector/cable information. This information can be read and changed by the user using, for example, a UHF RFID reader. This information can include one or more of: a date of manufacture, by whom the connector was installed, when the connector was installed, the last technician to maintain the connector was, where the opposite connector is connected, a warranty period, the physical location of the connector, and when the next maintenance action needs to be performed. Once a user scans one of the UHF RFID tags 18, 20, this information is desirably uploaded to a data management system, such as a cloud-based data management system, via the RFID reader and a wireless network. The data management system manages data traffic between the UHF RFID reader and an asset management database customer, typically with asset management software. The data management system typically includes the asset management software and the asset management database. These are described in more detail below by reference to figures 5, 6A and 6B.

Figure 2 is a schematic view of a communication cable in the form of a patch lead 30 according to another embodiment of the present invention. Patch lead 30 of this embodiment is also adapted for forming an electrical connection, but other embodiments may be adapted for forming, for example, an optical connection.

Patch lead 30 is, in many respects, comparable to patch lead 10 of figure 1. Patch lead 30 comprises a first connector 32 and a second connector 34 at its respective ends, electrically coupled by an electrical cable 36. First connector 32 comprises a connector body 42 and a cable boot 44, while second connector 34 comprises a connector body 46 and a cable boot 48. First connect 32 includes a first RFID tag in the form of a first UHF RFID tag 38, while second connector 34 includes a second RFID tag in the form of a second UHF RFID tag 40.

However, first and second UHF RFID tags 38, 40 may be adhered to or contained within cable boots 44, 46 of the respective first and second connectors 32, 34, or—as in this embodiment—embedded within cable boots 44, 46. Cable boots 44, 48 are desirably lengthened to accommodate UHF RFID tags 38, 40 and at least a portion of the respective antennas (not shown), in this example UHF RFID antennas, of UHF RFID tags 38, 40. In this embodiment, the UHF RFID antennas may be entirely embedded within cable boots 44, 46, or partially within cable boots 44, 46 and partially within connector bodies 42, 46.

As a consequence, the respective UHF RFID antennas can be concealed within and protected by the respective connectors 32, 34.

Figure 3 is a schematic view of a communication cable in the form of a patch lead 50 according to a further embodiment of the present invention. Patch lead 50 of this embodiment is also adapted for forming an electrical connection, but other embodiments may be adapted for forming, for example, an optical connection.

Patch lead 50 is, in many respects, comparable to patch lead 10 of figure 1. Patch lead 50 comprises a first connector 52 and a second connector 54 at its respective ends, electrically coupled by an electrical cable 56. First connector 52 comprises a connector body 62 and a cable boot 64, while second connector 54 comprises a connector body 66 and a cable boot 68. First connect 52 includes a first RFID tag in the form of a first UHF RFID tag 58, while second connector 54 includes a second RFID tag in the form of a second UHF RFID tag 60.

However, first and second UHF RFID tags 58, 60 may be adhered or fastened to (such as with a clip or sleeve), or contained within the sheath of, electrical cable 56. The respective antennas (not shown), in this example UHF RFID antennas, of UHF RFID tags 58, 60 are also, in this embodiment, adhered or fastened to, or contained within the sheath of, electrical cable 56. Alternatively, in embodiments in which first and second UHF RFID tags 58, 60 are proximate or adjacent to respective cable boots 64, 68, the antennas may be accommodated at least in part by cable boots 64, 68.

It should be noted that, in variants of the embodiments described above, the RFID tags can be integrated into an adhesive labelling package to be fitted or retrofitted to an existing cable, integrated into a clip-on tag for application to a cable, or integrated into a flag labelling for a cable. Furthermore, the RFID tags can be positioned in any orientation on the connector bodies, cable boots or cable.

In addition, the RFID tags of these and other embodiments can be passive or active . The RFID tags are desirably passive tags, notwithstanding the known limitations of passive tags.

Figure 4 is a schematic view of a communication cable in the form of a patch lead 10' according to variant of the embodiment of figure 1. Patch lead 10' is identical in most respects with patch lead 10 of figure 1, and like reference numerals have been used to identify like features. In addition, however, patch lead 10' includes labels 69a, 69b on cable 16, positioned to identify (and clearly be associated with) the respective RFID tag 18, 20 (or similarly with the respective ends of cable 16). In the illustrated example, labels 69a, 69b are about 50 mm (at their closest point) from respective cable boots 64, 68; that is, about 50 mm of cable 16 is exposed between label 69a and cable boot 64, and between label 69b and cable boot 68.

Labels 69a, 69b each bear a human-readable indicium (which can assume any suitable format) corresponding to the respective RFID tag 18, 20, such that the indicium identifies the respective RFID tag 18, 20; the first and second indicia are located so as to be associated with the first and second RFID tags respectively. In the illustrated example, each of these indicia is in the form of an Electronic Product Code (EPC), being a unique number (e.g. a serial number) corresponding to the respective RFID tag 18, 20 or to the data stored therein.

For ease of visibility, labels 69a, 69b may have a suitable and distinctive colour scheme, such as ascii characters (e.g. text) in a dark shade or colour (e.g. black) on a background that is a light or bright (or otherwise contrasting) shade or colour (e.g. red). Labels 69a, 69b allow an operator to verify quickly that the connector identified by a RFID reader (see figure 5) or indicated by a data management system (see figure 5), by visually cross-checking the indicia stored in or displayed by the RFID reader or data management system.

Labels 69a, 69b is desirably wrapped around cable 16, and additionally may be provided with a clear cover to protect the labels and/or their indicia against wear.

Labels 69a, 69b may alternatively be applied to cable boots 24, 28 or connector bodies 22, 26. In another alternative, the indicia may be applied directly to cable 16 or to first and second connectors 12, 14 (whether to cable boots 24, 28 or connector bodies 22, 26), such that separate labels are not required. In still another alternative, the indicia (or labels 69a, 69b, if used) may be applied to RFID tags 18, 20 or to elements into which RFID tags 18, 20 are integrated (such as labels, labelling packages or flag labels), whether fitted or retrofitted to the cable.

Figure 5 is a schematic view of a communication cable management system 70 according to another embodiment of the present invention. Cable management system 70 includes a data management system in the form of a cloud-based data management system 72, a plurality of RFID interrogators or readers 74 (in this example, UHF RFID interrogators or readers) and a plurality of communication cables 76. RFID readers 74 communicate with data management system 72 via a wireless network 78. Communication cables 76 may be of any of the embodiments or variants thereof described above or otherwise embodying the present invention. RFID readers 74 are, in this example, active readers, but in other embodiments (e.g. employing active RFID tags) may be passive.

It will be appreciated that, while three RFID readers 74 and three communication cables 76 are depicted, such a system 70 may include one or more of each. Furthermore, data management system 72 and its components may be distributed. Data management system 72 need not be cloud-based and, indeed, may be portable or in hand-held form.

Data management system 72 includes a processor 82, memory 84, asset management software 86, an asset management database 88, a user interface 90 (which typically includes a keyboard, monitor and a computer mouse or equivalent) and an I/O card 92 (which may include an Ethernet connection, a USB or other bus, etc) for mediating communication with wireless network 78 and between processor 82 and user interface 90. As described above, data management system 72 manages data traffic between RFID readers 76 and asset management database 88 with asset management software 86.

Figure 6A is a more detailed schematic view of data management system 72 of figure 5. Referring to figure 6A, memory 84 (which includes volatile and non-volatile memory) stores asset management software 86 and asset management database 88. Asset management software 86 is stored in a non-volatile portion of memory 84 but copied to a volatile portion (e.g. RAM) for execution by processor 82. When this execution is performed by processor 82, various components are implemented in processor 82—as depicted in figure 6A. Thus, processor 82 includes a display controller 100 for controlling a display (not shown) of user interface 90, a RFID data input 102 for receiving data from RFID readers 74, a database manager 104 for managing asset management database 88, a RFID correlator 106, cable identifier 108, and a cable identification outputter 110. RFID correlator 106 correlates RFID records in asset management database 88 by identifying records of scanned UHF RFID tags 58, 60 that have associated identifiers. Cable identifier 108 identifies from one or more of associated identifiers the identity of the communication cable 76 that is provided with the UHF RFID tags 58, 60 that have the associated identifiers. Cable identification outputter 110 outputs to user interface 90, upon user request, the identity and/or location of the other(s) of UHF RFID tags 58, 60 associated as described above, and the information in asset management database 88 pertaining to the communication cable 76 provided with UHF RFID tags 58, 60 (including location information, if known). Location information may be expressed in any of several forms, including geographic location, address (including building, floor, room, etc), equipment in which UHF RFID tags 58, 60 or where communication cable 76 is installed, or combinations of these.

By using system 70, a user may identify a specific connector 12, 32, 52 and/or its corresponding other connector(s) 14, 34, 54. This is done by the user’s using RFID reader 74 to scan a respective UHF RFID tag 18, 38, 58 attached to or associated with the connector 12, 32, 52. The RFID reader 74 uploads the identifier of the UHF RFID tag 18, 38, 58 to data management system 72, and RFID correlator 106 determines the corresponding UHF RFID tag 20, 40, 60. If RFID reader 74 or the UHF RFID tag 18, 38, 58 includes location or other information, that information is also uploaded to data management system 72 and recorded (if not already present) in asset management database 88 in association with that identifier. Cable identifier 108 then identifies the communication cable 76 that is provided with the read UHF RFID tag 18, 38, 58. Cable identification outputter 110 then controls the outputting of information about the cable and its connectors (and in particular the location of the other end or connector 14, 34, 54) to the display of user interface 90 and/or back to RFID reader 74 (via wireless network 78). By this method, the user can quickly locate the other end or connector 14, 34, 54 of the instant communication cable 76.

Figure 6B is a more detailed schematic view of a variant data management system 72', according to this embodiment. Data management system 72' is identical in most respects to data management system 72 of figure 6A, and like reference numerals have been used to identify like features. However, data management system 72' additionally includes a network tracer 112. Network tracer 112 is configured to trace a network that comprises communication cable 76 by detecting or identifying a sequence of connector correlations. Network tracer 112 may be activated from data management system 72' or remotely from RFID interrogator or reader 74. Thus, once activated network tracer 112 identifies second connector 14 (e.g. in the form of a location of second connector 14) from the identification information pertaining to second connector 14 once identified from the information pertaining to first connector 12. If the network includes a further cable according to an embodiment of the present invention, network tracer 112 may be operated to trace the network by subsequently identifying the first connector of the further cable based on a correlation (e.g. being located on the same patch board and/or providing a common service) between the first connector of the further cable and second connector 14 of communication cable 76. The second connector of the further cable may be identified from identification information pertaining to the second connector of the further cable once identified from information pertaining to the first connector of the further cable.

If the network includes three or more such cables, this procedure may be repeated as many times as desired until the network has been traced as far as desired.

It should also be noted that, in embodiments of the invention, RFID tags (such as UHF RFID tags) may also be provided on the pieces of equipment the connectors are plugged into and/or the sub-racks and racks that house that equipment. These RFID tags can contain information that identifies the equipment and/or the sockets or the functions or services provided thereby. In the embodiment of figure 6B, network tracer 112 may be configured to receive information read from these additional RFID tags, for use by network tracer 112 in identifying the network in its entirety. That is, the network tracer input data is primarily connector information from the UHF RFID tags of first and second connectors 12, 14, etc, but may additionally include RFID information from other network assets such as active equipment, sub-racks, racks, etc. In some applications this will allow network tracer 112 to generate a more complete, active map of the network.

In another example, a method according to an embodiment includes reading the identification information pertaining to first connector 12 with RFID reader 74. Data management system 72, 72' then ascertains the identification information pertaining to second connector 14 from the identification information pertaining to second connector 14 once identified from the information pertaining to first connector 12; the identification information pertaining to second connector 14 is communicated to RFID reader 74 (or to another like RFID reader). The user then physically locates second connector 14 with RFID reader 74 (or the other RFID reader), by scanning a volume of space for the second RFID tag with RFID reader 74 or with the other RFID reader. RFID reader 74 is configured to alert the user once second RFID tag 20 has been detected, such as with an audible alert (e.g. a beep or beeps), a visual alert (e.g. the illumination of an LED) or a message displayed on a display of RFID reader 74.

Modifications within the scope of the invention may be readily effected by those skilled in the art. It is to be understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described by way of example hereinabove. For example, while the embodiments described in detail above relate to communication cables, it will be apparent that the invention may also be applied to other types of cable, including for electrical power transmission.

In the claims that follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise owing to express language or necessary implication, the word “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising” is used in an inclusive sense, that is, to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

Further, any reference herein to prior art is not intended to imply that such prior art forms or formed a part of the common general knowledge in any country.

Claims (5)

1. CLAIMS:

   1. An electrical power or communication cable, comprising: an elongate transmitter for transmitting power or a communications signal, the elongate transmitter having a first end and a second end; a first connector connected to the first end; a second connector connected to the second end; a first RFID tag having a first identifier, and attached to the first connector or to the elongate transmitter proximate the first connector; and a second RFID tag having a second identifier, and attached to the second connector or to the elongate transmitter proximate the second connector; wherein the first and second identifiers may be set or written to the respective RFID tags so as to be mutually correlatable.
2. 2. A cable as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second identifiers (i) are written to user memory of the respective RFID tags, and/or (ii) are mutually correlatable.
3. 3. A cable as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second RFID tags: i) include location information indicative of respective locations of the first and second connectors; ii) include service identification information, indicative of one or more services provided by the cable; iii) are UHF RFID tags or UHF Gen2 RFID tags; iv) are different types of RFID tags; v) are provided with respective first and second secondary identifiers; vi) are adhered to respectively the first and second connector, or to the elongate transmitter; vii) are integrated into the cable; viii) are integrated into an adhesive labelling package adapted to be fitted or retrofitted to an existing cable; or ix) are integrated into (a) a clip-on tag for application to the cable, or (b) a flag label for application to the cable.
4. 4. A cable management system, comprising: data management system including asset management software; and an asset management database; wherein the data management system is configured to receive and store to said asset management database information pertaining to first and second connectors of an electrical power or communication cable according to any one of claims 1 to 3, and to identify the information pertaining to the second connector from the information pertaining to the first connector.
5. 5. A method of manufacturing an electrical power or communication cable, the method comprising: connecting a first connector to a first end of an elongate transmitter, the elongate transmitter being configured for transmitting power or a communications signal; connecting a second connector to a second end of an elongate transmitter, the elongate transmitter being configured for transmitting power or a communications signal; providing the first connector or the elongate transmitter proximate the first connector with a first RFID tag having a first identifier; providing the second connector or the elongate transmitter proximate the second connector with a second RFID tag having a second identifier.