Conductor identification via counting means at a remote position

Claim 2

In a method of identifying at a remote position conductors in a multi-conductor means having the conductors identified at one end thereof, the improvement comprising: a. connecting said conductors at said one end in sequence according to their identification to contacts of a sequential stepping switch operable to electrically connect said contacts with a terminal; b. establishing communication from said remote position with said sequential stepping switch; c. actuating said sequential stepping switch from said remote position to automatically and sequentially step said stepping switch to individually and sequentially connect a pre-selected plurality of said identified conductors with said terminal and then automatically stop said stepping switch after stepping completely through said pre-selected plurality of said identified conductors, thereby completing one cycle, independently of the conductor on which a counting means at said remote position is stopped such that there will be no error caused by communication lag therebetween; d. imposing via said terminal an identifiable signal on each said identified conductor when it is connected therewith; e. driving a counting means at said remote position by the sequential stepping of said stepping switch at said one end; said driving of said counting means by said sequential stepping of said sequential stepping switch being synchronous with said imposing of said identifiable signal on each said identified conductors such that only one-way communication from said one end to said remote position is necessitated during each step of each cycle; and f. stopping said counting means by disconnecting it from said sequential stepping switch such that said counting means is no longer driven by the stepping thereof, when said identifiable signal is received on a selected conductor at said remote position without having to stop said sequential stepping switch on the same conductor, whereby said counting means identifies said selected conductor.

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein said sequential stepping switch is stepped through all of said conductors connected thereto upon being actuated.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein said conductors comprise a plurality of correlatably identifiable wires in a cable and each wire is connected according to its identification at the respective correlative position to respective contacts on the same plurality of deck means that are included in said sequential stepping switch, said deck means being stepped simultaneously and correlatively to connect respective said contacts with a respective terminal; said identifiable signal is imposed via each said terminal simultaneously on each of said plurality of wires having the same correlative identification.

Claim 5

The method of claim 3 wherein a plurality of counting means at said rEmote position are advanced simultaneously and responsively, each counting means being also connected with a respective wire; each respective said counting means being stopped when said identifiable signal is received on the respective wire with which it is connected; whereby each said counting means identifies a respective said wire and more speedily enables correlation of the wire pairs at said remote position.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 wherein a counting pulse is transmitted for advancing said counting means, and said counting pulse and said identifiable signal are both transmitted via, respectively, the communication link and the respective conductor concurrently and simultaneously so as to arrive at said remote position simultaneously and thereby neutralize adverse effects of propagation delay in said communication link; and, since no feedback is required over said communication link from the counting means at said remote position to said one end, thereby insure accurate identification by said counting means.

Claim 7

In a system for identifying at a remote position conductors in a multi-conductor means having the conductors identified at one end thereof spaced from said remote position, the improvement comprising: a. a sequential stepping switch having a plurality of contacts electrically connected with respective conductors at said one end of said multi-conductor means and operable to electrically connect, sequentially and respectively, said contacts with a terminal; b. automatic stepping means connected with said sequential stepping switch and operable when actuated to cause said sequential stepping switch to electrically connect individually and sequentially a pre-selected plurality of respective ones of said contacts with said terminal and then automatically stop said stepping switch after stepping completely through said pre-selected plurality of said contacts, thereby completing one cycle, independently of the conductor on which a counting means at said remote position is stopped such that there will be no error caused by communication lag therebetween; c. an identifiable signal source connected with said terminal for imposing an identifiable signal onto each said conductor that is connected with said terminal; d. a communication link between said remote position and said one end; e. actuating means at said remote position connected with said stepping switch and said automatic stepping means via said communication link; said actuating means being operated only to initiate a cycle of stepping through said pre-selected plurality of contacts; f. a counting means at said remote position; g. connecting means responsive to said actuating means and operable to connect said counting means with said automatic stepping means and said sequential stepping switch; and h. disconnecting means connectable with a selected conductor at said remote position and operable to stop said counting means by disconnecting it from said sequential stepping switch and said automatic stepping means upon receipt of said identifiable signal on said selected conductor without having to stop said sequential stepping switch on the same conductor; i. said counting means being operable to count each time said sequential stepping switch connects said terminal with another conductor such that said counting means is driven by the automatic stepping of said sequential stepping switch synchronously with the imposing of said identifiable signal onto respective said conductors until said disconnecting means stops said counting means; whereby only one-way communication from said one end to said remote position is necessitated during each step of a cycle.

Claim 8

In a system for identifying at a remote position conductors in a multi-conductor means having the conductors identified at one end thereof spaced from said remote position, the improvement comprising: a. a sequential stepping switch having a plurality of contacts electrically connected with respective conductors at said one end of said multi-conductor means and operable to electrically connect, sequentially and respectively, said contacts with a terminal; b. automatic stepping means connected with said sequential stepping switch and operable when actuated to cause said sequential stepping switch to electrically connect individually and sequentially a pre-selected plurality of respective ones of said contacts with said terminal and then automatically stop said stepping switch after stepping completely through said pre-selected plurality of said contacts, thereby completing one cycle, independently of the conductor on which a counting means at said remote position is stopped such that there will be no error caused by communication lag therebetween; c. an identifiable signal source connected with said terminal for imposing an identifiable signal onto each said conductor that is connected with said terminal; d. a communication link between said remote position and said one end; e. actuating means at said remote position connected with said stepping switch and said automatic stepping means via said communication link; said actuating means being operated only to initiate a cycle of stepping through said pre-selected plurality of contacts; f. a counting means at said remote position; g. connecting means responsive to said actuating means and operable to connect said counting means with said automatic stepping means and said sequential stepping switch; and h. disconnecting means connectable with a selected conductor at said remote position and operable to stop said counting means by disconnecting it from said sequential stepping switch and said automatic stepping means upon receipt of said identifiable signal on said selected conductor without having to stop said sequential stepping switch on the same conductor; i. said counting means being operable to count each time said sequential stepping switch connects said terminal with another conductor such that said counting means is driven by the automatic stepping of said sequential stepping switch synchronously with the imposing of said identifiable signal onto respective said conductors until said disconnecting means stops said counting means; whereby only one-way communication from said one end to said remote position is necessitated during each step of a cycle.

Claim 9

The system of claim 6 wherein said automatic stepping means connected with said sequential stepping switch is operable, when actuated, to cause said sequential stepping switch to electrically connect, respectively and sequentially, all of said contacts with said terminal and then stop until actuated again.

Claim 10

The system of claim 6 wherein said conductors comprise a plurality of correlatively identifiable wires; said stepping switch has the same plurality of deck means, each said deck means being stepped simultaneously as said stepping switch is stepped, having a plurality of contacts electrically connected with respective ones of said plurality of wires at said one end and operable to electrically connect, sequentially and respectively, said contacts with a respective terminal on each said deck means; said identifiable signal source is connected with each said respective terminal.

Claim 11

The system of claim 8 wherein are included the same plurality that there are of correlatively identifiable wires of respective counting means, connecting means, and disconnecting means, said plurality of respective connecting means being responsive to said actuating means, said disconnecting means being connectable with the same plurality of unidentified and selected wires at said remote position and operable to stop respective said counting means upon receipt of said identifiable signal on the wire to which it is connected.