Systems and methods for physical cable route tracing

Abstract

Systems and methods for physical cable route tracing are provided. In one embodiment, a cable comprises: one or more of either electrical conductors or optical fibers; a cable sheath around the one or more of either electrical conductors or optical fibers; and a pattern of cable tracing facilitation markings located on an exterior of the cable sheath; wherein the cable tracing facilitation markings comprise either: a visually varying pattern that gradually changes along a length of the cable sheath; or a series of coded markings of an ordered sequence pattern.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cable having a length from a first end of the cable to a second end of the cable, the cable comprising:
 one or more of: electrical conductors or optical fibers;   a cable sheath around the one or more of electrical conductors or optical fibers; and   cable tracing facilitation markings located on an exterior of the cable sheath, wherein the cable tracing facilitation markings comprise a uniquely apparent set of markings located along the length of the cable configured to identify the cable during a cable trace.   
     
     
         2 . The cable of  claim 1 , wherein the cable tracing facilitation markings comprise a visually apparent set of markings. 
     
     
         3 . The cable of  claim 1 , wherein the cable tracing facilitation markings comprise at least one of: striping, graphical pattern, coloring, gradient markings, symbols, or a coding sequence. 
     
     
         4 . The cable of  claim 1 , wherein the cable tracing facilitation markings are configured to be illuminated with a lighting device. 
     
     
         5 . The cable of  claim 1 , wherein the cable tracing facilitation markings comprise a set of visually apparent set of markings positioned continuously along the length of the cable. 
     
     
         6 . The cable of  claim 1 , wherein the cable tracing facilitation markings are positioned around a circumference of the cable. 
     
     
         7 . The cable of  claim 1 , wherein the cable tracing facilitation markings comprise a repeating decay pattern along the length of the cable. 
     
     
         8 . The cable of  claim 1 , wherein the cable tracing facilitation markings are configured to encode information on one or more characteristics of the cable, the one or more characteristics including: cable type, endpoint information, or circuit information. 
     
     
         9 . The cable of  claim 1 , wherein the cable is a hybrid data cable comprising electrical conductor(s) and optical fiber(s), wherein the hybrid data cable is configured to transport electrical power and data signals from the first end to the second end. 
     
     
         10 . The cable of  claim 1 , wherein the cable tracing facilitation markings are configured to identify a respective segment of the cable from another segment of the cable. 
     
     
         11 . A mobile pattern reading device configured to perform a cable tracing operation of a cable, the mobile pattern reading device comprising:
 at least one processor coupled to a memory, the at least one processor configured to execute a cable trace application;   a human-machine interface; and   at least one image sensor;   wherein the cable trace application is configured to control the at least one image sensor to obtain at least one image of cable tracing facilitation markings located on an exterior of the cable, wherein the cable has a length from a first end of the cable to a second end of the cable,   wherein the cable tracing facilitation markings comprise a uniquely apparent set of markings located along the length of the cable and is configured to identify the cable during a cable trace,   wherein the cable trace application is configured to decode the at least one image of the cable tracing facilitation markings, and configured to display an augmented reality image on the human-machine interface, the augmented reality image comprising a digital overlay of the at least one image,   wherein the augmented reality image displayed on the human-machine interface is configured to indicate whether the at least one image corresponds to cable tracing facilitation markings of a cable of interest.   
     
     
         12 . The mobile pattern reading device of  claim 11 , wherein a first image of the at least one image corresponds to cable tracing facilitation markings located at a first segment of the cable, wherein a second image of the at least one image corresponds to cable tracing facilitation markings located at a second segment of the cable distinct from the first segment, and wherein the cable trace application is configured to compare the first image and the second image and output an indication displayed on the augmented reality image of whether the cable tracing facilitation markings located at the first segment and the second segment both correspond to the cable of interest. 
     
     
         13 . The mobile pattern reading device of  claim 11 , wherein the cable trace application is configured to access a database server including one or more characteristics of the cable based on information decoded from the cable tracing facilitation markings in the at least one image. 
     
     
         14 . The mobile pattern reading device of  claim 11 , wherein decoding the at least one image of cable tracing facilitation markings comprises determining one or more characteristics of the cable, the one or more characteristics including: cable length, a range of values correlating to the cable tracing facilitation markings, type of cable, endpoint information of the cable, circuit information, or customer notes. 
     
     
         15 . The mobile pattern reading device of  claim 11 , wherein the augmented reality image is configured to display a positive indication when the cable tracing facilitation markings in the at least one image correspond to the cable of interest, and wherein the augmented reality image is configured to display a negative indication when the cable tracing facilitation markings in the at least one image correspond to a different cable than the cable of interest. 
     
     
         16 . The mobile pattern reading device of  claim 11 , wherein the cable trace application is configured to store decoded information from the at least one image in the memory. 
     
     
         17 . A method for cable route tracing, the method comprising:
 obtaining at least one image of cable tracing facilitation markings located on an exterior of a cable, wherein the cable has a length from a first end of the cable to a second end of the cable, wherein the cable tracing facilitation markings comprise a uniquely apparent set of markings located along the length of the cable and is configured to identify the cable during a cable trace;   decoding the at least one image of the cable tracing facilitation markings;   generating an augmented reality image that includes a digital overlay of the decoded at least one image; and   generating an indication on the augmented reality image whether the at least one image corresponds to cable tracing facilitation markings of a cable of interest.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein generating an indication whether the at least one image corresponds to cable tracing facilitation markings of a cable of interest further comprises:
 generating a positive indication when the cable tracing facilitation markings in the at least one image corresponds to the cable of interest; and   generating a negative indication when the cable tracing facilitation markings in the at least one image corresponds to a different cable than the cable of interest.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein decoding the at least one image of the cable tracing facilitation markings comprises:
 determining one or more characteristics of the cable, the one or more characteristics including: cable length, a range of values correlating to the cable tracing facilitation markings, type of cable, endpoint information of the cable, circuit information, or customer notes.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one image comprises a first image corresponding to a first segment of the cable and a second image corresponding to a second segment of the cable distinct from the first segment, and wherein generating an indication whether the at least one image corresponds to cable tracing facilitation markings of a cable of interest comprises:
 comparing the first image and the second image; and   outputting an indication on the augmented reality image of whether the cable tracing facilitation markings located at the first segment and the second segment both correspond to the cable of interest.