Method and apparatus for responding to events affecting communications in a communication network

• US 10,581,486 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2019
• Issued: 03/03/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Henry, Paul Shala, Bennett, Robert, Gerszberg, Irwin, Barzegar, Farhad, Barnickel, Donald J., Willis, III, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Banks Harold, Marsha D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Williams, Elton
• Application Number:
  US16/245,880
• Publication Number:
  US 20190149193A1
• Time in Patent Office: 417 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/08 Locating faults in cables, transmission lines, or networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/085 in power transmission or distribution lines, e.g. overhead
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/58 Testing of lines, cables or conductors testing of electric windings G01R31/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/06 by the transmitted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/46 Monitoring; Testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/52 Systems for transmission between fixed stations via waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/542 the information being in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a waveguide system for determining an event associated with a mode of transmitting or receiving electromagnetic waves on a surface of a transmission medium, identifying according to the event an updated mode for transmitting or receiving adjusted electromagnetic waves on the surface of a transmission medium, and transmitting or receiving the adjusted electromagnetic waves based on the updated mode. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

transmitting, by a first waveguide system, electromagnetic test waves that propagate along a transmission medium, wherein the electromagnetic test waves are directed to a second waveguide system coupled to the transmission medium, wherein the electromagnetic test waves propagate without requiring an electrical return path; and

determining, by the first waveguide system based on an analysis of the electromagnetic test waves, an updated wave propagation mode for transmitting or receiving adjusted electromagnetic waves that propagate along the transmission medium between the first waveguide system and the second waveguide system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the first waveguide system, an event associated with a communication service provided by the first waveguide system; and

generating, by the first waveguide system, the electromagnetic test waves responsive to detecting the event.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the event comprises a first-time installation of the first waveguide system.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the event comprises a change in a network topology of a communication system.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the event comprises a condition adversely affecting transmission or reception of electromagnetic waves propagating along the transmission medium.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining the event comprises receiving event data from a network management system, the event data being descriptive of the event.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic test waves have one or more wavelengths, one or more spectral allocations, a plurality of spatial orientations, or any combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the analysis of the electromagnetic test waves is performed by the first waveguide system based on information provided by the second waveguide system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the analysis of the electromagnetic test waves is performed by the second waveguide system, and wherein the second waveguide system provides information to the first waveguide system, wherein the information is associated with the analysis.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein portions of the electromagnetic test waves have one or more phases, one or more magnitudes, one or more wavelengths, or any combinations thereof.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic test waves convey one or more network addresses, each network address of the one or more network addresses selectively directing portions of the electromagnetic test waves to one or more waveguide systems including the second waveguide system to determine a network topology of a communication system.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic test waves have one or more modulation modes, and wherein the electromagnetic test waves have one or more error correction codes.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving or transmitting, by the first waveguide system, the adjusted electromagnetic waves according to the updated wave propagation mode, wherein the updated wave propagation mode results in an adjustment of a characteristic of previous electromagnetic waves, thereby resulting in the adjusted electromagnetic waves.

14. A first waveguide system, comprising:

a memory that stores instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein responsive to executing the instructions, the processor performs operations, the operations comprising;

transmitting electromagnetic test waves that propagate along a transmission medium, wherein the electromagnetic test waves enable a communication service with a second waveguide system coupled to the transmission medium, and wherein the electromagnetic test waves propagate without requiring an electrical return path; and

determining, according to an analysis of the electromagnetic test waves, an updated wave propagation mode for exchanging adjusted electromagnetic waves with the second waveguide system.

15. The first waveguide system of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise detecting an event adversely affecting the communication service between the first waveguide system and the second waveguide system, and wherein the processor comprises a plurality of processors operating in a distributed processing environment.

16. The first waveguide system of claim 15, wherein the event comprises a first-time installation of the first waveguide system, an operation reset of the first waveguide system, or a change in a network topology of a communication system from which the first waveguide system operates.

17. The first waveguide system of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise generating portions of the electromagnetic test waves having one or more wavelengths, one or more phases, one or more magnitudes, one or more carrier frequencies, one or more spatial orientations, one or more network addresses, one or more modulation modes, one or more error correction codes, or any combinations thereof.

18. The first waveguide system of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise receiving or transmitting the adjusted electromagnetic waves according to the updated wave propagation mode, and wherein the updated wave propagation mode is associated with an adjustment of a characteristic of electromagnetic waves previously transmitted or received by the first waveguide system.

19. A machine-readable storage device, comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor of a waveguide system, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

detecting an event associated with a mode of transmitting or receiving electromagnetic waves along a transmission medium;

identifying according to the event an updated wave propagation mode for transmitting or receiving adjusted electromagnetic waves along the transmission medium; and

transmitting or receiving the adjusted electromagnetic waves based on the updated wave propagation mode, wherein the adjusted electromagnetic waves propagate along the transmission medium without requiring an electrical return path.

20. The machine-readable storage device of claim 19, wherein the identifying the updated wave propagation mode comprises:

transmitting test signals that propagate along the transmission medium; and

identifying the updated wave propagation mode according to an analysis of the test signals.