Fault detection and isolation system for an HFC cable network and method therefor
First Claim
1. A fault detection and isolation system for a hybrid fiber coax (HFC) cable network, wherein the HFC cable network comprises a plurality of set top boxes (STBs) and the system comprises:
- a ping list generator, wherein the ping list generator is adapted to create a ping list comprising assigned IP addresses of the plurality of addressable set top boxes (STBS) connected to the HFC cable network;
a ping generator, wherein the ping generator is adapted to;
ping an assigned IP address on the ping list and await a response;
if the response is received from the STB, then set an STB operational status as responsive; and
if the response is not received, then set the STB operational status as non-responsive; and
a fault isolation processor is adapted to;
based on the STB operational status, determine whether a fault indicator indicative of a network fault is present; and
if the fault indicator is present, then identify a likely cause of the network fault.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fault detection and isolation system for an HFC cable network and method therefore. A ping list generator captures set top box (STB) identifying information from a billing system, and STB state information from a network control system. The ping list generator creates a ping list from the STB identifying information and the STB state information, wherein the list comprises the IP address of a set of the addressable STBs connected to an HFC cable network. In an exemplary embodiment, the set is of sufficient size to be representative of the health of the HFC cable network. In another embodiment of the present invention, the set comprises substantially all of the addressable STBs connected to the HFC cable network. A ping generator, pings the IP address of the STB and awaits a response. If the response is received from the STB, then identify the STB as responsive. If the response is not received, then identify the STB as non-responsive. A fault isolation processor associates the STB identifying information and the ping response, determines whether a non-responsive fault indicator is present, and, if the fault indicator is present, then identifies a likely cause of the non-responsive fault.
56 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A fault detection and isolation system for a hybrid fiber coax (HFC) cable network, wherein the HFC cable network comprises a plurality of set top boxes (STBs) and the system comprises:
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a ping list generator, wherein the ping list generator is adapted to create a ping list comprising assigned IP addresses of the plurality of addressable set top boxes (STBS) connected to the HFC cable network;
a ping generator, wherein the ping generator is adapted to;
ping an assigned IP address on the ping list and await a response;
if the response is received from the STB, then set an STB operational status as responsive; and
if the response is not received, then set the STB operational status as non-responsive; and
a fault isolation processor is adapted to;
based on the STB operational status, determine whether a fault indicator indicative of a network fault is present; and
if the fault indicator is present, then identify a likely cause of the network fault. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of detecting a fault in a hybrid fiber coax (HFC) cable network wherein the HFC cable network comprises a plurality of addressable set top boxes (STBs) and the method comprises:
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creating a ping list comprising an assigned IP addresses of the plurality of addressable set top boxes (STBs) connected to the HFC cable network;
pinging an assigned IP address on the ping list and awaiting a response;
if the response is received from the STB, then setting an STB operational status as responsive; and
if the response is not received, then setting the STB operational status as non-responsive;
determining whether a fault indicator indicative of a network fault is present; and
if the fault indicator is present, then identifying a likely cause of the network fault and taking remedial action to correct the likely cause. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification