Automated monitoring of a network

• US 20070002752A1
• Filed: 06/30/2005
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Instrument Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Thibeault, Brian, Tucciarone, Eugene
• Granted Patent: US 8,345,557 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/241
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/22 using redundant apparatus to increase reliability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/24 Testing correct operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting

Abstract

A spare receiver in a CMTS is used to determine the connectivity status of the receivers of the CMTS in the network. Load balancing and Spectrum Groups may also be determined according to the connectivity status of the receivers. The spare receiver is configured to have the communication protocols of a first selected receiver of the CMTS and is switched to be connected to the signal lines of another receiver of the CMTS. A transmitter sends a request for a response to a modem registered with the first receiver. If the spare receiver, which is configured to have the same communication protocols as the first receiver of the CMTS, receives the response from the modem, the other receiver under test is determined to be physically wired with the first receiver. The other receiver is also determined to be in the same Load Balancing Group and the same Spectrum Group as the first receiver of the CMTS. The selected first receiver is analyzed against all of the other receivers in the CMTS by selectively switching the spare receiver to be connected to other receivers. Each receiver on the CMTS is analyzed in the same manner as the selected first receiver.

Claims

1. An apparatus for managing a network comprising:

a transmission unit capable of transmitting signals according to predetermined communication protocols;

a plurality of receivers, each receiver being capable of receiving signals according to predetermined communication protocols;

a spare receiver capable of receiving signals using the predetermined communication protocols of each of the plurality of receivers; and

a switching unit which selectively connects the spare receiver to a signal line associated with one of the plurality of receivers, enabling the spare receiver to receive signals sent to a selected one of the plurality of receivers.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a microprocessor configured to instruct the spare receiver to receive signals using a predetermined communication protocol of a first selected receiver of the plurality of receivers and to instruct the switching unit to connect the spare receiver to another selected receiver of the plurality of receivers.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein when the transmission unit sends a request for a response to a modem connected to the network to respond to the first selected receiver, the first selected receiver is determined to be connected to the other receiver if the spare receiver receives a response from the modem to the request for a response.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein when the transmission unit sends a request for a response to a modem connected to the network to respond to the first selected receiver, the first selected receiver is determined to be in the same Load Balancing Group as the other receiver if the spare receiver receives a response from the modem to the request for a response.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein when the transmission unit sends a request for a response to a modem connected to the network to respond to the first selected receiver, the first selected receiver is determined to be in the same Spectrum Group as the other receiver if the spare receiver receives a response from the modem to the request for a response.

6. A method of controlling a network having a plurality of receivers and a spare receiver comprising the steps of:

configuring the spare receiver to substantially communicate with communication protocols associated with a first selected receiver of the plurality of receivers;

connecting the spare receiver to a signal line associated with another receiver of the plurality of receivers;

providing a request for information from a transmission unit to a modem connected to the first selected receiver; and

determining if the spare receiver detects a response from the modem.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein if the spare receiver detects a response from the modem, the other receiver is determined to be wired to the first selected receiver.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein if the spare receiver detects a response from the modem, the other receiver is determined to be in a Load Balancing Group with the first selected receiver.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein if the spare receiver detects a response from the modem, the other receiver is determined to be in a Spectrum Group with the first selected receiver.

10. A computer readable medium containing instructions for a processor to control a network having a plurality of receivers and a spare receiver, the computer readable medium containing instructions for the processor to perform the steps of:

configuring the spare receiver to substantially communicate with communication protocols associated with a first selected receiver of the plurality of receivers;

connecting the spare receiver to a signal line associated with another receiver of the plurality of receivers;

providing a request for information from a transmission unit to a modem connected to the first selected receiver; and

determining if the spare receiver detects a response from the modem.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein if the spare receiver detects a response from the modem, the other receiver is determined to be wired to the first selected receiver.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein if the spare receiver detects a response from the modem, the other receiver is determined to be in a Load Balancing Group with the first selected receiver.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein if the spare receiver detects a response from the modem, the other receiver is determined to be in a Spectrum Group with the first selected receiver.