DISTRIBUTED ANTENNA SYSTEM TRANSPORT LINK QUALITY MEASUREMENT

• US 20150244562A1
• Filed: 08/11/2014
• Published: 08/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Outdoor Wireless Networks LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Andrew LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hanson, Van E., Williamson, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 11,177,997 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/17 Detection of non-compliance or faulty performance, e.g. response deviations H04B17/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/29 Performance testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to transport link quality measurement in a distributed antenna system. A link quality indicator associated with the functional performance of a digital transport link in the distributed antenna system can be determined by a component of the distributed antenna system. An indication of a potential fault condition can be determined based on the link quality indicator before a fault condition associated with the potential fault condition occurs. The indication of the potential fault condition can be presented, for example, via a graphical user interface, a table, or an email alert.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, by a component of a distributed antenna system, a link quality indicator associated with an aspect of performance of a digital transport link in the distributed antenna system; and

determining an indication of a potential fault condition based on the link quality indicator before a fault condition associated with the potential fault condition occurs.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the link quality indicator includes monitoring at least one of a signal-to-noise ratio, a resynchronization rate, a bit-error rate, or an interference associated with the digital transport link.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the link quality indicator includes measuring at least one of a direct current resistance, a roundtrip time of a reflected signal, a current flow, an attenuation, an impedance, or a resistance of the digital transport link.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the indication of the potential fault condition includes at least one of:

comparing an attenuation of a signal transmitted over a cable to a length of the cable,

comparing a transmitted power level to a received power level, or

comparing a measured current flow to an expected current flow.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the indication of the potential fault condition includes using two or more different link quality indicators in combination.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting the indication of the potential fault condition via at least one of a graphical user interface, a table, an email alert, or a text message.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein presenting the indication of the potential fault condition is by the graphical user interface, wherein the graphical user interface includes a network diagram depicting the distributed antenna system and one or more selectable data filters for selecting an attribute of the digital transport link in the distributed antenna system, wherein presentation of the digital transport link is based on the attribute.

8. A system comprising:

a measurement module configured to determine a link quality indicator associated with an aspect of performance of a digital transport link in a distributed antenna system; and

a diagnostic module configured to determine an indication of a potential fault condition based on the link quality indicator before a fault condition associated with the potential fault condition occurs.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the measurement module and the diagnostic module are components of a head-end unit of the distributed antenna system.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the measurement module is configured to determine a near-end crosstalk value for one or more frequencies.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the measurement module is configured to determine an expected near-end crosstalk value for each of the one or more frequencies.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the diagnostic module is configured to determine the indication of the potential fault condition by determining that a cable type of the digital transport link is different than an intended cable type based on comparing a measured near-end crosstalk value at each of the one or more frequencies to expected near-end crosstalk values at each of the one or more frequencies.

13. The system of claim 8, further comprising a presentation module configured to present the indication of the potential fault condition via at least one of a graphical user interface, a table, an email alert, or a text message.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the presentation module is configured to present one or more selectable data filters for selecting an attribute of the digital transport link, and a network diagram depicting the distributed antenna system where the digital transport link is presented based on the attribute.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the diagnostic module is configured to determine an indication of a potential fault condition based on a difference between the link quality indicator measured at a first time and the link quality indicator measured at a second time.

16. A system comprising:

a measurement module configured to measure a parameter associated with a component of a distributed antenna system;

a diagnostic module configured to determine an indication of a potential fault condition before a fault condition associated with the potential fault condition occurs by comparing the parameter with an expected value of the parameter; and

a presentation module configured to provide the indication of a potential fault condition via a graphical user interface.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the presentation module is further configured to present (i) one or more selectable data filters for selecting an attribute of a digital transport link, and (ii) a network diagram depicting the distributed antenna system based on the attribute.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the diagnostic module is configured to:

measure a first value of the parameter at a first time;

measure a second value of the parameter at a second time;

determine a first expected value of the parameter;

determine a second expected value of the parameter;

compare the first value of the parameter to the first expected value of the parameter to generate a first comparison;

compare the second value of the parameter to the second expected value of the parameter to generate a second comparison;

determine a rate of change between the first comparison and the second comparison over a period of time between the first time and the second time; and

compare the rate of change to a threshold rate of change to determine the indication of the potential fault condition.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the measurement module is configured to determine a location of an interference source based on one or more interference link quality indicators.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the diagnostic module is configured to predict a likelihood that the fault condition will occur before the fault condition occurs based on the indication of the potential fault condition.