Method and system for monitoring telecommunication network element alarms

• US 5,473,596 A
• Filed: 12/09/1993
• Issued: 12/05/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: American Telephone & Telegraph Company (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Garafola, Richard A., Smith, James R., Rothlisberger, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Wellington
• Application Number:
  US08/164,500
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• Field of Search: 370/13, 370/17, 370/68.1, 370/110.1, 379/1, 379/32, 379/33
• US Class Current: 370/241
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/14 Monitoring arrangements for SDH/SONET rings H04J3/085
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13521 fault management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13545 monitoring of signaling messages, intelligent network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0075 Fault management techniques

Abstract

A method of monitoring DS-0 alarm signals generated by telecommunication network elements, where the network elements include multiple network processing circuits connected to DS-1 facilities. The method comprises the steps of collecting the DS-0 alarm signals; cross-referencing the network elements and the network processing circuits to the DS-1 facilities; correlating the DS-1 facilities to customer circuit identification information; and routing the DS-0 alarm signals to a user location. The method allows a user to view customer outages in real time and also permits proactive observation and analysis of developing problems.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a plurality of alarm signals generated by a plurality of network elements, said method comprising the steps of:

collecting said plurality of alarm signals;

cross-referencing a plurality of network processing circuits associated with said plurality of alarm signals to a plurality of DS-1 facilities;

correlating said plurality of DS-1 facilities to customer circuit identification information; and

routing DS-0 alarm information, based upon the steps of cross-referencing and correlating, to at least one of a plurality of user locations.

2. The method of claim 1 further including the step of providing a user at one of said plurality of user location with a menu of options, wherein said menu of options provides said user with a plurality of options, and wherein said plurality of options permit said user to view selectively the DS-0 alarm information.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of providing a menu of options comprises the step of providing at least one option for displaying said DS-0 alarm information in real time.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of providing a menu of options comprises the step of providing at least one option for displaying previous DS-0 alarm information in chronological order.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of providing a menu of options comprises the step of providing at least one option for displaying by alarm type the number of times said plurality of alarm signals have been generated within a preselected time period.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of providing a menu of options comprises the step of providing at least one option for displaying by facility the number of times said plurality of alarm signals have been generated within a preselected time period.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of providing a menu of options comprises the step of providing one option for displaying by alarm type and facility the number of times said plurality of alarm signals have been generated within a preselected time period.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of providing a menu of options comprises the step of providing at least one option for displaying by network processing circuit the number of times said plurality of alarm signals have been generated within a preselected time period.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of providing a menu of options comprises the step of providing at least one option for displaying by alarm type and network processing circuit the number of times said plurality of alarm signals have been generated within a preselected time period.

10. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of providing a menu of options comprises the step of providing at least one option for displaying by facility the length of time during which said plurality of DS-1 facilities have been in alarm.

11. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of providing a menu of options comprises the step of providing at least one option for displaying by network processing circuit the length of time during which said plurality of network processing circuits have been in alarm.

12. A system for monitoring a plurality of alarm signals generated by a plurality of network elements, said system comprising:

means for collecting said plurality of alarm signals;

means for cross-referencing a plurality of network processing circuits associated with said plurality of alarm signals to a plurality of DS-1 facilities;

means for correlating said plurality of DS-1 facilities to customer circuit identification information;

a plurality of user locations; and

means for routing DS-0 alarm information, based upon functions performed in said means for cross-referencing and said means for correlating, to at least one of said plurality of user locations.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising means for providing a user, at the at least one of said plurality of user locations, a menu of options, wherein said menu of options provides said user with a plurality of options, and wherein said plurality of options permit said user to view selectively the DS-0 alarm information.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said means for providing a menu of options includes means for providing an option for displaying said DS-0 alarm information in real time.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein said means for providing a menu of options includes means for providing at least one option for displaying previous DS-0 alarm information in chronological order.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein said means for providing a menu of options includes means for providing at least one option for displaying by alarm type the number of times said plurality of alarm signals have been generated within a preselected time period.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein said means for providing a menu of options includes means for providing at least one option for displaying by facility the number of times said plurality of alarm signals have been generated within a preselected time period.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein said means for providing a menu of options includes means for providing at least one option for displaying by alarm type and facility the number of times said plurality of alarm signals have been generated within a preselected time period.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein said means for providing a menu of options includes means for providing at least one option for displaying by network processing circuit the number of times said plurality of alarm signals have been generated within a preselected time period.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein said means for providing a menu of options includes means for providing at least one option for displaying by alarm type and network processing circuit the number of times said plurality of alarm signals have been generated within a preselected time period.

21. The system of claim 13 wherein said means for providing a menu of options includes means for providing at least one option for displaying by facility the length of time during which said plurality of DS-1 facilities have been in alarm.

22. The system of claim 13 wherein said means for providing a menu of options includes means for providing at least one option for displaying by network processing circuit the length of time during which said network processing circuits have been in alarm.

23. A system for monitoring a plurality of alarm signals generated by a plurality of network elements, said system comprising:

a plurality of switching control center systems for receiving the plurality of alarm signals;

a digital facility access correlation system connected to the plurality of switching control center systems for receiving information pertaining to the plurality of alarm signals and for cross-referencing a plurality of network processing circuits associated with the plurality of alarm signals to a plurality of DS-1 facilities;

a facility monitoring system connected to the digital access correlation system for receiving data pertaining to the plurality of alarm signals and for correlating the plurality of DS-1 facilities to customer circuit identification information; and

a plurality of user locations for receiving cross-referenced and correlated DS-0 alarm information and for providing a menu of options allowing a user to view selectively the cross-referenced and correlated DS-0 alarm information.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the plurality of user locations allow a user to view the cross-referenced and correlated DS-0 alarm information in real time.