Method and apparatus for monitoring and controlling communications networks
First Claim
1. An apparatus for monitoring and controlling a communications network, comprising:
- a separate network monitor and controller, coupled to the communications network, providing numeric data representative of at least one operating parameter of the communications network and controlling at least one network parameter;
a separate system that requires only fuzzy logic operations to control the communications network, comprising;
a fuzzifier module, coupled to the network monitor, converting the numeric data into fuzzy input data;
a fuzzy inference engine, coupled to the fuzzifier module, for processing the fuzzy input data according to at least one fuzzy rule to provide fuzzy output data representative of control actions that effect a desired state of the communications network;
a defuzzifier module, coupled to the fuzzy inference engine, converting the fuzzy output data into numeric data for the separate network monitor and controller to control at least one network parameter in response thereto; and
an operator interface allowing user observation of the fuzzy input data and the fuzzy output data, and user modification of said at least one fuzzy rule before converting the fuzzy output data into the numeric data to modify said fuzzy logic operations performed by said fuzzy inference engine during said control of the communications network.
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Abstract
The apparatus includes a network monitor coupled to the communications network and providing numeric data representative of at least one operating parameter of the communications network. A fuzzifier module is coupled to the network monitor and converts the numeric data into fuzzy input data. A fuzzy inference engine is coupled to the fuzzifier module and processes the fuzzy input data according to at least one fuzzy rule to provide fuzzy output data representative of control actions to effect a desired state of the communications network. A defuzzifier module is coupled to the fuzzy inference engine and converts the fuzzy output data into numeric data which may be then used by a network controller to control at least one network parameter in response to the output data. The apparatus may also include a user interface and a display to allow the fuzzy input data, and the fuzzy output data to be displayed to a user. Using the user interface, the user can then modify the fuzzy input data, the fuzzy output data, and the fuzzy rules. A method for monitoring and controlling communications networks is also disclosed. A methodology for designing membership functions and fuzzy rules useful for monitoring and control of communications networks is disclosed. The system provides for reporting of network behavior in common sense terms, providing recommendations to a user regarding network operational parameters, and, in one embodiment, complete automatic monitoring and control network operational parameters.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. An apparatus for monitoring and controlling a communications network, comprising:
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a separate network monitor and controller, coupled to the communications network, providing numeric data representative of at least one operating parameter of the communications network and controlling at least one network parameter; a separate system that requires only fuzzy logic operations to control the communications network, comprising; a fuzzifier module, coupled to the network monitor, converting the numeric data into fuzzy input data; a fuzzy inference engine, coupled to the fuzzifier module, for processing the fuzzy input data according to at least one fuzzy rule to provide fuzzy output data representative of control actions that effect a desired state of the communications network; a defuzzifier module, coupled to the fuzzy inference engine, converting the fuzzy output data into numeric data for the separate network monitor and controller to control at least one network parameter in response thereto; and an operator interface allowing user observation of the fuzzy input data and the fuzzy output data, and user modification of said at least one fuzzy rule before converting the fuzzy output data into the numeric data to modify said fuzzy logic operations performed by said fuzzy inference engine during said control of the communications network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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7. A method for monitoring and controlling a communications network, comprising the steps of:
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receiving numeric data representative of at least one operating parameter of the communications network from a separate network monitor and controller; converting the numeric data representative of at least one operating parameter into fuzzy input data; processing the fuzzy input data according to at least one fuzzy rule to provide fuzzy output data representative of control actions that effect a desired state of the communications network; displaying at least one of the fuzzy input data and the fuzzy output data to a user; receiving user modifications of said at least one fuzzy rule; repeating said processing step with said at least one user-modified fuzzy rule to provide modified fuzzy output data; repeating said displaying step with said at least one the fuzzy input data and said modified fuzzy output data; converting said modified fuzzy output data into numeric data; and controlling at least one network parameter in response thereto; wherein the method uses only fuzzy logic operations to control the communications network.
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9. An apparatus for monitoring and controlling a communications network, comprising:
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means, including a separate network monitor and controller, for receiving numeric data representative of at least one operating parameter of the communications network; means including a separate system that requires only fuzzy logic operations to control the communications network, comprising; means for converting the numeric data representative of at least one operating parameter into fuzzy input data; means for processing the fuzzy input data according to at least one fuzzy rule to provide fuzzy output data representative of control actions that effect a desired state of the communications network; means for converting the fuzzy output data into numeric data for the separate network monitor and controller to control at least one network parameter in response thereto; means for displaying at least one of the fuzzy input data and the fuzzy output data to a user; means for incorporating user modifications of said at least one fuzzy rule into said processing means before converting the fuzzy output data into the numeric data enabling the user to modify said fuzzy logic operations during said control of the communications network; and means for controlling at least one network parameter in response to the numeric data.
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Specification