Method and apparatus for error performance monitoring of a leased telecommunication circuit

• US 5,699,348 A
• Filed: 10/31/1995
• Issued: 12/16/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Baidon, Sami A., Huang, Shirley L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jung, Min
• Application Number:
  US08/551,136
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 370/242, 370/243, 370/244, 370/252, 379/10, 379/24, 379/26, 395/183.01, 395/185.01
• US Class Current: 370/242
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/14 Monitoring arrangements for SDH/SONET rings H04J3/085
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/06 Generation of reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0847 Transmission error

Abstract

A method and apparatus for use in monitoring and analyzing statistical parameters corresponding to errors occurring in the transmission of data signals in a telecommunications network is disclosed. Communication between two customer sites occurs through the use of a leased line or circuit, which defines fixed paths between the customer terminals and which comprises a plurality of network elements. Statistical parameters, corresponding to errors detected and processed at ports in the network elements, are sent to a central management system which executes a performance monitoring count routine to determine the total number of errored-seconds, or severely-errored-seconds, or other statistical parameters associated with each direction of transmission in the customer circuit.

Claims

1. A method of analyzing statistical parameters corresponding to performance monitoring data reflecting errors occurring in the transmission of data signals transmitted via a telecommunication circuit comprising a plurality of network elements including a far end network element defined with respect to a particular direction of transmission in the circuit, wherein each of the network elements comprises a primary port defined with respect to said direction of transmission, and wherein each primary port functions in one of a plurality of modes, the method comprising the steps of:

performing the following steps with respect to each of the primary ports;

(a) incrementing a performance monitoring count according to a statistical parameter corresponding to near end performance monitoring data detected at said port if the port functions in a first mode;

(b) incrementing the performance monitoring count according to a statistical parameter corresponding to far end performance monitoring data detected at said port if the port functions in the first mode and if near end performance monitoring data was not detected at said port; and

(c) incrementing the performance monitoring count according to a statistical parameter corresponding to near end performance monitoring data detected at said port if the port functions in a second mode and if;

(i) the previous port for which steps (a) and (b) were performed functions in the first mode and neither near end nor far end performance monitoring data was detected at the previous port;

or

(ii) the previous port for which steps (a) and (b) were performed functions in a third mode;

or

(iii) the previous port for which steps (a) and (b) were performed functions in the second mode, but no near end performance monitoring data was detected at the previous port.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the steps (a), (b) and (c) are performed first with respect to performance monitoring data detected at the far end network element and subsequently with respect to performance monitoring data collected at each primary port which is closer to the far end network element prior to performing the steps (a), (b) and (c) with respect to performance monitoring data collected at primary ports which are further from the far end network element.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first mode is a terminated mode.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the second mode is a framed clear mode.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the third mode is an unframed clear mode.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the steps (a), (b) and (c) comprise incrementing the performance monitoring count by the number of errored-seconds detected at the port.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the steps (a), (b) and (c) comprise incrementing the performance monitoring count by the number of severely-errored-seconds detected at the port.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of comparing the performance monitoring count to a stored threshold value.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of providing an alert signal if the performance monitoring count exceeds said threshold value.

10. An apparatus for analyzing statistical parameters corresponding to performance monitoring data reflecting errors occurring in the transmission of data signals transmitted via a telecommunication circuit comprising a plurality of network elements including a far end network element defined with respect to a particular direction of transmission in the circuit, the apparatus comprising:

a primary port in each of the network elements, wherein the primary ports are defined with respect to said direction of transmission and wherein at least some of the primary ports comprise means for detecting near end or far end performance monitoring data;

means for processing the detected performance monitoring data to produce corresponding statistical parameters; and

a counter which is incremented according to the statistical parameters, commencing first with the statistical parameters corresponding to performance monitoring data detected at the primary port in said far end network element and proceeding, in succession, to the statistical parameters corresponding to performance monitoring data detected at each primary port which is closer to the far end network element prior to primary ports which are further from the far end network element.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the counter is incremented according to a statistical parameter corresponding to near end performance monitoring data detected at one of the ports if the port functions in a terminated mode, and wherein the counter is incremented according to a statistical parameter corresponding to far end performance monitoring data detected at said port if the port functions in the terminated mode and if near end performance monitoring data was not detected at said port.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the counter is incremented according to a statistical parameter corresponding to near end performance monitoring data detected at said port if the port functions in a framed clear mode and if:

(i) the previous port, with respect to which the counter was incremented, functions in the terminated mode, and neither near end nor far end performance monitoring data was detected at the previous port;

or

(ii) the previous port, with respect to which the counter was incremented, functions in an unframed clear mode;

or

(iii) the previous port, with respect to which the counter was incremented, functions in the framed clear mode, but no near end performance monitoring data was detected at the previous port.