Network status matrix

• US 6,111,561 A
• Filed: 06/30/1995
• Issued: 08/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Laboratories Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GTE Laboratories Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Brandau, Richard J., RajiniKanth, Malipatlola
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHANG, KENT WU
• Application Number:
  US08/497,487
• Time in Patent Office: 1,887 Days
• Field of Search: 395/342, 395/295, 395/340, 395/127, 395/129, 395/130, 395/132, 395/131, 395/119, 395/121
• US Class Current: 715/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/328 Computer systems status display G06F11/327 takes precedence

Abstract

A computer system for displaying the status of network nodes and links in a large telecommunications network is disclosed. An Overview windowing panel consisting solely of cell bullets representing the connection status of a large number of nodes and links in a telecommunications network is displayed on a computerized display device. The cell bullets are color coded to visually represent the connection status of the nodes and links. A panning rectangle which is moveable under mouse control throughout the Overview windowing panel telescopes the detail of a portion of the densely packed Overview panel onto a second windowing panel, the Detail windowing panel. The Detail windowing panel identifies the node connections displayed therein, and provides further information on the status of the node and connections therein.

Claims

1. A display device for viewing the connection status of nodes and links in a telecommunications network comprising:

a first overview display window means consisting of bullets representing the connection status of said nodes and links arranged in a matrix where both row and columns represent said nodes;

a panner means for selecting a subset of the first window display means;

a second detail display window means responsive to the panner means and the first overview display window means for additionally identifying the nodes and displaying the connection status of the nodes selected by the panner means, whereby predetermined network problems appear as patterns of cell representations about row and column lines including a formation of a line pattern in a first direction representing congested switches, and a formation of a line pattern in a second direction representing missing data.

2. The display device of claim 1 wherein the bullets representing the connection status of said nodes and links are color coded.

3. The display device according to claim 1 wherein said matrix representing said nodes displays such nodes as a switch-by-switch matrix wherein each said bullet on a main diagonal represent like row and column positions.

4. The display device according to claim 3 wherein said second display window means for identifying the nodes includes row and column labels wherein row and columns are expanded or contracted by selecting a corresponding row or column label, respectively.

5. A method for displaying a connection status of nodes and links in a telecommunication network on a computerized display device, said method comprising steps of:

(a) displaying cells in an overview window, wherein said cells are coded to visually represent a switch status of said nodes and links, wherein said cells are arranged in at least a two dimensional array of rows and columns in a switch-by-switch matrix such that each cell identifies a connection between a row switch and a column switch;

(b) selecting a portion of said overview window for further identifying a portion of said cells; and

(c) displaying a detail window for further displaying said selected portion in greater detail and additionally displaying row and column headings identifying corresponding cells in respective rows and columns, said row and column headings selectable for causing an expansion or subsequent contraction of a corresponding row or column, whereby predetermined network problems appear as patterns of cell representations about row and column lines including a formation of a cross pattern representing a switch failure.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein each cell identifies a connection status between a row switch and a column switch according to a predetermined color and a predetermined symbol.

7. The method according to claim 5 wherein said cells are arranged to form a main diagonal such that links between row and column switches are represented twice in the matrix, symmetrically about the main diagonal.