System and method for managing faults in a data transmission system

• US 6,385,665 B1
• Filed: 12/18/1998
• Issued: 05/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alcatel USA Sourcing L.P. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel USA Sourcing L.P. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Weldon, Richard S. Jr., Canady, Kevin E., Dupont, Dennis C., Tindall, Mark C., Doss, Dwight W., Butterfield, Byron T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cao, Chun
• Application Number:
  US09/216,568
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 714/4, 714/7, 714/8, 714/39, 714/45, 714/49, 714/57, 714/47, 714/48, 710/2
• US Class Current: 710/2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0686 Additional information in the notification, e.g. enhancement of specific meta-data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning

Abstract

A system and method for managing faults in a data transmission system that includes a data path for transmitting signals containing data, and a plurality of application cards located along the data path for processing the signals. The method includes the steps of detecting the occurrence of a fault of a particular type at one of a plurality of points along the data transmission path; in response, the application card generating a fault report for the purpose of identifying the cause of the detected fault; and, preventing the generation by the application card of subsequent fault reports relating to that particular type of fault until receiving a signal indicating that fault report generation may be reenabled. In the fault management system, the data transmission system also includes at least one unit controller for controlling the application cards, and at least one system manager for controlling the at least one unit controller. The system further includes application card software residing on the plurality of application cards, unit controller software residing on the at least one unit controller, and system manager software residing on the at least one system manager. The application card software is capable of generating a first fault report in response to detecting that a first fault of a particular type has occurred in the data transmission system, and suppressing the generation of subsequent fault reports relating to that particular type of fault until receiving a signal indicating that fault report generation may be reenabled.

Claims

1. A method for managing faults in a data transmission system, said data transmission system including a data transmission path for transmitting signals containing data, and a plurality of application cards along said data path for processing said signals, comprising the steps of:

detecting an occurrence of a first fault of a particular type at one of a plurality of detection points along said data transmission path;

in response to detecting said first fault of said particular type, one of said application cards generating a fault report for the purpose of identifying the cause of said detected fault; and

preventing generation by said application card of subsequent fault reports relating to said particular type of fault until receiving a signal indicating that fault report generation may be reenabled.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

said application card receiving said signal indicating that fault report generation may be reenabled, and in response, reenabling fault report generation; and

said application card generating a subsequent fault report in response to detection of a subsequent fault of said particular type.

3. The method for managing faults according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

in response to detecting said first fault of said particular type, setting a fault status indicator associated with said application card that represents said particular fault type; and

in response to receiving said signal indicating that fault report generation may be reenabled, clearing said fault status indicator.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said data transmission system further includes a control unit for controlling said application cards, said unit controller including unit controller software, said method further comprising the step of sending said fault report to a fault manager subroutine of said unit controller software, said signal indicating that fault report generation may be reenabled being received from said fault manager.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein said data transmission system further includes a unit controller for controlling said application cards, and a system manager for controlling said unit controller, said system manager including system manager software, said method further comprising the step of sending said fault report to a fault manager subroutine of said system manager software, said signal indicating that fault report generation may be reenabled being received from said fault manager.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein said detected fault is a path fault.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein said detected fault is a device fault.

8. The method according to claim 2, wherein said detected fault is a timing fault.

9. A method for managing faults in a data transmission system, said data transmission system including a data path for transmitting signals containing data, and a plurality of application cards along said data path for processing said signals, comprising the steps of:

detecting an occurrence of a first fault of a particular type at one of plurality of detection points along said data transmission path;

determining a priority level of said detected fault;

in response to detecting said first fault of said particular type, one of plurality of said application cards generating a fault report for the purpose of identifying the cause of said detected fault;

preventing generation by said application card of subsequent fault reports relating to faults of said determined priority level or lower until receiving a signal indicating that fault report generation may be reenabled.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

said application card receiving said signal, and in response, reenabling fault report generation; and

said application card generating a subsequent fault report in response to detection of a subsequent fault of said determined priority level or lower.

11. The method for managing faults according to claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

in response to detection of said fault of said particular type, setting a fault status indicator associated with said application card that represents said particular fault type; and

in response to receiving said signal indicating that fault report generation may be reenabled, clearing said fault status indicator.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of sending said fault report to a fault manager within said data transmission system, wherein said signal indicating that fault report generation may be reenabled is received from said fault manager.

13. A method for managing faults in data transmission system, said data transmission system including a data path for transmitting signals containing data, and a plurality of application cards along said data path for processing said signals, comprising the steps of:

detecting an occurrence of a first fault of a particular type at one of plurality of detection points along said data transmission path;

in response to detecting said fault of said particular type, determining whether fault reports relating to said particular fault type are being suppressed;

if fault reports of said particular type are being suppressed, then waiting until another fault occurs and then returning to the detecting step;

if fault reports of said particular type are not being suppressed, then

setting a fault status indicator associated with said application card that represents said particular fault type;

said application card generating a fault report for the purpose of identifying the cause of said detected fault;

preventing generation by said application card of subsequent fault reports relating to said particular fault type until receiving a signal indicating that fault report generation may be reenabled; and

waiting until another fault occurs and then returning to the detecting step.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

said application card receiving said signal indicating that fault report generation should be reenabled, and in response, reenabling said fault report generation; and

said application card generating a subsequent fault report in response to detection of a subsequent fault of said particular type.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of sending said fault report to a fault manager within said data transmission system, wherein said signal indicating that fault report generation may be reenabled is received from said fault manager.

16. A fault management system for managing faults in a data transmission system, said data transmission system including a data transmission path for transmitting signals containing data, a plurality of application cards along said data path for processing said signals, at least one unit controller for controlling said application cards, and at least one system manager for controlling said at least one unit controller, said system comprising:

an application card software residing on said plurality of application cards;

a unit controller software residing on said at least one unit controller; and

a system manager software residing on said at least one system manager, said application card software being capable of generating a first fault report in response to detecting that a first fault of a particular type has occurred in the data transmission system, and suppressing the generation of subsequent fault reports relating to said particular type of fault until receiving a signal indicating that fault report generation may be reenabled.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein said fault report is sent to a fault management subroutine within said unit controller software, and wherein said signal indicating that fault report generation may be reenabled is received from said fault manager.

18. The system according to claim 16, wherein said fault report is sent to a fault management subroutine within said system manager software, and wherein said signal indicating that fault report generation may be reenabled is received from said fault manager.