Monitoring system and method implementing a percent availability test

• US 6,522,987 B1
• Filed: 11/30/1999
• Issued: 02/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Viavi Solutions, Inc. (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Morgan, Bill, Chamberlain, Craig, Flink, Eric N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SUAREZ, FELIX E
• Application Number:
  US09/452,068
• Time in Patent Office: 1,176 Days
• Field of Search: 702/122, 348/192, 348/193, 725/107, 725/143, 370/248, 370/249, 370/250, 370/251, 370/242, 370/244, 370/245
• US Class Current: 702/122
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0894 Packet rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements

Abstract

A channel plan with a corresponding test plan are implemented in connection with a plurality of nodes that communicate signals. The channel plan has one or more predefined specifications for each of one or more signal channels on each of the nodes. The channel plan enables a monitoring system to, among other things, conduct automatic periodic test plans, comprising tests, on the nodes, based upon the predefined data specified in the channel plan. Each test plan prescribes measurement of at least one signal parameter, pertaining to one or more nodes as a whole and/or to one or more channels contained within the nodes. The monitoring system includes a spectrum analyzer, a switch enabling the spectrum analyzer to interface with the nodes, and a controller controlling the switch and the spectrum analyzer. The controller is configured to enable creation of and display the channel plan and test plan, based upon user inputs. Notably, the controller can be configured to perform a percent availability test, that, when used in connection with an active channel, indicates how successful the system under test is in providing a service over the channel. When performed in connection with an unused channel, then the percent availability test indicates how successful the channel would be in providing a future service over the unused channel.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a plurality of nodes communicating signals pursuant to a channel plan, said channel plan having predefined characteristics for each of a plurality of signal channels;

a spectrum analyzer;

a switch capable of connecting one of said nodes with said spectrum analyzer; and

a controller controlling said switch to select said one node, said controller capable of testing communication of signals on at least one of said nodes by conducting a test plan, said test plan being designed based upon said channel plan, said test plan prescribing performance of at least a percent availability test.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said nodes are part of a cable television network.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said percent availability test is performed at the center frequency of a future/unused signal channel.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said percent availability test is performed for a currently active signal channel at the center frequency of the closest future/unused signal channel.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a graphical user interface, wherein said controller is configured to communicate a percent availability result responsive to the percent availability test for at least one of said nodes to said graphical user interface for displaying said result on a screen.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said test plan includes an alarm limit and said controller is configured to compare a percent availability result with said alarm limit, the controller further configured to communicate an alarm to a graphical user interface when said alarm limit is exceeded.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said alarm limit is a critical alarm limit and said controller is configured to communicate a critical alarm to said graphical user interface when said critical alarm limit is exceeded.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein said alarm limit is an advisory alarm limit and said controller is configured to communicate an advisory alarm to said graphical user interface when said advisory alarm limit is exceeded.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein said controller is configured to conduct said percent availability test periodically over time, said controller further configured to count critical alarms that a particular node generates and to communicate said count to said graphical user interface.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said controller is configured to conduct said percent availability test periodically over time, said controller further configured to count advisory alarms that a particular node generates and to communicate said count to said graphical user interface.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said channel plan comprises at least a label describing use of the corresponding channel, a center frequency, a bandwidth, and a power level.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said channel plan further comprises a default status indicator identifying whether the corresponding each of a plurality of signal channels is currently allocated or reserved for future use.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said channel plan further comprises default threshold levels for the percent availability test.

14. A computer readable medium having a program for enabling efficient monitoring of electrical signals communicated along a plurality of nodes, each node having a plurality of signal channels, the signals being measured by a spectrum analyzer, the program comprising:

means for receiving signal data sampled by the spectrum analyzer; and

means for testing communication of said signals on at least one of said nodes by conducting a test plan on said signal data, said test plan being designed based upon a channel plan, said test plan prescribing measurement of at least a percent availability test on at least one signal channel.

15. A method for enabling efficient monitoring of electrical signals communicated along a plurality of electrical connections, each connection having a plurality of signal channels, comprising:

communicating said signals along each of said plurality of said nodes pursuant to a channel plan, said channel plan having predefined characteristics for each of said signal channels; and

testing communication of said signals on at least one of said nodes by conducting a test plan, said test plan being designed based upon said channel plan, said test plan prescribing measurement of at least a percent availability test on at least one signal channel.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of communicating a percent availability test result associated with at least one signal channel to a graphical user interface.

17. The method of claim 16, further including the step of comparing a percent availability result with an alarm limit and further comprising the step of communicating an alarm to a graphical user interface when said alarm limit is exceeded.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

performing said testing step periodically over time;

generating an alarm when said alarm limit is exceeded;

counting alarms that a particular node generates;

communicating a result of said counting step to a graphical user interface; and

displaying said result on a screen.

19. A method for determining if a proposed service is serviceable on a cable television network node comprising:

determining the bandwidth where the proposed service is to reside on the node frequency spectrum;

recording the node frequency spectrum amplitude over time to determine the percent availability of said bandwidth on the node frequency spectrum;

averaging the percent availability; and

making a determination if the average percent availability represents an acceptable operational level.

20. A method for recording actual service performance on a particular television cable network node comprising:

determining a bandwidth where the closest future/unused channel resides on the node frequency spectrum, wherein closest is determined based on the difference of the actual service'"'"'s center frequency and said future/unused channel'"'"'s center frequency;

determining a minimum operational carrier-to-noise ratio (MOCN) for the service;

recording the node frequency spectrum amplitude over time in the bandwidth of the closest future/unused channel of the node frequency spectrum;

determining the percent availability over the closest future/unused channel by applying the MOCN of the service signal channel;

recording the percent availability over time; and

averaging the percent availability results.