Remote transmission testing and monitoring to a cell site in a cellular communications network

• US 6,640,101 B1
• Filed: 08/06/1999
• Issued: 10/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Daniel, J. Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, PABLO N
• Application Number:
  US09/369,920
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 455/423, 455/422, 455/115, 455/67-- 6, 455/226.1, 455/226.2, 455/456, 455/424, 455/226.4, 455/130, 455/229, 370/15, 370/82, 370/110.1, 370/244, 370/522, 370/242, 370/527-529, 370/523, 370/241, 379/29, 379/22, 379/224-225, 379/227
• US Class Current: 455/423
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13076 Distributing frame, MDF, cross-connect switch
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13092 Scanning of subscriber lines, monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13162 Fault indication and localisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1329 Asynchronous transfer mode, ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13349 Network management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0087 Network testing or monitoring arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic

Abstract

Systems and methods provide remote performance monitoring and testing to a cell site in a cellular communications network. The systems and methods include a network management center having remote monitoring and testing capabilities utilizing an intelligent customer service unit that traps and makes available alarm information on the transport link.

Claims

1. A method for remotely testing and monitoring at least one transport link from a switch to a cell site in a communications network, comprising:

establishing a communication channel from the cell site to a network management center;

trapping performance data pertaining to communications carried over the transport link at the cell site and generating a message when the communications do not meet quality indicators; and

sending the message over the communications channel to the network management center.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring the transport link by network management center personnel.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the establishing a communication channel from a cell site to a network channel is performed utilizing a digital signal zero (DS0) channel as the communication channel.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising polling the cell site for performance data on the communication channel by network management center personnel.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising polling the cell site for trapping results.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the establishing a communication channel from the cell site to a network management center is performed using a digital access and cross connect system (DACS).

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising testing the communication channel using a test head coupled to the DACS.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the trapping performance data at the cell site and generating a message when the communication channel does not meet quality indicators is performed utilizing a customer service unit (CSU).

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating an alarm at the cell cite when the communication channel does not meet quality indicators.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising resetting the cell site to begin the trapping performance data.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising resetting the alarm at the cell site to begin the trapping performance data.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a communication channel from a cell site to a network channel is performed utilizing a wireless transceiver.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein trapping performance data is performed on a real time basis.

14. A system for providing remote testing and monitoring of at least one transport link to a cell site in a communications network, comprising:

a communication link between the cell site and a network management center, the communications link having a spare channel for use as a management channel, the network management center remotely accessing the management channel; and

a customer service unit (CSU) in communication with the network management center through use of the management channel of the communication link, the CSU adapted to capture data on quality levels of the at least one transport link and to transmit the data to the network management center.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the CSU further comprises a trap for trapping the data on quality levels of the management channel.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the CSU sends a message over the communications link to the network management center.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the CSU sends a message over the communications link to the network management center when the quality levels of the communications channel do not meet threshold levels.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein the CSU further comprises alarms that alarm and generate a message to the network management center when the signals received over a transport link do not meet quality indicators.

19. The system of claim 14, further comprising test heads coupled to a digital access and cross-connect system (DACS) providing network testing capabilities.

20. The system of claim 14 wherein the CSU further comprises threshold levels adjustable based upon the quality indicators.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the quality indicators are selected from the group consisting of:

severe errored seconds;

errored seconds;

alarm indication signal;

yellow alarms;

extended super frame errors;

out of frame errors;

loss of frame errors;

loss of signal errors;

slip errors;

cyclic redundancy check errors; and

bipolar violation errors.

22. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a transport database at the network management center having information for remotely accessing the management channel.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the transport database further comprises transport and facility assignment information.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the transport and facility information further comprises circuit identifiers, supplier information, IP addresses and DACS information.

25. The system of claim 14, wherein the customer service unit transmits data to the network management center on a real time basis.

26. An apparatus adapted to provide remote testing and monitoring of a cell site in a communications network, comprising:

a customer service unit (CSU) in communication with a management channel and at least one transport link; and

a trap coupled to the intelligent CSU adapted to trap quality indicators when the management channel is out of limits, whereby the management channel can be remotely tested and monitored by remote personnel.

27. A method for monitoring communications on at least one transport link between a cell site and a hub, comprising:

monitoring at the cell site the communications carried over the at least one transport link;

trapping performance information pertaining to the communications on the at least one transport link; and

sending the performance information to the hub over a management channel wherein the management channel does not degrade performance of the at least one transport link.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

recognizing when the channel does not meet threshold levels based upon quality indicators; and

triggering alarms when an error in the channel occurs.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the recognizing when the channel does not meet threshold levels based upon quality indicators is performed using a customer service unit (CSU).

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising resetting the alarms.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising polling the CSU by remote personnel for trapping results.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein trapping performance information pertaining to the communications on the at least one transport link and sending the performance information to the hub over a management channel is performed on a real time basis.