Network system, network terminal, and method for specifying location of failure in network system

• US 6,680,903 B1
• Filed: 07/07/1999
• Issued: 01/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Mizuguchi, Yuji, Hattori, Toshikazu, Moriguchi, Kenichi, Ikeda, Toshihisa, Sakai, Takahisa
• Primary Examiner(s): TON, DANG T
• Application Number:
  US09/348,253
• Time in Patent Office: 1,658 Days
• Field of Search: 370/216, 370/217, 370/218, 370/219, 370/220, 370/221, 370/222, 370/223, 370/224, 370/225, 370/226, 370/227, 370/228, 370/401, 370/403, 370/404, 370/405, 370/406, 370/407, 370/408, 370/449, 370/321, 370/345, 370/252, 370/241, 370/254, 340/913, 340/914, 340/825.52, 340/3.51, 340/827, 701/1, 701/36, 701/29, 701/33, 374/221
• US Class Current: 370/216
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/437 Ring fault isolation or reconfiguration for SDH/SONET ring networks H04J3/085

Abstract

In a network of a topology of a loop and a bus, occurrence of a failure is detected and a location of the failure is specified. Occurrence of the failure is detected by detecting that a specific signal pattern to be received at regular time intervals within a fixed time period is not received. A node which has detected occurrence of the failure transmits or receives a specifying signal among the nodes, and decide whether or not the failure has occurred adjacently to itself. A packet indicating a decided location of the failure is transmitted or received among nodes, and thereby respective nodes specify the location of the failure. When the failure has occurred at the master node, a node having a smallest node ID after waiting time according to the node ID operates as the alternative master node.

Claims

1. A network system in which plural nodes are connected by means of a transmission line, and a specific signal pattern is transmitted to the transmission line at regular time intervals within a fixed time period, wherein

each of the plural nodes includes signal monitoring means for detecting existence/non-existence of a signal transmitted on the transmission line and detection means for detecting receiving of the specific signal pattern, the detection means detecting occurrence of a failure in the network system, and wherein

each of the nodes which have detected occurrence of the failure, specifies a location of the failure such that a specifying signal is transmitted or received among the nodes, whether or not the specifying signal is received is detected by the signal monitoring means to decide whether or not the failure has occurred at a spot adjacent to itself, and a signal for specifying a decided location of the failure is transmitted or received among the nodes.

5. The network system of claim 1, wherein

the specific signal pattern includes a transmission node identifier corresponding to a node identifier of a node which is allowed to transmit data and a receiving node identifier corresponding to a node identifier of a node which is allowed to receive data, and a node obtains a transmission/receiving right according to the specific signal pattern.

7. The network system of claim 1, wherein

each node includes control means for controlling transmission and receiving of a signal in detecting occurrence of the failure, normal data transmission and receiving control means for controlling transmission and receiving of a signal in a normal state, and switches which are connected to the normal data transmission and receiving control means in the normal state and are connected to the control means when the failure occurs.

9. The network system of claim 1, wherein

there are provided no-signal time periods during which all nodes do not perform normal communication, and

the nodes which have detected occurrence of the failure, transmit or receive signals and packets which are used for detecting occurrence of the failure and specifying the location of the failure and are to be transmitted or received among the nodes, during the no-signal time periods, in order to prevent interference with normal data communication.

11. The network system of claim 1, wherein

each node includes storage means for storing information of construction of the network system at normal operation, and

each of the nodes which have detected occurrence of the failure, specifies the location of the failure in the network system according to the information of construction of the network system stored in the storage means and the decided location of the failure.

13. The network system of claim 1, wherein

the network includes a master node and at least one slave node, each of the master node and slave nodes has a unique node identifier used for identifying itself, and the slave nodes includes at least one candidate node for an alternative master node,

the candidate node which can perform communication normally, when deciding that the alternative master node should be selected according to a specified location of the failure in the network system, starts operation as the alternative master node after waiting time according to the unique node identifier elapses,

the candidate node which can perform communication normally, when detecting return of the master node during the waiting time, returns to operation of the slave node, and thereby the alternative master node is selected from at least one candidate node group, and

priorities are determined according to unique node identifiers and, after time required for transmitting information indicating that a candidate node;

of a priority K being integer has started operation as the alternative master node to all nodes elapses, waiting times of a candidate node having a priority lower than the K ends.

16. The network system of claim 13, wherein

the waiting time determined according to the unique identifier is a product of a fixed time period “

T” and

either all or a part of a node identifier.

18. The network system of claim 16, wherein

the fixed time period “

T”

is twice as much as or more than the maximum value of transmission delay time between nodes.

20. The network system of claim 13, wherein

the candidate node starts operation as the alternative master node by outputting a specific signal pattern, and detects return of the master node by receiving the specific signal pattern.

22. The network system of claim 1, wherein

the network includes a master node and at least one slave node, each of the master node and slave nodes has a unique node identifier for identifying itself, and the slave nodes include at least one candidate node for an alternative master node,

the master node outputs the specific signal pattern,

each node knows time at which it will receive the specific signal pattern,

each candidate node knows whether or not it has the highest priority of all the nodes, and

a candidate node having the highest priority, after detecting occurrence of the failure by detecting that it does not receive the specific signal pattern at time when it will receive the specific signal pattern, operates as the alternative master node, upon recognizing that the alternative master node should be selected.

24. The network system of claim 22, wherein

the candidate node having the highest priority holds communication management information held by the master node.

2. A network system in which at least one loop comprising plural nodes loop-connected by means of a transmission line and at least one loop comprising either a single node or the plural nodes loop-connected by means of the transmission line are directly connected to a common transmission line having at least one input port and at least one output port in which a signal input through one input port branches and the resulting signals are output from all output ports, a node of the plural nodes included in one of the loops serves as a master node, nodes other than the node serving as the master node serve as slave nodes, nodes present on lower-most streams in respective loops become lower-most stream nodes in the respective loops, and a specific signal pattern is transmitted at regular time intervals within a fixed time period, wherein

each node includes signal monitoring means for detecting existence/non-existence of a signal transmitted on the transmission line and outputting a monitor signal, and detection means for detecting receiving of the specific signal pattern and outputting a signal indicating undetection when the specific signal pattern has not been received during more than a fixed time period, and detects occurrence of a failure in the network system according to the signal indicating undetection,

each the nodes which have detected occurrence of the failure, notifies an adjacent node of occurrence of the failure by using a notification signal,

respective nodes in the network system detect occurrence of the failure according to the notification signal,

each of the nodes which have detected occurrence of the failure in the respective loops, transmits a specifying signal to an adjacent node,

a node which has detected that it does not receive the specifying signal, according to the monitor signal output from the signal monitoring means, decides that the failure has occurred on an upper stream of itself, and transmits information of a location of the failure in a corresponding loop in the form of an identifier packet including information which identifies itself, to the corresponding lower-most stream node,

each of plural lower-most stream nodes decides the location of the failure in a corresponding loop according to the identifier packet and the monitor signal, and transmits information of a decided location of the failure in the corresponding loop in the form of the identification packet such that identifier packets from respective lower-most steam nodes do not collide, and

each of the nodes which have detected occurrence of the failure and the nodes which have detected occurrence of the failure according the notification signal, specifies the location of the failure in the network system, according to the monitor signal and the identifier packets.

3. The network system of claim 2, wherein

the master node outputs an inquiry packet to each of the lower-most stream nodes at normal operation,

each of the lower-stream nodes outputs a response packet upon receiving the inquiry packet directed to itself, and the master node detects occurrence of the failure by detecting that it does not receive the response packet.

4. The network system of claim 2, wherein

the notification signal is a signal which interferes with receiving of the specific signal pattern.

6. The network system of claim 2, wherein

the specific signal pattern includes a transmission node identifier corresponding to a node identifier of a node which is allowed to transmit data and a receiving node identifier corresponding to a node identifier of a node which is allowed to receive data, and a node obtains a transmission/receiving right according to the specific signal pattern.

8. The network system of claim 2, wherein

each node includes control means for controlling transmission and receiving of a signal in detecting occurrence of the failure, normal data transmission and receiving control means for controlling transmission and receiving of a signal in a normal state, and switches which are connected to the normal data transmission and receiving control means in the normal state and are connected to the control means when the failure occurs.

10. The network system of claim 2, wherein

there are provided no-signal time periods during which all nodes do not perform normal communication, and

the nodes which have detected occurrence of the failure, transmit or receive signals and packets which are used for detecting occurrence of the failure and specifying the location of the failure and are to be transmitted or received among the nodes, during the no-signal time periods, in order to prevent interference with normal data communication.

12. The network system of claim 2, wherein

each node includes storage means for storing information of construction of the network system at normal operation, and

each of the nodes which have detected occurrence of the failure, specifies the location of the failure in the network system according to the information of construction of the network system stored in the storage means and the decided location of the failure.

14. The network system of claim 2, wherein

the network includes a master node and at least one slave node, each of the master node and slave nodes has a unique node identifier used for identifying itself, and the slave nodes includes at least one candidate node for an alternative master node,

the candidate node which can perform communication normally, when deciding that the alternative master node should be selected according to a specified location of the failure in the network system, starts operation as the alternative master node after waiting time according to the unique node identifier elapses,

the candidate node which can perform communication normally, when detecting return of the master node during the waiting time, returns to operation of the slave node, and thereby the alternative master node is selected from at least one candidate node group, and

priorities are determined according to unique node identifiers and, after time required for transmitting information indicating that a candidate node of a priority K being integer has started operation as the alternative master node to all nodes elapses, waiting times of a candidate node having a priority lower than the K ends.

15. The network system of claim 2, wherein

when a node decides that it cannot perform communication normally according to the specified location of the failure, the node stops operation of communication and leaves the network system.

17. The network system of claim 14, wherein

the waiting time determined according to the unique identifier is a product of a fixed time period “

T” and

either all or a part of a node identifier.

19. The network system of claim 17, wherein

the fixed time period “

T”

is twice as much as or more than the maximum value of transmission delay time between nodes.

21. The network system of claim 14, wherein

the candidate node starts operation as the alternative master node by outputting a specific signal pattern, and detects return of the master node by receiving the specific signal pattern.

23. The network system of claim 2, wherein

the network includes a master node and at least one slave node, each of the master node and slave nodes has a unique node identifier for identifying itself, and the slave nodes include at least one candidate node for an alternative master node,

the master node outputs the specific signal pattern,

each node knows time at which it will receive the specific signal pattern,

each candidate node knows whether or not it has the highest priority of all the nodes, and

a candidate node having the highest priority, after detecting occurrence of the failure by detecting that it does not receive the specific signal pattern at time when it will receive the specific signal pattern, operates as the alternative master node, upon recognizing that the alternative master node should be selected.

25. The network system of claim 23, wherein

the candidate node having the highest priority holds communication management information held by the master node.

26. A network terminal used in a network system in which plural nodes are connected by means of a transmission line, and a specific signal pattern is transmitted to the transmission line at regular time intervals within a first fixed time period, said terminal comprising:

receiving means which receives a signal transmitted on the transmission line;

signal monitoring means which detects existence/non-existence of the signal transmitted on the transmission and outputs a monitor signal;

detection means which detects receiving of the specific signal pattern transmitted on the transmission line, and outputs a signal indicating undetection when the specific signal pattern is not received during more than a second fixed time period;

control means which detects occurrence of the failure according to the signal indicating undetection which is output from the detection means, outputs a notification signal and a specifying signal upon detecting occurrence of the failure, outputs an identifier packet when deciding that the failure has occurred on an upper stream of a corresponding node by detecting that the specifying signal is not received, and decides a location of the failure from the monitor signal and a received identifier packet;

transmission means which outputs signals toward the transmission line; and

storage means which stores a node identifier for identifying a corresponding node.

27. A method for specifying a location of a failure in a network system in which plural nodes are connected by means of a transmission line, and a specific signal pattern is transmitted to the transmission line at regular time intervals of within a first fixed time period, wherein

the nodes detect occurrence of the failure in the network system by detecting that they have not received the specific signal pattern during more than a second fixed time period,

each of the nodes which have detected occurrence of the failure, transmits or receives a specifying signal among the nodes, and decides whether or not the failure has occurred at a spot adjacent to itself by detecting that it does not receive the specifying signal, and

respective nodes specify the location of the failure in the network system by transmitting or receiving a signal indicating a decided location of the failure.

28. A method for specifying a location of a failure in a network system in which at least one loop comprising plural nodes loop-connected by means of a transmission line and at least one loop comprising either a single node or the plural nodes loop-connected by means of the transmission line are directly connected to a common transmission line having at least one input port and at least one output port, in which a signal input through one input port branches and the resulting signals are output from all output ports, a node included in one of the loops serves as a master node, nodes other than the node serving as the master node serve as slave nodes, nodes present on lower-most streams in respective loops become lower-most stream nodes in the respective loops, and a specific signal pattern is transmitted at regular time intervals within a fixed time period, wherein

nodes detect occurrence of the failure in the network system by detecting that they have not received the specific signal pattern during more than a fixed time period,

each of the nodes which have detected occurrence of the failure, outputs a notification signal to notify an adjacent node that the failure has occurred,

respective nodes in the network system detect occurrence of the failure according to the notification signal,

each of the nodes which have detected occurrence of the failure in the respective loops, outputs a specifying signal to an adjacent node,

a node decides that the failure has occurred on an upper stream of itself by detecting that it does not receive the specifying signal, and outputs information of the location of the failure in a corresponding loop in the form of an identifier packet including information for identifying itself, to the corresponding lower-most stream node, and

each of plural lower-most stream nodes, decides the location of the failure in a corresponding loop, from the identifier packet and the monitor signal, and transmits information of a decided location of the failure in the form of an identifier packet such that identifier packets transmitted from the plural lower-most stream nodes do not collide, and

each of the nodes which have detected occurrence of the failure and the nodes which have detected occurrence of the failure according the notification signal, specifies the location of the failure in the network system, according to the monitor signal and the identifier packets.

29. A network system in which a network includes a master node having a unique node identifier and either one or a plurality of slave nodes each having a unique node identifier, and the slave nodes includes at least one candidate node for an alternative master node, said network system being a master-slave network system, wherein

the candidate node which can perform communication normally, when detecting a failure at the master node, starts operation as the alternative master node after waiting time according to the unique node identifier elapses,

the candidate node which can perform communication normally, when detecting return of the master node during the waiting time, returns to operation of the slave node, and thereby the alternative master node is selected from at least one candidate node group, and

priorities are determined according to unique node identifiers and, after time required for transmitting information indicating that a candidate node of a priority K being integer has started operation as the alternative master node to all nodes elapses, waiting times of a candidate node having a priority lower than the K ends.