Monitoring system and method implementing a channel plan and test plan

• US 6,853,932 B1
• Filed: 11/30/1999
• Issued: 02/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Viavi Solutions, Inc. (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Wichelman, James, Chamberlain, Craig, Flink, Eric N., Votipka, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Raymond, Edward
• Application Number:
  US09/451,153
• Time in Patent Office: 1,897 Days
• Field of Search: 702/67, 702/57, 702/120, 702/182, 702/76, 725/107, 725/111
• US Class Current: 702/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/17 Detection of non-compliance or faulty performance, e.g. response deviations H04B17/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/18 Monitoring during normal operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/26 using historical data, averaging values or statistics
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/309 Measuring or estimating channel quality parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/00 Diagnosis, testing or measuring for television systems or their details

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 may comprise a specification of the following, for example, for each of the channels: a label describing use of the corresponding channel, a center frequency, a bandwidth, a power level, information regarding the carrier roll-off, a default status indicator identifying whether the corresponding channel is currently allocated or reserved for future use, one or more default threshold levels for various tests, and an alternate center frequency that may be utilized by the corresponding channel. 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 test plan may include alarm limits that are triggered and tracked when a signal parameter of a node or channel exceeds an alarm limit.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

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

a spectrum analyzer;

a switch capable of selectively connecting one of said nodes, out of the plurality of 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 measurement of at least one signal parameter.

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

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said test plan prescribes comparison of a signal associated with at least one channel with at least one predefined signal threshold.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said test plan includes comparing a signal parameter with an alarm limit and further comprising the step of communicating an alarm to a graphical user interface when said critical alarm limit is exceeded.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said test plan includes comparing a signal parameter with an alarm limit and wherein said controller is configured to conduct said test plan periodically over time, to generate an alarm when said alarm limit is exceeded, and to count alarms that a particular node generates.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said test plan prescribes performing any one or a combination of the following measurements:

average noise power, average TDMA power, spectrum scan, discrete frequency scan, burst count, signal-to-noise ratio, or percentage available.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a graphical user interface and wherein said controller is configured to communicate a result of said test plan to said graphical user interface for displaying said result on a screen.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said controller is configured to perform said testing step periodically over time and to store test results over time.

9. 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.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said channel plan further comprises information regarding the carrier roll-off.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said channel plan further comprises a default status indicator identifying whether the corresponding channel is currently allocated or reserved for future use.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein said channel plan further comprises default threshold levels for various tests.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein said channel plan further comprises at least one alternate center frequency that may be utilized by the corresponding channel.

14. A method for enabling efficient monitoring of electrical signals communicated along a plurality of nodes, each node 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, selectively tested from among the plurality of nodes, by conducting a test plan, said test plan being designed based upon said channel plan, said test plan prescribing measurement of at least one signal parameter.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said test plan prescribes comparison of a signal associated with at least one channel with at least one predefined signal threshold.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said test plan includes comparing a signal parameter with an alarm limit and further comprising the step of communicating an alarm to a graphical user interface when said critical alarm limit is exceeded.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said test plan prescribes measuring any one or a combination of the following:

average noise power, average TDMA power, spectrum scan, discrete frequency scan, burst count, signal to noise ratio, percent available, carrier alive, or spectrum differential.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising communicating a result of said testing step to a graphical user interface and displaying said result on a screen.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising performing said testing step periodically over time and storing test results over time.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising defining said channel plan by:

retrieving a plurality of device templates corresponding with respective specific devices, each of said device templates defining signal characteristics associated with each said respective specific device; and

defining said channel plan by combining a plurality of said device templates.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein said channel plan comprises a label describing use of the corresponding channel, a center frequency, a bandwidth, and a power level.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said channel plan further comprises information regarding the carrier roll-off.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said channel plan further comprises a default status indicator identifying whether the corresponding channel is currently allocated or reserved for future use.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein said channel plan further comprises default threshold levels for various tests.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein said channel plan further comprises at least one alternate center frequency that may be utilized by the corresponding channel.

26. The method of claim 14, wherein said test plan includes at least one test pertaining to a corresponding node, as a whole, and at least one test pertaining to at least one channel of said corresponding node.

27. A system, comprising:

a plurality of nodes communicating signals pursuant to a single 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;

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 measurement of at least one signal parameter; and

an editor for enabling a user to define said channel plan by;

retrieving a plurality of device templates corresponding with respective specific devices, each of said device templates defining signal characteristics associated with each said respective specific device; and

defining said channel plan by combining a plurality of said device templates.

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

receiving signal data sampled by the spectrum analyzer; and

testing communication of said signals on at least one of said nodes, selectively tested from among the plurality of 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 one signal parameter, said channel plan defining signal characteristics of each of said signal channels on each of said nodes.

29. A method for enabling efficient monitoring of electrical signals communicated along a plurality of nodes, each node 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;

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 one signal parameter, wherein said test plan includes comparing a signal parameter with an alarm limit;

performing said testing step periodically over time;

generating an alarm when said alarm limit is exceeded; and

counting alarms that a particular node generates.