System and method for protecting communication between a central office and a remote premises

• US 7,457,234 B1
• Filed: 03/01/2004
• Issued: 11/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ADTRAN Incorporated (ADTRAN Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADTRAN Incorporated (ADTRAN Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bartell, John B., Bekken, Dean D. II, Ogden, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Ajit
• Application Number:
  US10/790,158
• Time in Patent Office: 1,730 Days
• Field of Search: 370/216, 370/217, 370/218, 370/219, 370/220, 370/225, 370/227, 370/228
• US Class Current: 370/216
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/028 Subscriber network interface devices

Abstract

A data communication system for communicating between a central office and a remote premises comprises a first transceiver, a second transceiver, and control logic. The first transceiver is coupled to a first communication connection extending from the central office to the remote premises and is configured to communicate with a central office transceiver. The second transceiver is coupled to a second communication connection extending from the central office to the remote premises. The control logic resides at the remote premises and is configured to detect an error condition associated with communication between the first transceiver and the transceiver located at the central office. The control logic is configured to transmit, in response to a detection of the error condition, a switch notification to the central office via the second transceiver and the second communication connection, wherein at least one component at the central office is configured to route data over the second communication connection in response to the switch notification.

Claims

1. A data communication system for communicating data between a central office and a customer premises that is remotely located from said central office, comprising:

a first transceiver coupled to a first subscriber line extending from said central office to said customer premises, said first transceiver configured to communicate with a transceiver located at said central office;

a second transceiver coupled to a second subscriber line extending from said central office to said customer premises; and

control logic residing at said customer premises, said control logic configured to detect an error condition associated with communication between said first transceiver and said transceiver located at said central office, said control logic configured to transmit, in response to a detection of said error condition, a switch notification to said central office via said second transceiver and said second subscriber line, wherein at least one component at said central office is configured to route data over said second subscriber line in response to said switch notification, wherein a first chassis and a second chassis are located at said central office, wherein said transceiver located at said central office is mounted in said first chassis, and wherein a third transceiver mounted in said second chassis is configured to receive said switch notification and to backup said transceiver mounted in said first chassis based on said switch notification.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one component switches, in response to said switch notification, communication from said first subscriber line to said second subscriber line.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein data to be communicated over said first subscriber line is communicated, based on said switch notification, over said second subscriber line in lieu of said first subscriber line.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said second subscriber line provides a management link and a communication link between said customer premises and said central office.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said management link is terminated by a framer, and wherein said communication link is terminated by said second transceiver.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein said management link is terminated prior to said error condition, and wherein said second transceiver is configured to terminate said communication link in response to said switch notification.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said management link is terminated by a framer prior to said error condition.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a switch coupled to a communication device and to said first and second transceivers, wherein said control logic is configured to change a state of said switch in response to said detection of said error condition.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said control logic changes said state in response to said detection such that said first transceiver is electrically isolated from said communication device and such that said second transceiver is conductively coupled to said communication device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said at least one component is configured to route data destined for said communication device to said first transceiver prior to said error condition, said at least one component further configured to route data destined for said communication device to a third transceiver based on said switch notification, said third transceiver coupled to said second subscriber line and configured to communicate with said second transceiver.

11. A data communication system having a central office and a customer premises that is remotely located from said central office, comprising:

a first transceiver coupled to a first subscriber line extending from said central office to said customer premises, said first transceiver configured to communicate, via said first subscriber line, with a transceiver located at said central office;

a second transceiver coupled to a second subscriber line extending from said central office to said customer premises;

a communication device in communication with said first transceiver; and

control logic residing at said customer premises, said control logic configured to initiate, in response to a detection of an error condition, a backup switch such that said communication device communicates with said second transceiver in lieu of said first transceiver, said control logic further configured transmit information indicative of said backup switch to said central office, wherein data destined for said communication device is transmitted, based on said information, to said second transceiver via said second subscriber line in lieu of said first subscriber line, wherein a first chassis and a second chassis are located at said central office, wherein said transceiver located at said central office is mounted in said first chassis, and wherein a transceiver mounted in said second chassis is configured to receive said information and to backup said transceiver mounted in said first chassis in response to said information.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a switch coupled to said first transceiver, said second transceiver, and said communication device, said switch configured to conductively couple said first transceiver to said communication device prior to said backup switch, wherein said control logic is configured to change a state of said switch during said backup switch such that said switch conductively couples said communication device to said second transceiver.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said second subscriber line provides a management link and a communication link, and wherein said management link is terminated by a framer and said communication link is terminated by said second transceiver.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said second transceiver is configured to terminate said communication link in response to said backup switch initiated by said control logic.

15. A data communication system having a central office and a customer premises that is remotely located from said central office, comprising:

a chassis for holding a first customer premises transceiver and a second customer premises transceiver, said first customer premises transceiver coupled to a first central office transceiver via a first subscriber line extending from said central office to said customer premises, said second customer premises transceiver coupled to a second central office transceiver via a second subscriber line extending from said central office to said customer premises; and

control logic mounted on said chassis, said control logic configured to initiate a backup switch in response to a detection, by said control logic, of an error condition associated with communication occurring over said first subscriber line, said control logic configured to switch said communication from said first subscriber line to said second subscriber line, wherein at least one component at said central office is responsive to said control logic for routing data to said second central office transceiver in lieu of said first central office transceiver, wherein said first central office transceiver is mounted in a first central office chassis, wherein said second central office transceiver is mounted in a second central office chassis, and wherein said second central office transceiver is responsive to said control logic for backing up said first central office transceiver.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said second subscriber line provides a management link and a communication link, and wherein said management link is terminated by a framer and said communication link is terminated by said second customer premises transceiver in response to said backup switch initiated by said control logic.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising a switch coupled to said first customer premises transceiver, said second customer premises transceiver, and a communication device residing at said customer premises, said switch configured to conductively couple said first customer premises transceiver to said communication device prior to said backup switch, wherein said control logic is configured to change a state of said switch during said backup switch such that said switch conductively couples said communication device to said second customer premises transceiver.

18. A method for communicating between a central office and a customer premises that is remotely located from said central office, comprising the steps of:

communicating between a first customer premises transceiver and a first central office transceiver via a first subscriber line extending from said central office to said customer premises, wherein said first central office transceiver is mounted in a first chassis;

detecting an error condition associated with said communicating step;

transmitting, in response to said error condition, a switch notification from a second customer premises transceiver to a second central office transceiver via a second subscriber line extending from said central office to said customer premises, wherein said second central office transceiver is mounted in a second chassis;

performing a backup switch in response to said switch notification such that a communication device previously communicating over said first subscriber line switches to communicating over said second subscriber line; and

initiating communication between said second central office transceiver and said second customer premises transceiver in response to said switch notification.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said performing step comprises the step of changing a state of a switch that is coupled to said first customer premises transceiver, said second customer premises transceiver, and said communication device.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

establishing a management link over said second subscriber line;

communicating status and control information via said management link; and

establishing a communication link over said second subscriber line in response to said switch notification.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the steps of:

terminating said management link via a framer residing at said customer premises; and

terminating said communication link via said second customer premises transceiver.