Cable telephony monitoring system

• US 7,673,037 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2004
• Issued: 03/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Net2phone
• Original Assignee: Net2phone
• Inventors: Goldberg, Harold J., Lunanuova, Dominic, Ackerman, Chaim
• Primary Examiner(s): DUONG, OANH L
• Application Number:
  US10/777,194
• Publication Number:
  US 20050182835A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,209 Days
• Field of Search: 709223-224, 714/4, 714/763
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5003 Managing SLA; Interaction between SLA and QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0823 Errors, e.g. transmission errors

Abstract

A method and system for monitoring the statuses of components within a telephony system, especially a cable-based telephony system, and to monitor quality issues within such system. By determining how components with the system are behaving, a network administrator may be able to troubleshoot problems remotely using a known set of problem resolution techniques. Such techniques may be applied stepwise by the administrator or may be automated through computer intervention.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for monitoring a telephony system, comprising:

detecting an error condition in a network component, said error condition including an error identifier and an identifier for the network component;

obtaining electronic information corresponding to problem resolution techniques for the error identifier and equipment of a type of the network component;

displaying the electronic information to an administrator in order to facilitate resolution of the error condition; and

executing a computer component to perform the problem resolution techniques by utilizing the identifier for the network component to obtain an address for the network component and using the address to communicate with the network component to correct the error condition.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the network component comprises at least one of a router, a gateway and customer premises equipment.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic information comprises at least one of an HTML document and an XML document.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the computer component comprises at least one of a script, an executable program, and an active control.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of detecting comprises connecting to the network component using IP-based communications.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the identifier for the network component comprises an IP address.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the identifier for the network component comprises a domain name.

8. A computer program product for controlling a computer to monitor a telephony system, comprising a computer readable medium and instructions embedded in the computer readable medium for controlling the computer to perform the steps of:

detecting an error condition in a network component, said error condition including an error identifier and an identifier for the network component;

obtaining electronic information corresponding to problem resolution techniques for the error identifier and equipment of a type of the network component;

displaying the electronic information to an administrator in order to facilitate resolution of the error condition; and

executing a computer component to perform the problem resolution techniques by utilizing the identifier for the network component to obtain an address for the network component and using the address to communicate with the network component to correct the error condition.

9. The computer program product as claimed in claim 8, wherein the network component comprises at least one of a router, a gateway and customer premises equipment.

10. The computer program product as claimed in claim 8, wherein the electronic information comprises at least one of an HTML document and an XML document.

11. The computer program product as claimed in claim 8, wherein the computer component comprises at least one of a script, an executable program, and an active control.

12. The computer program product as claimed in claim 8, wherein the step of detecting comprises connecting to the network component using IP-based communications.

13. The computer program product as claimed in claim 8, wherein the identifier for the network component comprises an IP address.

14. The computer program product as claimed in claim 8, wherein the identifier for the network component comprises a domain name.

15. A system for monitoring a telephony system, comprising:

a first component configured to detect an error condition in a network component, said error condition including an error identifier and an identifier for the network component;

a second component configured to obtain electronic information corresponding to problem resolution techniques for the error identifier and equipment of a type of the network component;

a third component configured to display the electronic information to an administrator in order to facilitate resolution of the error condition; and

a fourth component configured to execute a computer code to perform the problem resolution techniques by utilizing the identifier for the network component to obtain an address for the network component and using the address to communicate with the network component to correct the error condition.

16. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the network component comprises at least one of a router, a gateway and customer premises equipment.

17. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the electronic information comprises at least one of an HTML document and an XML document.

18. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the computer code comprises at least one of a script, an executable program, and an active control.

19. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the step of detecting comprises connecting to the network component using IP-based communications.

20. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the identifier for the network component comprises an IP address.