Method and apparatus for preventing loss of service from hardware failure in a network
First Claim
1. An apparatus for preventing loss of service in network comprising:
- a plurality of receivers, each receiver being capable of receiving signals according to predetermined communication protocols from a plurality of modems;
a switching unit which selectively connects a spare receiver to a signal line associated with one of the plurality of receivers, enabling the spare receiver to receive signals sent to a selected one of the plurality of receivers from a modem associated with the selected one of the plurality of receivers; and
a controller configured to instruct the switching unit to connect the spare receiver to a communication line of a troubled receiver of the plurality of receivers in response to a beginning of a mass modem deregistration event for modems registered with the troubled receiver, and configured to configure the spare receiver to communicate with modems associated with the troubled receiver by sending a communication request signal to one or more modems associated with the troubled receiver, wherein the sending is performed after the configuration of the spare receiver to communicate with modems associated with the troubled receiver, in response to the determination of the mass modem deregistration event, and wherein the beginning of a mass modem registration event is determined to have occurred by the controller when a number of modems associated with the troubled receiver that de-register within a specified time period exceeds a specified threshold.
11 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A spare receiver in a CMTS is used to prevent loss of service to subscribers during a failure of a receiver. The beginning of a mass modem de-registration event is detected by the operator or automatically by the CMTS. Upon detection of the beginning of the mass modem de-registration event, the spare receiver matrices to the troubled receiver and is configured according the communication parameters of the troubled receiver. The spare receiver sends communications to one or modems normally registered with the troubled receiver to determine if the mass de-registration event is the result of a failed receiver or a connection problem. In the event of a failed receiver, the spare receiver stays matriced with the troubled receiver and passes communications to/from from modems normally registered with it. The cable operator may swap out the troubled receiver and repair the system without significant loss of service to the subscribers.
34 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for preventing loss of service in network comprising:
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a plurality of receivers, each receiver being capable of receiving signals according to predetermined communication protocols from a plurality of modems; a switching unit which selectively connects a spare receiver to a signal line associated with one of the plurality of receivers, enabling the spare receiver to receive signals sent to a selected one of the plurality of receivers from a modem associated with the selected one of the plurality of receivers; and a controller configured to instruct the switching unit to connect the spare receiver to a communication line of a troubled receiver of the plurality of receivers in response to a beginning of a mass modem deregistration event for modems registered with the troubled receiver, and configured to configure the spare receiver to communicate with modems associated with the troubled receiver by sending a communication request signal to one or more modems associated with the troubled receiver, wherein the sending is performed after the configuration of the spare receiver to communicate with modems associated with the troubled receiver, in response to the determination of the mass modem deregistration event, and wherein the beginning of a mass modem registration event is determined to have occurred by the controller when a number of modems associated with the troubled receiver that de-register within a specified time period exceeds a specified threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of preventing loss of service in network having a plurality of receivers, each receiver being capable of receiving signals according to predetermined communication protocols from a plurality of modems, the method comprising the steps of:
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detecting a beginning of a mass modem deregistration event for modems associated with a troubled receiver of the plurality of receivers wherein the beginning of a mass modem event is determined to have occurred when a number of modems associated with the troubled receiver that de-register within a specified time period exceeds a specified threshold; connecting a spare receiver to a communication line of the troubled receiver of the plurality of receivers in response to the mass modem deregistration of modems registered with the troubled receiver; configuring the spare receiver to communicate with modems associated with the troubled receiver by sending a communication request signal to one or more modems associated with the troubled receiver from the spare receiver, wherein the sending is performed after the configuration of the spare receiver to communicate with modems associated with the troubled receiver in response to the determination of the beginning of the mass modem deregistration event. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A non-transitory computer readable medium that is one of a machine and a manufacture bearing instructions for a processor to perform a method of preventing loss of service in network having a plurality of receivers, each receiver being capable of receiving signals according to predetermined communication protocols from a plurality of modems, the method comprising the steps of:
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detecting a beginning of a mass modem deregistration event for modems associated with a troubled receiver of the plurality of receivers wherein the beginning of a mass modem deregistration event is determined to have occurred when a number of modems associated with the troubled receiver that de-register within a specified time period exceeds a specified threshold; connecting a spare receiver to a communication line of the troubled receiver of the plurality of receivers in response to the mass modem deregistration of modems registered with the troubled receiver; configuring the spare receiver to communicate with modems associated with the troubled receiver by sending a communication request signal to one or more modems associated with the troubled receiver from the spare receiver, wherein the sending is performed after the configuration of the spare receiver to communicate with modems associated with the troubled receiver in response to the determination of the beginning of the mass modem deregistration event. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification