Method and apparatus for managing network elements in a satellite navigation data distribution system

• US 8,738,290 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2010
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Global Locate Incorporated (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Abraham, Charles, Malkos, Steven, Podshivalov, Sergei
• Primary Examiner(s): MANCHO, RONNIE M
• Application Number:
  US12/760,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20110169695A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,504 Days
• Field of Search: 701/207, 701/213, 701/214, 701/412, 701/505, 701/469, 717/136, 717/143, 717/110, 702/190, 702/181, 702/182, 342/357.09, 342/357.02, 342/357.66, 370/338, 455/456.6, 709/224, 709/203
• US Class Current: 701/412
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/05 providing aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/08 providing integrity information, e.g. health of satellites or quality of ephemeris data

Abstract

Method and apparatus for managing a network element in a satellite navigation data distribution system is described. In one example, a network element includes a processor for processing satellite navigation data. For example, a network element may be a reference station, a hub, or a server in the satellite navigation data distribution system. The network element includes a memory for maintaining status variables associated with the processing of the satellite navigation data. The status variables may relate to the integrity of the satellite navigation data. The network element further includes a management agent for monitoring states of the status variables and communicating with a network management system to exchange information related to the states of the status variables. In one example, the management agent is configured to communicate using a simple network management protocol (SNMP).

Claims

1. A network element in a satellite navigation data distribution system, comprising:

a memory configured to maintain a status variable associated with satellite navigation data; and

a management agent configured to;

monitor a state of said status variable,

compare said state of said status variable to a threshold,

selectively generate an alarm message in response to a comparison of said state of said status variable to said threshold,

communicate with a network management system to exchange information related to said state of said status variable,

receive a request message from said network management system, and update said threshold based on said received message.

2. The network element of claim 1, wherein said status variable comprises at least one of:

a variable associated with a number of satellites represented by said satellite navigation data;

a variable associated with ephemeris data in said satellite navigation data;

a variable associated with almanac data in said satellite navigation data;

a variable associated with atmospheric correction data in said satellite navigation data;

or

a variable associated with clock correction data in said satellite navigation data.

3. The network element of claim 1, wherein said management agent is configured to communicate using a simple network management protocol (SNMP).

4. The network of claim 3, wherein said management agent comprises:

a monitoring agent configured to compare said state of said status variable to said threshold and to selectively generate said alarm message in response to said comparison;

an SNMP agent configured to interface with said network management system; and

a proxy agent configured to provide an interface between said SNMP agent and said monitoring agent.

5. A method of managing a network element in a satellite navigation data distribution system, comprising:

maintaining a status variable at said network element in response to satellite navigation data processed by said network element;

monitoring a state of said status variable;

comparing said state of said status variable with a threshold;

generating an alarm message in response to said comparison;

communicating related to said state of said status variable between said network element and a network management system;

receiving request message from said network management system, and

updating said threshold based on said received message.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said communicating comprises:

sending reply messages to said network management system in response to said request message.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said communicating comprises:

sending said alarm message to said network management system.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein said status variable comprises at least one of:

a variable associated with a number of satellites represented by said satellite navigation data;

a variable associated with ephemeris data in said satellite navigation data;

a variable associated with almanac data in said satellite navigation data;

a variable associated with atmospheric correction data in said satellite navigation data; and

one a variable associated with clock correction data in said satellite navigation data.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein said information is communicated using a simple network management protocol (SNMP).

10. A system for distributing satellite navigation data, comprising:

a plurality of reference stations configured to process satellite signals to obtain the satellite navigation data;

a server configured to obtain said satellite navigation data and maintain a first status variable, said server including a first management agent configured to;

monitor a state of said first status variable,

compare said state of said first status variable to a threshold,

selectively generate an alarm message in response to a comparison of said state of said first status variable to said threshold,

receive a request message from a network management system, and

update said threshold based on said received message; and

said network management system in communication with said first management agent for exchanging a first message associated with said state of said first status variable.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein each reference station of said plurality of reference stations comprises:

a second management agent configured to monitor a state of a second status variable maintained by said reference station,

wherein said network management system is in communication with said second management agent for exchanging a second message associated with said state of said second status variable.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a hub configured to provide said satellite navigation data from said plurality of reference stations to said server and to maintain a third status variable, said hub including a third management agent configured to monitor a state of said third status variable,

wherein said network management system is in communication with said third management agent for exchanging third message associated with said state of said third status variables.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein said first status variable comprises at least one of:

a variable associated with a number of satellites represented by said satellite navigation data;

a variable associated with ephemeris data in said satellite navigation data;

a variable associated with almanac data in said satellite navigation data;

a variable associated with atmospheric correction data in said satellite navigation data; and

a variable associated with clock correction data in said satellite navigation data.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein said network management system is configured to exchange said first message associated with said state of said first status variable using a simple network management protocol (SNMP).

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said first management agent comprises:

a monitoring agent configured to compare said state of said first status variable to said threshold and to selectively generate said alarm message;

an SNMP agent configured to interface with said network management system; and

a proxy agent configured to provide an interface between said SNMP agent and said monitoring agent.

16. An apparatus for managing a network element in a satellite navigation data distribution system, comprising:

means for maintaining a status variable at said network element in response to satellite navigation data processed by said network element;

means for monitoring a state of said status variable;

means for comparing said state of said status variable with a threshold;

means for generating an alarm message in response to a comparison of said state of said status variable with said threshold;

means for communicating information related to said state of said status variable between said network element and a network management system;

means for receiving a request message from said network management system; and

means for updating said threshold based on said received message.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said means for communicating comprises:

means for sending a reply message to said network management system in response to said request message.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said means for communicating comprises:

means for sending said alarm message to said network management system.