Systems and methods for visualizing a communications network

• US 9,077,634 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2011
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.), Raytheon BBN Technlogies Corp. (Rtx Corporation), Verizon Corporate Services Group Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.), Raytheon BBN Technlogies Corp. (Rtx Corporation), Verizon Corporate Services Group Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Zavgren, John Richard Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Kieu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weber, Joy M
• Application Number:
  US13/175,338
• Publication Number:
  US 20120066606A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,467 Days
• Field of Search: 715/736, 715/733, 709/224, 370229-232
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A system facilitates the visualization of a network having multiple nodes. The system collects information from at least one of the nodes. The information describes network operation over a period of time. The system then reconstructs the network operation for the time period from the collected information and presents the reconstructed network operation to an operator.

Claims

1. An interactive graphical user interface including a memory and a processor for visualizing a network having a plurality of nodes, comprising a network topology diagram configured to display icons representative of at least some of the nodes wherein said display icons indicate a status of the nodes, a first display icon selectively indicating that one or more of the nodes is unavailable, a second display icon of a first fixed size selectively indicating that one or more of the nodes is a cluster member, and a third display icon of a second fixed size selectively indicating that one or more of the nodes is a cluster head, wherein the second display icon and the third display icon share a concentric geometric shape, but differ in relative size.

2. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the concentric geometric shape is a circle and the third display icon is larger than the second display icon.

3. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the network topology diagram displays links connecting the nodes.

4. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the network topology diagram displays message transmissions and receptions.

5. The graphical user interface of claim 1, further comprising a replay information area having replay controls configured to update the network topology diagram.

6. The graphical user interface of claim 5, wherein the replay controls include a print control.

7. A method comprising:

displaying a first time in a replay information area;

displaying icons representative of at least some of a plurality of nodes in a topology diagram indicating a status of the nodes at the first time;

selecting a replay control presented in the replay information area;

displaying a second time in the replay information area in response to selecting the replay control; and

updating the icons in the topology diagram to represent the nodes at the second time,

wherein the icons include a first display icon, a second display icon and a third display icon, the first display icon indicating that at least one of the nodes is available, the second display icon of a first fixed size indicating that at least one of the nodes is a cluster member, and a third display icon of a second fixed size selectively indicating that at least one of the nodes is a cluster head, and

wherein the second display icon and the third display icon share a concentric geometric shape, but differ in relative size.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising displaying a start time and an end time in the replay information area.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the replay controls include at least one of a rewind control, a fast forward control and a pause control.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the concentric geometric shape is a circle and the first display icon is a triangle.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising displaying links connecting the nodes.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, further comprising a replay information area having replay controls configured to update the network topology diagram, wherein the replay controls include a print control.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium tangibly embodying computer-executable instructions comprising:

displaying a first time in a replay information area;

displaying icons representative of at least some of a plurality of nodes in a topology diagram indicating a status of the nodes at the first time;

selecting a replay control presented in the replay information area;

displaying a second time in the replay information area in response to selecting the replay control; and

updating the icons in the topology diagram to represent the nodes at the second time,

wherein the icons include a first display icon, a second display icon and a third display icon, the first display icon indicating that at least one of the nodes is available, the second display icon of a first fixed size indicating that at least one of the nodes is a cluster member, and a third display icon of a second fixed size selectively indicating that at least one of the nodes is a cluster head, and

wherein the second display icon and the third display icon share a concentric geometric shape, but differ in relative size.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising a start time and an end time in the replay information area.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the replay controls include at least one of a rewind control, a fast forward and pause.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising displaying message transmissions and receptions.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising a replay information area having replay controls configured to update the network topology diagram, wherein the replay controls include a print control.