Network implementation of spectrum analysis

• US 9,380,475 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Wolcott, Lawrence, Riggert, Justin, Leach, David, Bach, Thomas Emerson, Russell, James, Monnerat, Edward David, Szuter, Todd, Thomas, Bryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Fan
• Application Number:
  US13/834,962
• Publication Number:
  US 20140254392A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/345 Interference values signal-to-interference ratio [SIR] or carrier-to-interference ratio [CIR] H04B17/336
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic

Abstract

Access devices may receive signals over a network and calculate a frequency spectrum of the received signals. An analyzer system may collect the frequency spectrum data from multiple access devices, and based on the collected data, detect, identify, and locate sources of anomalies in a communication network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

accessing, by a computing device, a plurality of frequency characteristics of signals on a network, the plurality of frequency characteristics corresponding to the signals at a respective plurality of access devices connected to the network;

comparing the plurality of frequency characteristics to a plurality of different pre-characterized fault types;

determining that a particular type of fault exists in the network based on the comparing;

selecting, based on the particular type of fault, a fault detection algorithm from a plurality of fault detection algorithms; and

determining a location of the particular type of fault in the network based on the fault detection algorithm and a shape of the plurality of frequency characteristics across a frequency range.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular type of fault in the network is at a remote location from the plurality of access devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of frequency characteristics comprises frequency data in a bandwidth not allocated for communication channels in the network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the location of the particular type of fault in the network based on the fault detection algorithm and the shape of the plurality of frequency characteristics comprises:

evaluating the plurality of frequency characteristics over multiple allocated signal channels.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating image data comprising a graphical user interface;

determining a geospatial location of the particular type of fault in the network; and

indicating the geospatial location on a map depicted in the graphical user interface.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the location of the particular type of fault in the network is based on the plurality of frequency characteristics of the signals received over the network by at least three of the plurality of access devices.

7. A method comprising:

accessing, by a computing device, a plurality of frequency characteristics of signals on a network, the plurality of frequency characteristics corresponding to the signals at a respective plurality of access devices connected to the network;

determining that a fault in the network is one of a plurality of different pre-characterized fault types, wherein the plurality of different pre-characterized fault types comprises noise ingress and incorrect plant setup;

selecting, based on which one of the plurality of different pre-characterized fault types the fault is determined to be, one of a plurality of different analyses; and

determining a location of the fault in the network based on the one of the plurality of different analyses and a shape of the plurality of frequency characteristics across a frequency range.

8. A method comprising:

accessing, by a computing device, a plurality of frequency characteristics of signals on a network, the plurality of frequency characteristics corresponding to the signals at a respective plurality of access devices connected to the network;

generating image data comprising a graphical user interface comprising a map, the map comprising one or more identifiers of geospatial locations of one or more of the respective plurality of access devices;

receiving a selection of the one or more identifiers on the map;

generating within the graphical user interface, in response to the selection of the one or more identifiers, plots of the plurality of frequency characteristics; and

determining a location of a fault in the network based on a shape of the plurality of frequency characteristics across a frequency range.

9. A method comprising:

collecting, by a computing device, a plurality of data respectively from a plurality of access devices on a network, the plurality of data comprising signal-to-noise ratio data for each of a plurality of channels and in-channel frequency response data of at least one of the plurality of channels;

combining the signal-to-noise ratio data for each channel of the plurality of channels with the in-channel frequency response data of the at least one of the plurality of channels to generate frequency spectrum data over a predetermined bandwidth;

determining that a particular type of fault exists in the network by comparing the frequency spectrum data to a plurality of pre-characterized fault types; and

selecting, based on the particular type of fault, a fault detection algorithm from a plurality of fault detection algorithms.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the in-channel frequency response data of the at least one of the plurality of channels is derived using pre-equalization filter coefficients of at least one of the access devices.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining a location of the particular type of fault in the network based on the frequency spectrum data and the fault detection algorithm.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

autonomously generating a course of action to correct the particular type of fault.

13. A method comprising:

accessing, with a computer implemented analyzer, a plurality of frequency characteristics of signals on a network, the plurality of frequency characteristics corresponding to the signals at a respective plurality of access devices connected to the network;

determining, with the computer implemented analyzer, that a particular type of a fault exists in the network by comparing the plurality of frequency characteristics to a plurality of different pre-characterized fault types;

selecting, based on the particular type, a fault detection algorithm from a plurality of fault detection algorithms; and

locating, with the computer implemented analyzer, the fault in the network based on the plurality of frequency characteristics and the fault detection algorithm.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

generating, with the computer implemented analyzer, approximations of the plurality of frequency characteristics, wherein the comparing of the plurality of frequency characteristics comprises comparing the approximations of the plurality of frequency characteristics to the plurality of different pre-characterized fault types.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

generating, with the computer implemented analyzer, the plurality of frequency characteristics from time-sampled data of the signals received over the network by the respective plurality of access devices.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving the frequency characteristics from the respective plurality of access devices.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the locating of the fault in the network is based on the plurality of frequency characteristics of at least two of the respective plurality of access devises.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

detecting an amplitude level within the plurality of frequency characteristics, wherein the determining is based, in part, on the amplitude level exceeding a predetermined threshold.

19. A method comprising:

accessing, with a computer implemented analyzer, frequency spectrum data of signals received over a network by each of a plurality of access devices;

determining, with the computer implemented analyzer, that a particular type of a fault exists in the network by comparing the frequency spectrum data to a plurality of different pre-characterized fault types;

selecting, with the computer implemented analyzer, one of a plurality of different analyses, the selecting being based on an association of each of the plurality of different analyses with one of the plurality of different pre-characterized fault types; and

locating, with the computer implemented analyzer, the fault in the network based on the frequency spectrum data, the particular type of the fault, and the one of the plurality of different analyses.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the plurality of different pre-characterized fault types comprises two or more of:

noise ingress, wide-band interference, electrical arcing, amplifier failure causing frequency selective peaking, amplifier failure causing frequency selective attenuation, amplifier automatic gain control failure, resonant cavity, wide band attenuation, frequency selective notching, band pass filtering, incorrect plant setup, frequency tilt, and frequency roll-off.