Method and apparatus that provides fault tolerance in a communication network

• US 9,973,416 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2017
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Henry, Paul Shala, Bennett, Robert, Gerszberg, Irwin, Barzegar, Farhad, Barnickel, Donald J, Willis, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Neyzari, Ali
• Application Number:
  US15/435,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20170163526A1
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 340 1232
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/08 Locating faults in cables, transmission lines, or networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/58 Testing of lines, cables or conductors testing of electric windings G01R31/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5458 Monitor sensor; Alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5487 cables
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/46 Monitoring; Testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/52 Systems for transmission between fixed stations via waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/56 Circuits for coupling, blocking, or by-passing of signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/58 Repeater circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0668 by dynamic selection of recovery network elements, e.g. replacement by the most appropriate element after failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0677 Localisation of faults
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/28 using route fault recovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/25 with rate being modified by the source upon detecting a change of network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/06 Testing, supervising or monitoring using simulated traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames

Abstract

A system for detecting a fault in a first transmission medium that affects a transmission or reception of electromagnetic waves that convey data and that propagate along a surface of the first transmission medium, selecting a backup communication medium from one or more backup communication mediums according to one or more selection criteria, and redirecting at least a portion of the data to the backup communication medium to mitigate the fault. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A waveguide system, comprising:

a first coupler, wherein the first coupler is positioned with respect to a first transmission medium, wherein the first coupler facilitates transmission of first electromagnetic waves that propagate along a surface of the first transmission medium, wherein the first electromagnetic waves convey data, and wherein the first transmission medium is utilized as a primary communication link;

a communications interface coupled to a second transmission medium, wherein the second transmission medium is utilized as a secondary communication link;

a processing system including a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, wherein the operations comprise;

detecting a fault in the primary communication link; and

responsive to detecting the fault, redirecting first data to the secondary communication link, wherein the first data comprises at least a portion of the data conveyed by the first electromagnetic waves.

2. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the secondary communication link has a lower bandwidth capacity than the primary communication link.

3. The waveguide system of claim 2, wherein the operations further comprise adjusting a rate of transmission of the data prior to the redirecting.

4. The waveguide system of claim 1, further comprising a sensor that facilitates sensing the fault in the primary communication link, wherein the operations further comprise reporting the fault to a network management system.

5. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the redirecting of the first data to the secondary communication link is responsive to receiving instructions from a network management system requesting a redirection of the first data to the secondary communication link.

6. The waveguide system of claim 1, further comprising a second communications interface for reporting the fault to a network management system, wherein the processing system comprises a plurality of processors operating in a distributed processing environment.

7. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the communications interface comprises a second coupler positioned with respect to the second transmission medium, wherein the operations further comprise sending via the second coupler over the secondary communication link a message to a downstream waveguide system, and wherein the message instructs the downstream waveguide system to redirect the first data from the secondary communication link to a portion of the primary communication link that is unaffected by the fault.

8. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the communications interface comprises a second coupler positioned with respect to the second transmission medium, wherein the secondary communication link is shared with other waveguide systems for transmission of third electromagnetic waves having a first operating frequency for transport of second data, wherein the second coupler of the waveguide system transmits second electromagnetic waves on the secondary communication link at a second operating frequency, and wherein the second electromagnetic waves convey the first data.

9. The waveguide system of claim 8, wherein the first operating frequency and the second operating frequency reduce a communications conflict between the second electromagnetic waves originating from the second coupler of the waveguide system and the third electromagnetic waves originating from the other waveguide systems.

10. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the communications interface comprises a second coupler positioned with respect to the second transmission medium, wherein the secondary communication link is shared with other waveguide systems for transmission of third electromagnetic waves during a first plurality of time slot assignments for transport of second data, wherein the second coupler of the waveguide system transmits second electromagnetic waves on the secondary communication link during a second plurality of time slot assignments, and wherein the second electromagnetic waves convey the first data.

11. The waveguide system of claim 10, wherein the first plurality of time slot assignments and the second plurality of time slot assignments reduce a communications conflict between the second electromagnetic waves originating from the second coupler of the waveguide system and the third electromagnetic waves originating from the other waveguide systems.

12. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the communications interface comprises a second coupler positioned with respect to the second transmission medium, wherein the operations further comprise transmitting test signals on the secondary communication link via the second coupler, and wherein the redirecting of the first data to the secondary communication link is responsive to determining from the test signals that the secondary communication link is suitable for backup communications.

13. The waveguide system of claim 12, wherein the test signals are received by a downstream waveguide system coupled to the secondary communication link, and wherein the operations further comprise receiving test results from the downstream waveguide system for determining whether the secondary communication link is suitable for the backup communications.

14. The waveguide system of claim 1, further comprising a wireless interface for communicating with a wireless base station, wherein the operations further comprise redirecting the first data to a wireless communication link connecting the wireless interface of the waveguide system to the wireless base station responsive to determining from test signals that the secondary communication link is not suitable for backup communications.

15. A communication system, comprising:

a plurality of waveguide systems, each of the plurality of waveguide systems facilitating transmission of first electromagnetic waves that propagate along a surface of a first transmission medium or a second transmission medium, wherein the first electromagnetic waves convey data directed to a recipient device, wherein the first transmission medium is used as a primary communication link, and wherein the second transmission medium is used as a backup communication link;

a processing system including a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, wherein the operations comprise directing a first waveguide system of the plurality of waveguide systems to redirect first data to the backup communication link responsive to detecting a fault in the primary communication link, wherein the first data comprises at least a portion of the data.

16. The communication system of claim 15, wherein the first data is redirected to the backup communication link by redirecting at least in part the transmission of the first electromagnetic waves from the primary communication link to the backup communication link, or by transmitting second electromagnetic waves that transport the first data via the backup communication link.

17. The communication system of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise verifying a suitability of the backup communication link for backup communication services, and wherein the directing the first waveguide system to redirect the data to the backup communication link is responsive to the verifying.

18. The communication system of claim 15, wherein the backup communication link is shared with other waveguide systems for transport of second data, and wherein the processing system comprises a plurality of processors operating in a distributed processing environment.

19. A method, comprising:

transmitting, by a waveguide system via a first coupler positioned with respect to a first transmission medium, first electromagnetic waves that propagate along a surface of the first transmission medium, wherein the first electromagnetic waves convey data, and wherein the first transmission medium is utilized as a primary communication link;

detecting, by the waveguide system, a fault in the primary communication link; and

redirecting, by the waveguide system, first data to a second transmission medium utilized as a backup communication medium to mitigate the fault, wherein the waveguide system facilitates redirection of the first data via a second coupler positioned with respect to the second transmission medium, wherein the first data comprises at least a portion of the data.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the backup communication medium is shared with other waveguide systems for transport of second data.