Methods, devices, and systems for load balancing between a plurality of waveguides

• US 10,178,445 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2016
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2016
• 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: Lubranski, Leon, Van Brakle, Tracy, Blandino, George, Gerszberg, Irwin
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, David Q
• Application Number:
  US15/360,699
• Publication Number:
  US 20180146265A1
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 455445, 370238, 398 5, 398 48, 709221
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0087 Network testing or monitoring arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0091 Congestion or overload control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, identifying an overload event according to monitoring signals received from a group of source devices over a network. Other aspects can include receiving load information from each of a plurality of waveguides resulting in a plurality of load information. Further aspects can include analyzing the plurality of load information resulting in a load analysis of the plurality of waveguides. Additional aspect can include identifying a recipient waveguide from the plurality of waveguides based on the load analysis. Also, aspects can include identifying a first source device, and notifying the first source device to provide communications to the recipient waveguide and not to the waveguide device to mitigate the overload event. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A waveguide device, comprising:

a processing system including a processor; and

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

identifying an overload event of the waveguide device by monitoring signals received over a network from a group of source devices;

receiving load information from each of a plurality of waveguides resulting in a plurality of load information;

analyzing the plurality of load information resulting in a load analysis of the plurality of waveguides;

identifying a recipient waveguide from the plurality of waveguides based on the load analysis;

identifying a first source device of the group of source devices; and

notifying the first source device to provide communications to the recipient waveguide and not to the waveguide device to mitigate the overload event.

2. The waveguide device of claim 1, wherein the signals are received as electromagnetic waves at a physical interface of a transmission medium that propagate without utilizing an electrical return path, and wherein the electromagnetic waves are guided by the transmission medium.

3. The waveguide device of claim 1, wherein the identifying the overload event is based on a comparison with a capacity threshold.

4. The waveguide device of claim 1, wherein the identifying the recipient waveguide comprises determining that the recipient waveguide is operating at a capacity below a capacity threshold.

5. The waveguide device of claim 1, wherein the identifying the overload event comprises:

determining a temporary interference among the signals; and

adjusting a capacity threshold of the waveguide device according to the temporary interference.

6. The waveguide device of claim 1, wherein the identifying the overload event comprises:

determining an undesired condition associated with the waveguide device; and

adjusting a capacity threshold of the waveguide device according to the undesired condition.

7. The waveguide device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprises:

identifying that the overload event is mitigated; and

notifying the first source device to provide the communications to the waveguide device according to the overload event being mitigated.

8. A non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a waveguide device including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:

monitoring signals received from a group of source devices over a network, wherein the signals are received as electromagnetic waves at a physical interface of a transmission medium that propagate without utilizing an electrical return path, and wherein the electromagnetic waves are guided by the transmission medium;

identifying an overload event according to the monitoring the signals;

receiving load information from each of a plurality of waveguides resulting in a plurality of load information;

analyzing the plurality of load information resulting in a load analysis of the plurality of waveguides;

identifying a recipient waveguide from the plurality of waveguides based on the load analysis;

identifying a first source device of the group of source devices; and

notifying the first source device to provide communications to the recipient waveguide and not to the waveguide device to mitigate the overload event.

9. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the identifying the overload event is based on a comparison with a capacity threshold.

10. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the identifying the recipient waveguide comprises determining that the recipient waveguide is operating at a capacity below a capacity threshold.

11. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the identifying the overload event further comprises:

determining a temporary interference among the signals; and

adjusting a capacity threshold of the waveguide device according to the temporary interference.

12. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the identifying the overload event further comprises:

determining an undesired condition associated with the waveguide device; and

adjusting a capacity threshold of the waveguide device according to the undesired condition.

13. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprises:

identifying that the overload event is mitigated; and

notifying the first source device to provide the communications to the waveguide device according to the overload event being mitigated.

14. A method, comprising:

identifying an overload event of a waveguide device by monitoring signals received over a network from a group of source devices;

obtaining load information from each of a plurality of waveguides resulting in a plurality of load information;

analyzing the plurality of load information resulting in a load analysis of the plurality of waveguides;

selecting a recipient waveguide from the plurality of waveguides based on the load analysis;

identifying a first source device of the group of source devices; and

notifying the first source device to provide communications to the recipient waveguide and not to the waveguide device to mitigate the overload event.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the signals are received as electromagnetic waves at a physical interface of a transmission medium that propagate without utilizing an electrical return path, and wherein the electromagnetic waves are guided by the transmission medium.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the identifying the overload event is based on a comparison with a capacity threshold.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the selecting the recipient waveguide comprises determining that the recipient waveguide is operating at a capacity below a capacity threshold.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the identifying the overload event comprises:

determining a temporary interference among the signals; and

adjusting a capacity threshold of the waveguide device according to the temporary interference.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the identifying the overload event comprises:

determining an undesired condition associated with the waveguide device; and

adjusting a capacity threshold of the waveguide device according to the undesired condition.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

identifying that the overload event is mitigated; and

notifying the first source device to provide the communications to the waveguide device according to the overload event being mitigated.