DISTRIBUTED NETWORK PERFORMANCE MONITORING

• US 20130305302A1
• Filed: 07/01/2013
• Published: 11/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Salinger, Jorge Daniel, Garcia, Maurice
• Granted Patent: US 9,930,327 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/107
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/004 for digital television systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6168 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64723 Monitoring of network processes or resources, e.g. monitoring of network load traffic related reporting in data switching networks H04L43/062
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/104 Switchers or splitters

Abstract

A probe is configured to monitor one or more communication parameters on one or more downstream frequency channels carried on a communication medium of an access network. Results of repeated monitoring are stored over a predetermined period. At the conclusion of the monitoring period, data reports reflecting the stored results are transmitted in upstream frequency channels carried on the same medium. The probe can also be configured to send immediate messages if a parameter exceeds predefined limits and can store a plurality of monitoring programs and can be reprogrammed remotely. The probe can be contained within a cable tap if the medium is, e.g., a coaxial cable. Numerous probes can be deployed throughout an access network so as to provide monitoring data from each of many locations over a prolonged period.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

monitoring an encoded data stream for one or more particular data payloads designated for transmission to one or more of a plurality of different physical locations;

detecting the one or more particular data payloads designated for transmission to the one or more of the plurality of different physical locations; and

responsive to detecting the one or more particular data payloads designated for transmission to the one or more of the plurality of different physical locations, transmitting a confirmation, said confirmation indicating that the one or more particular data payloads designated for transmission to the one or more of the plurality of different physical locations were detected within the one or more of the plurality of different physical locations.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the encoded data stream comprises a plurality of moving picture experts group (MPEG) video packets.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising examining the plurality of MPEG video packets to identify one or more MPEG video packets comprising MPEG frames that include a watermark corresponding to the one or more particular data payloads designated for transmission to the one or more of the plurality of different physical locations.

4. The method of claim 3, comprising recording the one or more MPEG frames that include the watermark corresponding to the one or more particular data payloads designated for transmission to the one or more of the plurality of different physical locations.

5. The method of claim 3, comprising transmitting the one or more MPEG frames that include the watermark corresponding to the one or more particular data payloads designated for transmission to the one or more of the plurality of different physical locations to a centralized network location for review.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the encoded data stream comprises a first portion designated for national transmission and a second portion designated for regional transmission, and wherein the second portion designated for regional transmission comprises the one or more particular data payloads designated for transmission to the one or more of the plurality of different physical locations.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more particular data payloads designated for transmission to the one or more of the plurality of different physical locations comprise a premium programming service.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more particular data payloads designated for transmission to the one or more of the plurality of different physical locations comprise an advertisement designated for transmission to the one or more of the plurality of different physical locations.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more particular data payloads designated for transmission to the one or more of the plurality of different physical locations comprise an emergency message designated for transmission to the one or more of the plurality of different physical locations.

10. A method, comprising:

locating one or more of a plurality of network monitoring probes at one or more of a plurality of different physical locations, each of the plurality of different physical locations being located between a source of an encoded data stream and one or more service recipient devices configured to decode the encoded data stream;

monitoring, by each of the plurality of network monitoring probes, the encoded data stream for one or more particular data payloads designated for transmission to one or more of the plurality of different physical locations;

detecting, by at least one of the plurality of network monitoring probes, the one or more particular data payloads designated for transmission to the one or more of the plurality of different physical locations, the at least one of the plurality of network monitoring probes being located within the one or more of the plurality of different physical locations; and

responsive to detecting the one or more particular data payloads designated for transmission to the one or more of the plurality of different physical locations, transmitting, by the at least one of the plurality of network monitoring probes, a communication confirming detection of the one or more particular data payloads designated for transmission to the one or more of the plurality of different physical locations within the one or more of the plurality of different physical locations.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the encoded data stream comprises a plurality of moving picture experts group (MPEG) video packets.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising examining the plurality of MPEG video packets to identify one or more MPEG video packets comprising MPEG frames that include a watermark corresponding to the one or more particular data payloads designated for transmission to the one or more of the plurality of different physical locations.

13. The method of claim 12, comprising recording the one or more MPEG frames that include the watermark corresponding to the one or more particular data payloads designated for transmission to the one or more of the plurality of different physical locations.

14. The method of claim 12, comprising transmitting the one or more MPEG frames that include the watermark corresponding to the one or more particular data payloads designated for transmission to the one or more of the plurality of different physical locations to a centralized network location for review.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the encoded data stream comprises a first portion designated for national transmission and a second portion designated for regional transmission, and wherein the second portion designated for regional transmission comprises the one or more particular data payloads designated for transmission to the one or more of the plurality of different physical locations.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more particular data payloads designated for transmission to the one or more of the plurality of different physical locations comprise a premium programming service.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more particular data payloads designated for transmission to the one or more of the plurality of different physical locations comprise an advertisement designated for transmission to the one or more of the plurality of different physical locations.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more particular data payloads designated for transmission to the one or more of the plurality of different physical locations comprise an emergency message designated for transmission to the one or more of the plurality of different physical locations.

19. A system, comprising:

a source device configured to transmit an encoded data stream;

a plurality of service recipient devices configured to decode the encoded data stream; and

a plurality of network monitoring probes, each of the plurality of network monitoring probes being located between the source device and at least one of the plurality of service recipient devices, and each of the plurality of network monitoring probes being configured to;

monitor the encoded data stream for one or more particular data payloads designated for transmission to one or more of a plurality of different physical locations;

detect the one or more particular data payloads designated for transmission to the one or more of the plurality of different physical locations; and

responsive to detecting the one or more particular data payloads designated for transmission to the one or more of the plurality of different physical locations, transmit a communication confirming detection of the one or more particular data payloads designated for transmission to the one or more of the plurality of different physical locations within the one or more of the plurality of different physical locations.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the encoded data stream comprises a plurality of moving picture experts group (MPEG) video packets, and wherein each of the plurality of network monitoring probes is configured to examine the plurality of MPEG video packets to identify one or more MPEG video packets comprising MPEG frames that include a watermark corresponding to the one or more particular data payloads designated for transmission to the one or more of the plurality of different physical locations.