Status monitoring systems for cable television signal distribution networks

• US 5,961,604 A
• Filed: 06/03/1998
• Issued: 10/05/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alpha Technologies Services, Inc. (EnerSys)
• Original Assignee: Alpha Technologies Incorporated (EnerSys)
• Inventors: Crawford, William J., Anderson, Robert P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell, Robert B.
• Time in patent office: 489 Days
• Field of Search: 364/DIG. 1 MS File, 364/DIG. 2 MS File, 395/200.3, 395/200.32, 395/200.33, 395/200.38, 395/200.49, 395/200.53, 395/200.54, 395/200.59, 709/200, 709/202, 709/203, 709/208, 709/219, 709/223, 709/224, 709/229
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 29/06 characterised by a protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 Aspects of network management agents
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 using GUI [Graphical User Interface]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing packet switching networks networking arrangements or communications protocols for supporting networked applications for tracking the activity of the application user H04L67/22; monitoring of computing systems G06F11/30; monitoring of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 functioning networked applications tracking the activity of users H04L67/22; monitoring appliance functionality of home appliances H04L12/2803
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer, i.e. layer seven network arrangements or network communication protocols for networked applications H04L67/00; data processing systems and methods specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial or managerial purposes G06Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4424 Monitoring of the internal components or processes of the client device, e.g. CPU or memory load, processing speed, timer, counter or percentage of the hard disk space used error monitoring in general G06F11/30; arrangements for monitoring conditions of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/32; diagnosis, testing or measuring for television receivers H04N17/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38

Abstract

A system and method for determining the status of and controlling network devices distributed throughout a communications network. Each network device is provided with a server/interface module containing a device specific application for that particular network device. The device specific application contains a database of status and control information associated with its associated network device. The server interface module generates a web page that contains at least a portion of the database and is connected to the communications network so that a person using a standard internet browser can view and alter the data contained by the database. When changes and upgrades are made to network device, the browser need not be upgraded.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring and controlling a network component located at a first location in a cable television network using browser software running on a general purpose computer located at a second location in and operatively connected to the cable television network, comprising:

server/interface means comprising

status means adapted to be operatively connected to the network component to determine status information of the network component,

control means adapted to be operatively connected to the network component to generate control signals for controlling the network component, and

device specific application means comprising

database means for storing status/control data associated with the status information and the control signals, and

generator means adapted to generate browser data that may be interpreted by the browser software, where the browser data incorporates at least some of the status/control data; and

connecting means adapted to connect the device specific application means to the cable television network such that the display data may be displayed and altered using the browser software, the connecting means comprising a modem for converting the browser data into communications data appropriate for transmission by the cable television network.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, in which the cable television network comprises coaxial cable that carries a power signal and a communications signal, where the power signal supplies power to other components distributed throughout the cable television network and the communications signal carries communications data.

3. A system as recited in claim 2, further comprising a tap assembly operatively connected to the coaxial cable of the cable television network and the modem to allow communications data to be transmitted between the cable television network and the modem.

4. A system as recited in claim 3, in which the network component is an uninterruptible power supply, the system further comprising a power inserter operatively connected to the coaxial cable of the cable television network and the uninterruptible power supply to allow power signals generated by the uninterruptible power supply to be transmitted to the cable television network.

5. A system as recited in claim 1, in which the server/interface means further comprises:

at least one outlet port; and

at least one communications subsystem consisting of an ethernet subsystem, a point-to-point subsystem, and a serial line internet protocol subsystem for transferring browser data to the at least one output port.

6. A system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a tap assembly operatively connected between the cable television network and the modem to allow communications data to be transmitted between the cable television network and the modem.

7. A system as recited in claim 1, in which the network component is selected from the group of network components consisting of an uninterruptible power supply, an end of line monitor, a video amplifier, a line extending amplifier, a fiber optic node, and a power node.

8. A system as recited in claim 1, in which the server/interface means further comprises an internet protocol subsystem for converting the status/control data into browser data and the browser data into status/control data.

9. A system as recited in claim 1, in which the server/interface means further comprises at least one of user datagram protocol subsystem and transmission control protocol subsystem for converting the status/control data into browser data and the browser data into status/control data.

10. A system as recited in claim 1, in which the server/interface means further comprises:

at least one outlet port; and

at least one communications subsystem consisting of an ethernet subsystem, a point-to-point subsystem, and a serial line internet protocol subsystem for transferring browser data to the at least one output port.

11. A system as recited in claim 1, in which the device specific application means further comprises a device interface configured to allow the status means to determine status information from the network component and the control means to transmit control signals to the network component.

12. A system as recited in claim 1, in which the server/interface means further comprises a telephony port operatively connected a telephony line, where the telephony port is configured to allow the browser data to be converted into telephony signals appropriate for transmission to the general purpose computer over the telephony line.

13. A network device for use in a cable television network having at least one control location at which is located a general purpose computer that runs industry standard browser software and which is operatively connected to the cable television network, the network device comprising:

a network component operatively connected to the cable television network at a remote location to enable proper functioning of the cable television network;

server/interface means comprising

status means adapted to be operatively connected to the network component to determine status information of the network component,

control means adapted to be operatively connected to the network component to generate control signals for controlling the network component, and

device specific application means operatively connected to the server/interface means comprising

database means for storing status/control data associated with the status information and the control signals;

generator means adapted to generate browser data that may be displayed by the browser software, where the browser data incorporates at least some of the status/control data;

a modem for converting the browser data into communications data appropriate for transmission by the cable television network such that the browser data may be displayed and altered using the browser software; and

a tap assembly operatively connected between the cable television network and the modem to allow communications data to be transmitted between the cable television network and the modem.

14. A system as recited in claim 13, in which the cable television network comprises coaxial cable that carries a power signal and a communications signal, where the power signal supplies power to other components distributed throughout the cable television network and the communications signal carries communications data, the system further comprising a tap assembly operatively connected to the coaxial cable of the cable television network and the modem to allow communications data to be transmitted between the cable television network and the modem.

15. A system as recited in claim 14, in which the network component is an uninterruptible power supply, the system further comprising a power inserter operatively connected to the coaxial cable of the cable television network and the uninterruptible power supply to allow power signals generated by the uninterruptible power supply to be transmitted to the cable television network.

16. A system as recited in claim 13, in which the network component is selected from the group of network components consisting of an uninterruptible power supply, an end of line monitor, a video amplifier, a line extending amplifier, a fiber optic node, and a power node.

17. A system as recited in claim 13, in which the device specific application means further comprises a device interface configured to allow the status means to determine status information from the network component and the control means to transmit control signals to the network component.

18. A system as recited in claim 13, in which the server/interface means further comprises a telephony port operatively connected a telephony line, where the telephony port is configured to allow the browser data to be converted into telephony signals appropriate for transmission to the general purpose computer over the telephony line.

19. A system for monitoring and controlling an uninterruptible power supply operatively connected to a cable television network at a remote location using browser software running on a general purpose computer located at a control location in the cable television network, where the cable television network comprises coaxial cable carrying power and information signals, the system comprising:

server/interface means comprising

status means adapted to be operatively connected to the uninterruptible power supply to determine status information of the uninterruptible power supply,

control means adapted to be operatively connected to the uninterruptible power supply to generate control signals for controlling the uninterruptible power supply, and

device specific application means comprising

database means for storing status/control data associated with the status information and the control signals, and

generator means adapted to generate browser data that may be interpreted by the browser software, where the browser data incorporates at least some of the status/control data;

a modem for converting the browser data into communications data appropriate for transmission by the cable television network such that the display data may be displayed and altered using the browser software;

a tap assembly operatively connected between the cable television network and the modem to allow communications data to be transmitted between the cable television network and the modem; and

a power inserter operatively connected to the coaxial cable of the cable television network and the uninterruptible power supply to allow power signals generated by the uninterruptible power supply to be transmitted to the cable television network.

20. A system as recited in claim 19, in which the server/interface means further comprises a telephony port operatively connected a telephony line, where the telephony port is configured to allow the browser data to be converted into telephony signals appropriate for transmission to the general purpose computer through the telephony line.