Method, system and storage medium for displaying communication network connections

• US 6,906,734 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2002
• Issued: 06/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ciena Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ciena Corporation
• Inventors: Subramanian, Mahesh, Muthu, Suresh
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Application Number:
  US10/284,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20040085346A1
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• Field of Search: 345/736, 345/969, 345/735, 345/734, 345737-740, 345/771, 345/773, 345/970, 345/966, 345/786, 345/784, 345/817, 345/818, 345/825, 345/828, 345/830, 709/223, 709/224, 709/226, 709/225, 709/227, 709/229, 709/238, 709/244, 715/503
• US Class Current: 715/736
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0062 Provisions for network management

Abstract

A user interface for managing connections across multiple cross connects of a communication network. The user interface provides for creating, viewing and removing connections in the cross connect. The user interface displays the relative position of cross connects along the communication network. Time slots for communicating ports are adjacently displayed so that mis-configured connections may be easily recognized.

Claims

1. A method for managing connections across a plurality of cross connects of a communication network, the cross connects having an east port and a west port, the connections carrying time division multiplexed signals having a number of time slots, the method comprising:

obtaining cross connect configuration data including the relative position of cross connects in the communication network and connections between cross connects;

displaying west port time slots for a first cross connect adjacent to east port time slots of a second cross connect;

graphically distinguishing the west port time slots assigned to a line connection; and

graphically distinguishing the east port time slots assigned to the line connection.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

said obtaining cross connect configuration data includes at least one cross connect executing a neighbor discovery process.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying a pass through connection between east port time slots of the first cross connect and west port time slots of the first cross connect.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying a working connection designator coupled to at least one time slot.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying a protection connection designator coupled to at least one time slot.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying a scroll button associated with the west port time slots, wherein selection of the scroll button alters the west port time slots being displayed.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying a consolidated scroll button associated with the west port time slots and the east port time slots, wherein selection of the consolidated scroll button alters the west port time slots and the east port time slots being displayed for a plurality of cross connects including the first and second cross connects.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying a rotation button wherein selection of the rotation button shifts the display of the first and second cross connects.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving search criteria from a user;

retrieving from the cross connect configuration data connections matching the search criteria to define retrieved connections;

receiving a request from the user to display at least one retrieved connection; and

displaying the at least one retrieved connection.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein:

the west port time slots are divided into a plurality of first subgroups of time slots and the east port time slots are divided into a plurality of second subgroups of time slots;

said displaying the at least one received connection includes displaying one of the first subgroups of time slots containing the retrieved connection and displaying one of the second subgroups of time slots containing the retrieved connection.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

dividing the west port time slots of the first cross connect into a plurality of first subgroups of time slots;

dividing the east port time slots of the second cross connect into a plurality of second subgroups of time slots;

displaying a navigation grid having a first navigation indicator representing which of the first subgroups of time slots is displayed and a second navigation indicator representing which of the second subgroups of time slots is displayed.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein:

the navigation grid includes a column corresponding to the west port time slots of the first cross connect, the column divided into rows, each row corresponding to one of the plurality of first subgroups of time slots;

wherein selecting a row in the column brings the corresponding first subgroup of time slots into view.

13. A system for managing connections across a plurality of cross connects of a communication network, the connections carrying time division multiplexed signals having a number of time slots, the system comprising:

a first cross connect having an east port and a west port;

a second cross connect having an east port and a west port;

a user system in communication with at least one of said first cross connect and said second cross connect, said user system;

obtaining cross connect configuration data including the relative position of said first cross connect and said second cross connect in the communication network and connections between said first cross connect and said second cross connect;

displaying west port time slots of said first cross connect adjacent to east port time slots of said second cross connect;

graphically distinguishing the west port time slots assigned to a line connection; and

graphically distinguishing the east port time slots assigned to the line connection.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein:

said user system obtaining cross connect configuration data includes one of said first cross connect and said second cross connect executing a neighbor discovery process.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein:

said user system displays a pass through connection between east port time slots of said first cross connect and west port time slots of said first cross connect.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein:

said user system displays a working connection designator coupled to at least one time slot.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein:

said user system displays a protection connection designator coupled to at least one time slot.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein:

said user system displays a scroll button associated with the west port time slots, wherein selection of the scroll button alters the west port time slots being displayed.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein:

said user system displays a consolidated scroll button associated with the west port time slots and the east port time slots, wherein selection of the consolidated scroll button alters the west port time slots and the east port time slots being displayed for a plurality of cross connects including said first and second cross connects.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein:

said user system displays a rotation button wherein selection of the rotation button shifts the display of the first and second cross connects.

21. The system of claim 13 wherein:

said user system receives search criteria;

said user system retrieves from the cross connect configuration data connections matching the search criteria to define retrieved connections;

said user system receives a request to display at least one retrieved connection; and

said user system displays the at least one retrieved connection.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein:

said user system divides the west port time slots into a plurality of first subgroups of time slots and the east port time slots into a plurality of second subgroups of time slots;

said user system displaying the at least one received connection includes displaying one of the first subgroups of time slots containing the retrieved connection and displaying one of the second subgroups of time slots containing the retrieved connection.

23. The system of claim 13 wherein:

said user system divides the west port time slots of said first cross connect into a plurality of first subgroups of time slots;

said user system divides the east port time slots of said second cross connect into a plurality of second subgroups of time slots;

said user system displaying a navigation grid having a first navigation indicator representing which of the first subgroups of time slots is displayed and a second navigation indicator representing which of the second subgroups of time slots is displayed.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein:

the navigation grid includes a column corresponding to the west port time slots of the first cross connect, the column divided into rows, each row corresponding to one of the plurality of first subgroups of time slots;

wherein said user system brings the corresponding first subgroup of time slots into view upon selection of one of the rows.