Private network link verification procedure in free space optical communication network

• US 7,079,551 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2001
• Issued: 07/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ThinkLogix, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Kiribati Wireless Ventures LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Shivnan, Aine
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HANH N
• Application Number:
  US09/949,221
• Publication Number:
  US 20020054413A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,775 Days
• Field of Search: 370/216, 370/227, 370/241, 370/245, 370/244, 370/251, 370/250, 370/400, 370/412, 370/240, 370/242, 370/247, 370/469, 370/395.5, 370/395.51, 370/222, 709/249, 709/208, 709/209, 709/239
• US Class Current: 370/469
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1149 Arrangements for indoor wireless networking of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0062 Network aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0083 Testing; Monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2011/0086 Network resource allocation, dimensioning or optimisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements

Abstract

A system and method for verifying the integrity of a communication link in a wireless optical communication network. The system and method include monitoring the communication link on at least two levels and enabling or disabling signaling over the communication link appropriately depending on events reported through the system.

Claims

1. A method of verifying a communication link in a wireless communication network, wherein the network has a plurality of nodes with transceivers, said method comprising:

monitoring said communication link at a first level, said first level comprising a physical layer of components;

monitoring said communication link at a second level, said second level comprising a transceiver layer;

when said first level reports a change in status;

performing a link verification task;

when said second level reports a failure;

disabling signaling over said communication link; and

when said second level reports a link up request;

verifying a positive status of said physical layer; and

enabling signaling over said communication link.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein when said second level reports a failure, said method further comprises allowing at least one handshake attempt for said transceiver layer before disabling signaling over said communication link.

3. A system for verifying a communication link in a wireless optical communication network, wherein the network has a plurality of nodes with optical transceivers, comprising:

means for monitoring said communication link at a first level, said first level comprising a physical layer of components;

means for monitoring said communication link at a second level, said second level comprising a transceiver layer;

when said first level reports a change in status;

means for performing a link verification task;

when said second level reports a failure;

means for disabling signaling over said communication link; and

when said second level reports a link up request;

means for verifying a positive status of said physical layer; and

means for enabling signaling over said communication link.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said means for monitoring said communication link at said first level comprises an interrupt service routine.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein said means for monitoring said communication link at said second level comprises a communication link maintenance protocol.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein said link verification task comprises a plurality of steps including verifying the status of said transceiver layer, and verifying the stability of said physical layer.

7. A method for monitoring the status of a communication link comprising a first layer and a second layer, said method comprising:

monitoring said first layer of said communication link, wherein said layer is a physical layer, wherein said monitoring said first layer includes detecting a change in status of said first layer;

monitoring said second layer of said communication link, wherein said second layer is a higher-level layer than said first layer;

checking the status of said second layer if said change in status of said first layer is from down to up;

checking the current statue of said first layer if said checked status of said second layer is up; and

enabling transmission of data over said communication link based at least in part on results of said monitoring of said first layer and said monitoring of said second layer.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein if said current status of said first layer is up, said method further comprising:

determining a number of changes in the status of said first layer; and

enabling transmission of data over said communication link based upon said number of changes in the status of said first layer.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein if said current status of said first layer is down, said method further comprising:

repeating said checking the status of said second layer and said checking the current status of said first layer.

10. A method for monitoring the status of a communication link comprising a first layer and a second layer, said method comprising:

monitoring said first layer of said communication link, wherein said first layer is a physical layer, and wherein said monitoring said first layer includes detecting a change in status of said first layer;

monitoring said second layer of said communication link, wherein said second layer is a higher-level layer than, said first layer;

checking the status of said second layer if said change in status of said first layer is from up to down;

checking the current status of said first layer if said checked status of said second layer is up; and

enabling transmission of data over said communication link based at least in part on results of said monitoring of said first layer and said monitoring of said second layer.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising repeating said checking the status of said second layer and said checking the current status of said first layer in order to determine a number of changes in the status of said first layer, and further comprising enabling transmission of data over said communication link based upon said number of changes in the status of said first layer.

12. An apparatus, comprising

an interface to a communication link, wherein said communication link comprises a first layer and a second layer, wherein said first layer is a physical layer, and wherein said second layer of said communication link is a higher-level layer than said first layer;

and

a processor configured to monitor the status of said first layer and said second layer of said communication link, and wherein said processor is configured to enable transmission of data over said communication link based at least in part on results of monitoring said first layer and said second layer;

wherein said processor is configured to detect a change in status of said first layer, wherein if said change in status of said first layer is from down to up, said processor is further configured to check the status of said second layer; and

wherein if said checked status of said second layer is up, said processor is further configured to check the current status of said first layer.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein if said current status of said first layer is up, said processor is further configured to determine a number of changes in the status of said first layer and enable transmission of data over said communication link based upon said number of changes in the status of said first layer.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein if said current status of said first layer is down, said processor is further configured to repeat checking the status of said second layer and checking the current status of said first layer.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

an interface to a communication link, wherein said communication link comprises a first layer and a second layer, wherein said first layer is a physical layer and wherein said second layer of said communication link is a higher level layer than said first layer; and

a processor configured to monitor the status of said first layer and said second layer of said communication link and wherein said processor is configured to enable transmission of data over said communication link based at least in part on results of monitoring said first layer and said second layer;

wherein said processor is further configured to detect a change in status of said first layer;

wherein if said change in status of said first layer is from up to down, said processor is further configured to check the status of the second layer; and

wherein if said checked status of said second layer is up, said processor is further configured to check the current status of the first layer.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said processor is further configured to repeat checking the status of said second layer and the current status of said first layer in order to determine a number of changes in the status of said first layer, and said processor is further configured to enable transmission of data over said communication link based upon said number of changes in the status of said first layer.

17. A method for monitoring the status of a communication link comprising a first layer and a second layer, said method comprising:

monitoring said first layer of said communication link, wherein said first layer is a physical layer,

monitoring said second layer of said communication link, wherein said second layer is a higher-level layer than said first layer; and

enabling transmission of data over said communication link based at least in part on results of said monitoring of said first layer and said monitoring of said second layer, including enabling transmission of data over said communication link if said second layer is up and said first layer is stable.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

an interface to a communication link, wherein said communication link comprises

a first layer and a second layer, wherein said first layer is a physical layer and

wherein said second layer is a higher-level layer than said first layer; and

a processor configured to monitor the status of said first layer and said second layer of said communication link, and wherein said processor is configured to enable transmission of data over said communication link based at least in part on results of monitoring said first layer and said second layer;

wherein said processor is configured to enable transmission of data over said communication link if said processor detects that said second layer is up and said processor determines that said first layer is stable.