Method and apparatus that provides fault tolerance in a communication network

• US 9,615,269 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2014
• Issued: 04/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2014
• 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: Willis, III, Thomas M., Henry, Paul Shala, Bennett, Robert, Gerszberg, Irwin, Barzegar, Farhad, Barnickel, Donald J
• Primary Examiner(s): Neyzari, Ali
• Application Number:
  US14/504,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20160100324A1
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 340 1232, 370250
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/08 Locating faults in cables, transmission lines, or networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/58 Testing of lines, cables or conductors testing of electric windings G01R31/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5458 Monitor sensor; Alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5487 cables
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/46 Monitoring; Testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/52 Systems for transmission between fixed stations via waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/56 Circuits for coupling, blocking, or by-passing of signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/58 Repeater circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0668 by dynamic selection of recovery network elements, e.g. replacement by the most appropriate element after failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0677 Localisation of faults
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/28 using route fault recovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/25 with rate being modified by the source upon detecting a change of network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/06 Testing, supervising or monitoring using simulated traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames

Abstract

A system for detecting a fault in a first wire of a power grid that affects a transmission or reception of electromagnetic waves that transport data and that propagate along a surface of the first wire, selecting a backup communication medium from one or more backup communication mediums according to one or more selection criteria, and redirecting the data to the backup communication medium to circumvent the fault. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A waveguide system, comprising:

a first waveguide, wherein the first waveguide is positioned with respect to a first wire of a power grid, wherein the first waveguide facilitates transmission or reception of first electromagnetic waves that propagate along a first surface of the first wire, wherein the first electromagnetic waves transport data, and wherein the first wire corresponds to a primary communication link;

a second waveguide, wherein the second waveguide is positioned with respect to a second wire of the power grid;

a memory that stores instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein responsive to executing the instructions, the processor performs operations comprising;

detecting a fault in the primary communication link; and

responsive to detecting the fault, redirecting the data to a secondary communication link.

2. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the data is redirected to the secondary communication link by transmitting or receiving of the first electromagnetic waves on the secondary communication link via the second waveguide.

3. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the data is redirected to the secondary communication link by transmitting or receiving second electromagnetic waves on the secondary communication link via the second waveguide, the second electromagnetic waves transporting the data.

4. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the first wire comprises a first power line of the power grid, wherein the second wire comprises a second power line of the power grid, wherein the first and second power lines are used for electric power distribution to residential or commercial establishments, and wherein the first power line is located above the second power line.

5. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the secondary communication link has a lower bandwidth capacity than the primary communication link, and wherein the operations further comprise adjusting a bandwidth of the data prior to the redirecting.

6. The waveguide system of claim 1, further comprising a sensor that facilitates sensing the fault in the primary communication link, wherein the operations further comprise reporting the fault to a network management system.

7. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the redirecting of the data to the secondary communication link is further responsive to receiving instructions from a network management system requesting a redirection of the data to the secondary communication link.

8. The waveguide system of claim 1, further comprising a communications interface for reporting the fault to a network management system over a wireless or wired interface.

9. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise sending via the second waveguide over the secondary communication link a message to a downstream waveguide system that instructs the downstream waveguide system to redirect the data from the secondary communication link to a portion of the primary communication link that is not affected by the fault.

10. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the secondary communication link is shared with other waveguide systems for transmission or reception of third electromagnetic waves having a first operating frequency for transport of second data, wherein the second waveguide of the waveguide system transmits or receives second electromagnetic waves on the secondary communication link at a second operating frequency, and wherein the first operating frequency and the second operating frequency are chosen to prevent a communications conflict between the second electromagnetic waves originating from the second waveguide of the waveguide system and the third electromagnetic waves originating from the other waveguide systems.

11. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the secondary communication link is shared with other waveguide systems for transmission or reception of third electromagnetic waves during a first plurality of time slot assignments for transport of second data, wherein the second waveguide of the waveguide system transmits or receives second electromagnetic waves on the secondary communication link during a second plurality of time slot assignments, and wherein the first plurality of time slot assignments and the second plurality of time slot assignments are chosen to prevent a communications conflict between the second electromagnetic waves originating from the second waveguide of the waveguide system and the third electromagnetic waves originating from the other waveguide systems.

12. The waveguide system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise transmitting electromagnetic wave test signals on the secondary communication link via the second waveguide, wherein the redirecting of the data to the secondary communication link is further responsive to determining from the test signals that the secondary communication link is suitable for backup communications.

13. The waveguide system of claim 12, wherein the electromagnetic wave test signals are received by a downstream waveguide system coupled to the secondary communication link, and wherein the operations further comprise receiving test results from the downstream waveguide system for determining whether the secondary communication link is suitable for the backup communications.

14. The waveguide system of claim 12, further comprising a wireless interface for communicating with a wireless base station, wherein the operations further comprise redirecting the data to a wireless communication link connecting the wireless interface of the waveguide system to the wireless base station responsive to determining from the test signals that the secondary communication link is not suitable for the backup communications.

15. A communication system, comprising:

a plurality of waveguide systems, each of the plurality of waveguide systems facilitating transmission or reception of electromagnetic waves that propagate along a surface of a first wire or a second wire of a power grid, wherein the electromagnetic waves transport data directed to a recipient device, wherein the first wire of the power grid is used as a primary communication link, and wherein the second wire of the power grid is used as a backup communication link;

a memory that stores instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory and the plurality waveguide systems, wherein responsive to executing the instructions, the processor performs operations comprising instructing a first waveguide system of the plurality of waveguide systems to redirect the data to the backup communication link responsive to detecting a fault in the primary communication link.

16. The communication system of claim 15, wherein the data is redirected to the backup communication link by redirecting the transmission or reception of the electromagnetic waves on the primary communication link to the backup communication link, or by transmitting or receiving second electromagnetic waves that transport the data via the backup communication link.

17. The communication system of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise verifying a suitability of the backup communication link for backup communication services, and wherein the instructing the first waveguide system to redirect the data to the backup communication link is further responsive to the verifying.

18. The communication system of claim 17, wherein the suitability of the backup communication link is verified by sending electromagnetic wave test signals on the backup communication link.

19. The communication system of claim 17, wherein first waveguide system comprises a first wireless communications interface, wherein the first waveguide system redirects the data to a wireless communication link via the first wireless communications interface responsive to determining that the backup communication link is not suitable for the backup communication services.

20. The communication system of claim 19, wherein the wireless communication link connects the first waveguide system to a second waveguide system of the plurality of waveguide systems, wherein the second waveguide system comprises a second wireless communications interface for communicating over the wireless communication link, and wherein the second waveguide system redirects the data for transport via a third wire of the power grid that provides the backup services to the first waveguide system.

21. The communication system of claim 19, wherein the wireless communication link connects the first waveguide system to a base station, and wherein the base station redirects the data to a communication network communicatively coupled to the base station that provides the backup communication services.

22. The communication system of claim 21, wherein the communication network comprises a portion of the power grid providing communication services that are unaffected by the fault.