Generation and management of network connectivity information

• US 9,635,635 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2015
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Sullivan, Patrick F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huang, Weibin
• Application Number:
  US14/867,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20160095081A1
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/00 Systems for electrical power generation, transmission, distribution or end-user application management characterised by the use of communication or information technologies, or communication or information technology specific aspects supporting them

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate to generation of network topology information for a network of assets, and management of such information. The management can comprise analysis and/or diagnostics of topology condition of a plurality of assets. In addition or in the alternative, the management can comprise consolidation of at least a portion of the network topology information in a data layer of the network of assets, or a network functionally coupled thereto. Integration of at least some of the network topology information with higher network layers also is disclosed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving data from a current plurality of wireless devices, wherein at least one of the current plurality of wireless devices is coupled to a selected location in a network, and wherein the data comprises location data identifying a corresponding location in the network for each of the current plurality of wireless devices;

comparing at least a portion of the location data of the current plurality of wireless devices to at least a portion of location data received from a previously detected plurality of wireless devices;

determining, based on the comparison, if the current plurality of wireless devices has an additional device with respect to the previously detected plurality of wireless devices;

generating a network topology of the current plurality of wireless devices based at least on a portion of the data from the current plurality of wireless devices in response to determining that the current plurality of wireless devices does have the additional device with respect to the previously detected plurality of wireless devices; and

transmitting topology data indicative of at least a portion of the network topology to a network node.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, based on the comparison, if the current plurality of wireless devices has the additional device with respect to the previously detected plurality of wireless devices comprises determining an update to data associated with the previously detected plurality of wireless devices at a topology server configured to store topology information for servicing the network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, based on the comparison, if the current plurality of wireless devices has the additional device with respect to the previously detected plurality of wireless devices comprises determining that a portion of the location data of the current plurality of wireless devices does not match the location data of the previously detected plurality of wireless devices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data from the current plurality of wireless devices comprises identification information identifying the current plurality of wireless devices, and wherein determining, based on the comparison, if the current plurality of wireless devices has the additional device with respect to the previously detected plurality of wireless devices comprises determining that the identification information does not match identification information of the previously detected plurality of wireless devices.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data from the current plurality of wireless devices comprises data indicative of one or more of a location of a first wireless device of the current plurality of wireless devices and connectivity of the first wireless device to a second wireless device of the current plurality of wireless devices.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the topology data comprises data indicative of each location of each one of the current plurality of wireless devices.

7. A method, comprising:

receiving data from a current plurality of wireless devices, wherein at least one of the current plurality of wireless devices is coupled to a selected location in a network;

determining a failure to receive data from an additional device of a previously detected plurality of wireless devices;

determining, based on the determined failure, that the current plurality of wireless devices does not have the additional device of the previously detected plurality of wireless devices;

generating a network topology representing the previously detected plurality of wireless devices based at least on a portion of the data in response to determining that the current plurality of wireless devices does not have the additional device with respect to the previously detected plurality of wireless devices; and

transmitting topology data indicative of at least a portion of the network topology to a network node.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the failure to receive the data from the additional device of the previously detected plurality of wireless devices comprises determining the additional device did not respond to a poll requesting data.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the data from the current plurality of wireless devices comprises location data identifying corresponding locations of the current plurality of wireless devices, and wherein determining the failure to receive the data from the additional device of the previously detected plurality of wireless devices comprises determining that the location data of the current plurality of wireless devices does not match location data of the previously detected plurality of wireless devices.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the data from the current plurality of wireless devices comprises identification information identifying the current plurality of wireless devices, and wherein determining the failure to receive the data from the additional device of the previously detected plurality of wireless devices comprises determining that identification information does not match identification information of the previously detected plurality of wireless devices.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the network topology comprises a connectivity map comprising data indicative of presence or absence of a connection among at least two wireless devices of the previously detected plurality of wireless devices, wherein the connection is one of a physical connection or a network connection.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein each wireless device of the previously detected plurality of wireless devices is associated with a respective internet protocol version 6 address.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein each wireless device of the current plurality of wireless devices comprises a respective radio frequency identification (RFID) device.

14. A system, comprising:

a memory comprising computer-executable instructions; and

a processor functionally coupled to the memory and configured, by the computer-executable instructions, to perform at least the following actions,

receiving data from a current plurality of wireless devices, wherein at least one of the current plurality of wireless devices is coupled to a selected location in a network,

determining a failure to receive data from an additional device of a previously detected plurality of wireless devices,

determining, based on the determined failure, that the current plurality of wireless devices does not have the additional device of the previously detected plurality of wireless devices,

generating a network topology representing the previously detected plurality of wireless devices based at least on a portion of the data in response to determining that the current plurality of wireless devices does not have the additional device with respect to the previously detected plurality of wireless devices, and

transmitting topology data indicative of at least a portion of the network topology to a network node.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein determining the failure to receive the data from the additional device of the previously detected plurality of wireless devices comprises determining the additional device did not respond to a poll requesting data.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the data from the current plurality of wireless devices comprises location data identifying corresponding locations of the current plurality of wireless devices, and wherein determining the failure to receive the data from the additional device of the previously detected plurality of wireless devices comprises determining that the location data of the current plurality of wireless devices does not match location data of the previously detected plurality of wireless devices.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the data from the current plurality of wireless devices comprises identification information identifying the current plurality of wireless devices, and wherein determining the failure to receive the data from the additional device of the previously detected plurality of wireless devices comprises determining that identification information does not match identification information of the previously detected plurality of wireless devices.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the network topology comprises a connectivity map comprising data indicative of presence or absence of a connection among at least two wireless devices of the previously detected plurality of wireless devices, wherein the connection is one of a physical connection or a network connection.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein each wireless device of the previously detected plurality of wireless devices is associated with a respective internet protocol version 6 address.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein each wireless device of the current plurality of wireless devices comprises a respective radio frequency identification (RFID) device.