EP1079658A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Element management system for a digital subscriber line access multiplexer
Assignee: Texas Instruments Inc
•
Filing: 2000-08-15
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2020-08-15
Abstract
Abstract An access multiplexer (10) for a digital subscriber line (DSL) communications network, having element management system (EMS) capability, is disclosed. A host computer (17) is coupled to the DSL access multiplexer (DSLAM) (10) over a serial interface (27, 28). A controller (25) of the DSLAM includes an EMS agent for receiving command control and information request messages from the host computer (17) over the serial interface (27, 28). The EMS agent issues signals to a software process, such as the DSL channel manager in response to such messages, and generates replies to the host computer (17) over the serial interface (27, 28) upon execution of the requested operation. The controller (25) also operates in response to command control and information request messages initiated at user computers (U) that reside on a network (14). A Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) agent executed by the controller (25) receives SNMP messages over the network (14), and initiates the execution of a method routine to obtain the requested information or effect the corresponding control. As a result, both a local host computer (17) and also users on a network (14) may monitor, manage, and control the operation of the DSLAM (10).
Inventors
- 👤 Lu Xiaolin
- 👤 Susan Yim
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 08:59
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04Q; H04Q11/00; H04Q11/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
268 words
A data communications system including an access
multiplexer for processing data communications, including a
network interface and including a host processor coupled to
the network interface, characterized in that: the access multiplexer, comprises a plurality of interface circuits, each for coupling
the access multiplexer to a communications facility for the
bidirectional communication of data with a client location, signal processing circuitry, for performing digital
operations upon data corresponding to signals received from
client locations by way of the plurality of interface circuits
and corresponding to signals to be transmitted to client
locations by way of the plurality of interface circuits, a network interface, a local communications interface, and a controller, coupled to the signal processing
circuitry, to the network interface, and to the local
communications interface, for controlling the communications
between the signal processing circuitry and the network
interface and for managing communications channels established
at the plurality of interface circuits according to an element
management system agent responsive to control command and
information request messages received from the local
communications interface, and for generating reply messages to
the local communications interface responsive to said control
command and information requests; and the host computer is coupled to the local communications
interface and is programmed to execute an element management
system service application to receive user inputs corresponding
to management functions of the access multiplexer system, to
generate control command and information request messages in
response to such user inputs and output said control command and
information request messages at the local communications
interface, and to generate display information corresponding to
reply messages received at the local communications interface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
21 words
The access multiplexer system of claim 1, further
comprising a local area network coupled to the network interface
of the multiplexer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The access multiplexer system of claim 1 or 2, further
comprising an Internet gateway coupled to the local area
network.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
148 words
The access multiplexer system of claim 2, or claim
3 dependent on claim 2, further comprising: a user computer, coupled to the local area network, and
programmed to execute a network protocol element management
system service application to receive user inputs corresponding
to management functions of the access multiplexer system, to
generate control command and information request messages in
response to such user inputs and output said control command and
information request messages to the local area network, and to
generate display information corresponding to reply messages
received at the local area network; wherein the controller of the multiplexer is also for
managing communications channels established at the plurality of
interface circuits according to a network protocol agent
responsive to control command and information request messages
received from the network interface, and for generating reply
messages to the network interface responsive to said control
command and information requests.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
133 words
The multiplexer system of claim 4, wherein the
controller comprises a programmable device operable according to
a plurality of software elements comprising: a communications channel manager, for initializing and
dropping communications channels, and for defining
communications parameters for the communications channels; a host port manager for controlling communications
over the local communications interface; and a network manager for controlling communications over
the network interface; wherein the controller operates according to the element
management system agent to cause the communications channel
manager to execute operations responsive to control commands and
requests received at the local communications interface by the
host port manager, and operates according to the network
protocol agent to cause the communications channel manager to
execute operations responsive to control commands and requests
received at the network interface by the network manager.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The multiplexer system of any preceding claim,
wherein the communications between the multiplexer and client
locations are digital subscriber line communications.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The multiplexer system of any preceding claim,
wherein the controller comprises a digital signal processor
integrated circuit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The multiplexer system of any preceding claim,
wherein the local communications interface comprises a serial
interface.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
122 words
A method of controlling communications at an access
multiplexer coupled to a plurality of client locations, and
coupled to a network, comprising the steps of: receiving a command control request at a host
computer; operating the host computer to communicate a command
control request message to the access multiplexer over a local
communications interface; responsive to receiving the command control request
message, parsing the command control request message within an
element management system software agent; operating the element management system software agent
to cause a communications channel manager to execute the
corresponding command control request and generate a reply; receiving the reply at the element management software
agent; and generating a reply message to the host computer over
the local communications interface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
120 words
The method of claim 9, further comprising: receiving a command control request at a user
computer; operating the user computer to communicate a command
control request message to the access multiplexer over a local
area network; responsive to receiving the command control request
message, decoding the command control request message within an
network protocol software agent; calling a method routine in the network protocol
software agent corresponding to the command control request
message; causing the communications channel manager to execute
the method routine called in the calling step; encoding a reply at the network protocol software
agent, corresponding to a result of the executed method routine;
and generating a reply message to the user computer over
the local area network.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 10, wherein the command
control request corresponds to the establishing of a
communications channel at the multiplexer.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
25 words
The method of 10 or 11, wherein the command control
request corresponds to the setting of a state of a
communications channel at the multiplexer.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
30 words
The method of any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the command control
request corresponds to a request for performance information
regarding a selected communications channel at the multiplexer.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
29 words
The method of any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the command control
request corresponds to a downloading of communications software
to a device at a client location.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
64 words
The method of any one of claims 10 to 14, further comprising: responsive to the multiplexer operating at an alarm
condition, operating the communications channel manager to issue
an alarm to the element management system software agent; and responsive to receiving the alarm, operating the
element management system software agent to generate an alarm
message to the host computer over the local communications
interface.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
60 words
The method of any one of claims 10 to 15, further comprising: responsive to the multiplexer operating at an alarm
condition, operating the communications channel manager to issue
an alarm to the network protocol software agent; and responsive to receiving the alarm, operating the
software agent to generate an alarm message to the user computer
over the local area network.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
A computer program comprising machine or
device readable instructions for configuring a computer to
implement the method of any one of claims 9 to 16.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
A computer program comprising machine or
device readable instruction, said instructions translatable
for configuring a computer to implement the method of any one
of claims 9 to 16.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.