Hierarchical network management system

Claim 1

A hierarchical network management system for managing a hierarchical network of individual levels of network elements to be monitored, said network management system comprising: a hierarchical network of components arranged in a hierarchy, said network having concentrators for separating individual levels of the hierarchy, each concentrator further having a slave side and a master side; a central observation desk for monitoring a desired one of the network elements to be monitored by means of an address and for receiving a protocol from the network element so monitored; at least one concentrator in the hierarchy having an interface on a master side thereof, wherein said interface is adjusted for a bus connection; a transmission channel of arbitrary length connected to said interface, wherein said transmission channel comprises a forward line and a return line, further wherein said interface takes delays on said transmission channel of arbitrary length into consideration; a plurality of parallel addressable apparatus connected in parallel to the forward and return lines of said transmission channel, wherein said parallel addressable apparatus comprise the network elements to be monitored and further wherein the combination of said transmission channel, said plurality of parallel addressable apparatus, and said interface constitutes the bus connection; and a plurality of controllable change-over switches inserted in the return line of said transmission channel, wherein a controllable change-over switch is provided for each of said parallel addressable apparatus for selectively connecting a desired one of said plurality of parallel addressable apparatus to the return line, further wherein each controllable change-over switch is responsive to, that is, controlled by, an activation by a respective parallel addressable apparatus to which the controllable change-over switch is connected for changing over said respective parallel addressable apparatus from (i) being not connected, to (ii) being connected, to the return line of said transmission channel and further for being the only parallel addressable apparatus connected to the return line of said transmission channel, still further wherein the activation by a parallel addressable apparatus comprises a recognition by the parallel addressable apparatus of its address, the address having been transmitted by said at least one concentrator, further having been initially transmitted by said central observation desk.