Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
188 words
A method of error monitoring a communications link on which messages are transmitted between a transmitter and a receiver, which transmitter transmits a poll at the end of each periodic polling interval, and which receiver responds to each poll by transmitting to the transmitter a star message indicating which messages have been received in error or not received, and which transmitter retransmits only those messages either received in error or not received by the receiver, comprising the steps of: (1) at the end of a polling interval, assigning a penalty factor to the interval that is determined as a function of whether or not during the interval the transmitter retransmitted any message, and whether or not any stat messages were received by the transmitter within a predetermined number of polling intervals; (2) for a block comprising N -- blk consecutive polling intervals, computing the average penalty factor; (3) comparing a quality of service (QOS) measure equal to the average penalty factor for the block with a predetermined threshold; and (4) removing the link from service if the QOS measure for the block is greater than the predetermined threshold.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
188 words
A method of error monitoring a communications link on which messages are transmitted between a transmitter and a receiver, which transmitter transmits a poll at the end of each periodic polling interval, and which receiver responds to each poll by transmitting to the transmitter a star message indicating which messages have been received in error or not received, and which transmitter retransmits only those messages either received in error or not received by the receiver, comprising the steps of: (1) at the end of a polling interval, assigning a penalty factor to the interval that is determined as a function of whether or not during the interval the transmitter retransmitted any message, and whether or not any stat messages were received by the transmitter within a predetermined number of polling intervals; (2) for a block comprising N -- blk consecutive polling intervals, computing the average penalty factor; (3) comparing a quality of service (QOS) measure equal to the average penalty factor for the block with a predetermined threshold; and (4) removing the link from service if the QOS measure for the block is greater than the predetermined threshold.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein each of the steps is repeated for successive blocks of N -- blk polling intervals.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the QOS measure is determined at the end of a current block of polling intervals as a weighted combination of the average penalty factor of the current block and the QOS measure of a previous block.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
91 words
The method of claim 3 wherein step (1) comprises the steps of: (a) assigning a penalty factor of a first predetermined value if the transmitter retransmits no messages during the interval; (b) assigning a penalty factor of a second predetermined value higher than said first predetermined value if the transmitter transmits at least one message during the interval; and (c) assigning a penalty factor of a third predetermined value higher than said first predetermined value if no stat messages are received from the receiver for a predetermined number of polling intervals.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the first predetermined value is zero, the second predetermined number is one, and the third predetermined number is equal to N -- blk-1.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 5 wherein in step (2) the computed average penalty factor for the block is clipped at one.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
70 words
The method of claim 4 further comprising the steps of determining the number of stat messages transmitted by the receiver and not received by the transmitter within a superblock of N -- sup polling intervals, where N -- sup is substantially higher than N -- block, and removing the link from service if the number of stat messages not received within the superblock is greater than a second predetermined threshold.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the link is on an ATM network.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the messages are signaling messages.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the signaling messages are transmitted under a service specific connection oriented protocol (SSCOP).
Claim 12
Independent Claim
189 words
A method of error monitoring a digital communications link on which messages are transmitted between a transmitter and a receiver, which transmitter transmits a poll at the end of each periodic polling interval, and which receiver responds to each poll by transmitting to the transmitter a stat message indicating which messages have been received in error or not received, and which transmitter retransmits only those messages either received in error or not received by the receiver, comprising the steps of: (1) at the end of a polling interval, assigning a penalty factor to the interval that is determined as a function of whether or not during the interval the transmitter retransmitted any message, and whether or not any stat messages were received by the transmitter within a predetermined number of polling intervals; (2) for a block comprising N -- blk consecutive polling intervals, computing the average penalty factor; (3) comparing a quality of service (QOS) measure equal to the average penalty factor for the block with a predetermined threshold; and (4) removing the link from service if the QOS measure for the block is greater than the predetermined threshold.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
189 words
A method of error monitoring a digital communications link on which messages are transmitted between a transmitter and a receiver, which transmitter transmits a poll at the end of each periodic polling interval, and which receiver responds to each poll by transmitting to the transmitter a stat message indicating which messages have been received in error or not received, and which transmitter retransmits only those messages either received in error or not received by the receiver, comprising the steps of: (1) at the end of a polling interval, assigning a penalty factor to the interval that is determined as a function of whether or not during the interval the transmitter retransmitted any message, and whether or not any stat messages were received by the transmitter within a predetermined number of polling intervals; (2) for a block comprising N -- blk consecutive polling intervals, computing the average penalty factor; (3) comparing a quality of service (QOS) measure equal to the average penalty factor for the block with a predetermined threshold; and (4) removing the link from service if the QOS measure for the block is greater than the predetermined threshold.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 11 wherein each of the steps is repeated for successive blocks of N -- blk polling intervals.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 12 wherein the QOS measure is determined at the end of a current block of polling intervals as a weighted combination of the average penalty factor of the current block and the QOS measure of a previous block.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
91 words
The method of claim 13 wherein step (1) comprises the steps of: (a) assigning a penalty factor of a first predetermined value if the transmitter retransmits no messages during the interval; (b) assigning a penalty factor of a second predetermined value higher than said first predetermined value if the transmitter transmits at least one message during the interval; and (c) assigning a penalty factor of a third predetermined value higher than said first predetermined value if no stat messages are received from the receiver for a predetermined number of polling intervals.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the first predetermined value is zero, the second predetermined number is one, and the third predetermined number is equal to N -- blk-1.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 15 wherein in step (2) the computed average penalty factor for the block is clipped at one.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
70 words
The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of determining the number of stat messages transmitted by the receiver and not received by the transmitter within a superblock of N -- sup polling intervals, where N -- sup is substantially higher than N -- block, and removing the link from service if the number of stat messages not received within the superblock is greater than a second predetermined threshold.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the link is on an ATM network.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 18 wherein the messages are signaling messages.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 19 wherein the signaling messages are transmitted under a service specific connection oriented protocol (SSCOP).