US5864662A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for reported root cause analysis
Assignee: MCI Communications Corp
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Filing: 1996-06-28
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Granted: 1999-01-26
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Expires: 2016-06-28
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for determining a root cause of error activity in a network is described herein. Root cause analysis includes the correlation between reported error activity for path, line and section entities along a provisioned channel in the network. Root causes can also be identified based upon the correlation of simultaneous error activity on various signal transport levels. Finally, root cause analysis can correlate error activity along various path entities.
Inventors
- 👤 Curtis Brownmiller
- 👤 Michael Bencheck
- 👤 Minh T. Tran
- 👤 Robert Branton
- 👤 Mark DeMoss
- 👤 Steve Landon
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 10:55
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L43/00; H04L43/08; H04L43/0823; H04L43/0847; G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/07; G06F11/0703; G06F11/0706; G06F11/0709; G06F11/079; H04L41/00; H04L41/06; H04L41/0631
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
147 words
A method for identifying a root cause of a problem in a provisioned channel in a network, the provisioned channel being routed through a plurality of network elements, the method comprising the steps of: (1) receiving, in a layer of a network management system, a plurality of problem alert signals from a plurality of monitoring points, each of said plurality of monitoring points being associated with a network element in the network that is being monitored by said network management system, each of said plurality of problem alert signals being generated by a monitoring point based upon the analysis of performance monitoring data recorded for a section, line or path entity during a monitoring period; and (2) identifying, in a layer of a network management system, a correlation between said plurality of problem alert signals to identify a root cause of a problem in the provisioned channel.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
147 words
A method for identifying a root cause of a problem in a provisioned channel in a network, the provisioned channel being routed through a plurality of network elements, the method comprising the steps of: (1) receiving, in a layer of a network management system, a plurality of problem alert signals from a plurality of monitoring points, each of said plurality of monitoring points being associated with a network element in the network that is being monitored by said network management system, each of said plurality of problem alert signals being generated by a monitoring point based upon the analysis of performance monitoring data recorded for a section, line or path entity during a monitoring period; and (2) identifying, in a layer of a network management system, a correlation between said plurality of problem alert signals to identify a root cause of a problem in the provisioned channel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
116 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step (2) comprises the steps of: (a) identifying a first problem alert signal at a first signal transport level from a first monitoring point associated with a network element in the circuit path; (b) identifying a second problem alert signal at a second signal transport level, said second problem alert signal being generated by a second monitoring point associated with a second network element in the circuit path, wherein said first signal transport level is mapped into said second signal transport level; and (c) identifying a third monitoring point upstream of said first monitoring point that reports a third problem alert signal corresponding to said second problem alert signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 2, wherein said step (b) is repeated until a highest signal transport level is identified.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of discontinuing further processing for problem alert signals corresponding to said first problem alert signal that are received by the layer in the network management system from monitoring points downstream from said first monitoring point.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
90 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step (2) comprises the steps of: (a) identifying a line problem alert signal that results from error activity in a line entity; (b) determining whether said line entity includes a plurality of section entities; (c) determining whether a monitoring point associated with a section entity within said line entity has reported a section problem alert signal; and (d) initiating a problem handling process for said section entity, if a monitoring point associated with a section entity has reported a section problem alert signal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of: (e) initiating a problem handling process for said line entity, if a monitoring point associated with a section entity has not reported a section problem alert signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 5, further comprising a step before said step (b) of determining the topology of the line entity.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
90 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step (2) comprises the steps of: (a) identifying a path problem alert signal that results from error activity in a path entity; (b) determining whether said path entity includes a plurality of line entities; (c) determining whether a monitoring point associated with a line entity within said path entity has reported a line problem alert signal; and (d) initiating a problem handling process for said line entity, if a monitoring point associated with a line entity has reported a line problem alert signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of: (e) initiating a problem handling process for said path entity, if a monitoring point associated with a line entity has not reported a line problem alert signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 9, further comprising a step before said step (b) of determining the topology of the path entity.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step (2) comprises the steps of: (a) identifying a first and a second path problem alert signal that results from error activity in a first and a second path entities; (b) determining whether said first and second path entities include a common line entity; and (c) initiating a problem handling process for said common line entity, if a common line entity exists.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 11, further comprising a step before said step (b) of determining the topology of said first and second path entities.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step (1) comprises the step of receiving a problem alert signal, said problem alert signal indicating that a monitored parameter has exceeded a predefined threshold.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
146 words
A system for identifying a root cause of a problem in a provisioned channel in a network, the provisioned channel being routed through a plurality of network elements, the system comprising: means for receiving, in a layer of a network management system, a plurality of problem alert signals from a plurality of monitoring points, each of said plurality of monitoring points being associated with a network element in the network that is being monitored by said network management system, each of said plurality of problem alert signals being generated by a monitoring point based upon the analysis of performance monitoring data recorded for a section, line or path entity during a monitoring period; and means for identifying, in a layer of a network management system, a correlation between said plurality of problem alert signals to identify a root cause of a problem in the provisioned channel.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
146 words
A system for identifying a root cause of a problem in a provisioned channel in a network, the provisioned channel being routed through a plurality of network elements, the system comprising: means for receiving, in a layer of a network management system, a plurality of problem alert signals from a plurality of monitoring points, each of said plurality of monitoring points being associated with a network element in the network that is being monitored by said network management system, each of said plurality of problem alert signals being generated by a monitoring point based upon the analysis of performance monitoring data recorded for a section, line or path entity during a monitoring period; and means for identifying, in a layer of a network management system, a correlation between said plurality of problem alert signals to identify a root cause of a problem in the provisioned channel.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
117 words
The system of claim 14, wherein said means for identifying comprises: means for identifying a first problem alert signal at a first signal transport level from a first monitoring point associated with a network element in the circuit path; means for identifying a second problem alert signal at a second signal transport level, said second problem alert signal being generated by a second monitoring point associated with a second network element in the circuit path, wherein said first signal transport level is mapped into said second signal transport level; and means for identifying a third monitoring point upstream of said first monitoring point that reports a third problem alert signal corresponding to said second problem alert signal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 15, further comprising means for identifying a highest signal transport level that reports a corresponding problem alert signal.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
43 words
The system of claim 15, further comprising means for discontinuing further processing for problem alert signals corresponding to said first problem alert signal that are received by the layer in the network management system from monitoring points downstream from said first monitoring point.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
92 words
The system of claim 14, wherein said means for identifying comprises: means for identifying a line problem alert signal that results from error activity in a line entity; means for determining whether said line entity includes a plurality of section entities; means for determining whether a monitoring point associated with a section entity within said line entity has reported a section problem alert signal; and means for initiating a problem handling process for said section entity, if a monitoring point associated with a section entity has reported a section problem alert signal.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of claim 18, further comprising means for initiating a problem handling process for said line entity, if a monitoring point associated with a section entity has not reported a section problem alert signal.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 18, further comprising means for determining the topology of the line entity.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
92 words
The system of claim 14, wherein said means for identifying comprises: means for identifying a path problem alert signal that results from error activity in a path entity; means for determining whether said path entity includes a plurality of line entities; means for determining whether a monitoring point associated with a line entity within said path entity has reported a line problem alert signal; and means for initiating a problem handling process for said line entity, if a monitoring point associated with a line entity has reported a line problem alert signal.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of claim 21, further comprising means for initiating a problem handling process for said path entity, if a monitoring point associated with a line entity has not reported a line problem alert signal.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 22, further comprising means for determining the topology of the path entity.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
70 words
The system of claim 14, wherein said means for identifying comprises: means for identifying a first and a second path problem alert signal that results from error activity in a first and a second path entities; means for determining whether said first and second path entities include a common line entity; and means for initiating a problem handling process for said common line entity, if a common line entity exists.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 24, further comprising means for determining the topology of said first and second path entities.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 14, wherein said means for receiving receives a problem alert signal, said problem alert signal indicating that a monitored parameter has exceeded a predefined threshold.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
199 words
A computer program product for use with a computer system, comprising: a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium that identifies a root cause of a problem in a provisioned channel in a network, the provisioned channel being routed through a plurality of network elements, said computer readable program code means comprising: first computer readable program code means for enabling the computer system to effect a reception, in a layer of a network management system, of a plurality of problem alert signals from a plurality of monitoring points, each of said plurality of monitoring points being associated with a network element in the network that is being monitored by said network management system, each of said plurality of problem alert signals being generated by a monitoring point based upon the analysis of performance monitoring data recorded for a section, line or path entity during a monitoring period; and second computer readable program code means for enabling the computer system to effect an identification, in a layer of a network management system, of a correlation between said plurality of problem alert signals to identify a root cause of a problem in the provisioned channel.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
199 words
A computer program product for use with a computer system, comprising: a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium that identifies a root cause of a problem in a provisioned channel in a network, the provisioned channel being routed through a plurality of network elements, said computer readable program code means comprising: first computer readable program code means for enabling the computer system to effect a reception, in a layer of a network management system, of a plurality of problem alert signals from a plurality of monitoring points, each of said plurality of monitoring points being associated with a network element in the network that is being monitored by said network management system, each of said plurality of problem alert signals being generated by a monitoring point based upon the analysis of performance monitoring data recorded for a section, line or path entity during a monitoring period; and second computer readable program code means for enabling the computer system to effect an identification, in a layer of a network management system, of a correlation between said plurality of problem alert signals to identify a root cause of a problem in the provisioned channel.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-01-25 | 2002-07-27 | 2003-01-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-01-25 | 2006-07-27 | 2007-01-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-01-25 | 2010-07-27 | 2011-01-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |