US6718384B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for monitoring and maintaining a communication network
Assignee: Fujitsu Ltd
•
Filing: 2001-08-08
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Granted: 2004-04-06
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Expires: 2021-08-08
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for monitoring and maintaining a communication network include the capability to determining connection and configuration parameters of network elements. The system and method also include the capability to monitor performance characteristics of network elements to recognize faults within the communication network.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard J. Linzy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 09:57
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L43/00; H04L43/06; H04L43/065; H04L41/00; H04L41/02; H04L41/0213; H04L41/06; H04L41/0681; H04L41/22; H04L43/08; H04L43/0805; H04L43/0811; H04L43/04; H04L43/045; H04L43/0852; H04L43/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 49
Claim 1
Independent Claim
110 words
A system for monitoring and maintaining a communication network, comprising: a controller; a memory coupled to the controller, the memory operable to store data; a provisioning engine operable to: identify a plurality of network elements within the communication network; query the network elements within the communication network to determine connection and configuration parameters of the network elements; and determine performance characteristics according to the connection and configuration parameters of the network elements; and a monitoring engine operable to monitor the communication network by: monitoring performance characteristics of the network elements; monitoring traffic across optical links between the network elements; and detecting messages indicating a possible fault within the communication network.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
110 words
A system for monitoring and maintaining a communication network, comprising: a controller; a memory coupled to the controller, the memory operable to store data; a provisioning engine operable to: identify a plurality of network elements within the communication network; query the network elements within the communication network to determine connection and configuration parameters of the network elements; and determine performance characteristics according to the connection and configuration parameters of the network elements; and a monitoring engine operable to monitor the communication network by: monitoring performance characteristics of the network elements; monitoring traffic across optical links between the network elements; and detecting messages indicating a possible fault within the communication network.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 1 , further comprising an analysis engine operable to facilitate the avoidance and resolution of undesirable conditions in the communication network.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 2 , wherein the analysis engine performs algorithms based on given threshold values to facilitate the avoidance and resolution of undesirable conditions in the communication network.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system of claim 2 , wherein the analysis engine is operable to retrieve connection parameters and performance data for the communication network, the performance data reflecting current conditions of a corresponding one of the network elements relative to corresponding configuration parameters of the network element.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is operable to interface with a communication network adhering to Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) standards.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is integratible to any service transport layer that is based on a translation layer 1 protocol.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring engine reports performance conditions relative to given threshold values.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 7 , wherein the given threshold values are user defined.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 1 , further comprising a user interface through which user requests are received and responses to the requests are output.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system of claim 9 , further comprising a translation engine for formatting requests received from a user into machine language and responses output to the user from machine language into a language of the user.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 9 , wherein the user interface displays the at least a portion of the responses as a spreadsheet.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring engine examines the transmission of data between network elements to determine loading and traffic conditions.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring engine reports performance alarms to a user if one or more of the detected messages indicates a possible fault with the communication network.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the system further includes back-up and restore functionality for the network elements.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the system facilitates remote client access over a remote server.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is operable to apply changes to cross-connects in a network element simultaneously.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the messages indicating a possible fault within the communication network comprise transport layer 1 message retrievals.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
102 words
A system for monitoring and maintaining a communication network, comprising: a computer-readable medium; and computer executable instructions contained in the computer-readable medium for performing the following operations: identify a plurality of network elements within the communication network; query the network elements within the communication network to determine connection and configuration parameters of the network elements; determine performance characteristics according to the connection and configuration parameters of the network elements; and monitor the communication network by: monitoring performance characteristics of the network elements; monitoring traffic across optical links between the network elements; and detecting messages indicating a possible fault within the communication network.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
102 words
A system for monitoring and maintaining a communication network, comprising: a computer-readable medium; and computer executable instructions contained in the computer-readable medium for performing the following operations: identify a plurality of network elements within the communication network; query the network elements within the communication network to determine connection and configuration parameters of the network elements; determine performance characteristics according to the connection and configuration parameters of the network elements; and monitor the communication network by: monitoring performance characteristics of the network elements; monitoring traffic across optical links between the network elements; and detecting messages indicating a possible fault within the communication network.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 18 , wherein the instructions are further operable to analyze the performance characteristics to facilitate the avoidance and resolution of undesirable conditions in the communication network.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system of claim 19 , wherein the instructions are further operable to retrieve connection parameters and performance data for the communication network, the performance data reflecting current conditions of a corresponding one of the network elements relative to corresponding configuration parameters of the network element.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 18 , wherein the connection and configuration parameters comprise system configuration information and circuit provisioning.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 18 , wherein the instructions are further operable to: obtain data on the performance of the communication network; and format the data in a pre-determined format.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 18 , wherein the monitoring of the performance characteristics of the network elements is performed by computer-readable medium residing in a monitoring engine.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 18 , wherein the instructions are integratible to any service transport layer that is based on a translation layer 1 protocol.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 18 , wherein the instructions are operable to conform to Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) standards.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 18 , wherein the instructions are operable to generate reports regarding performance characterisitics of network elements.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
11 words
The system of claim 26 , wherein the reports comprise alarms.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 18 , wherein the messages indicating a possible fault within the communication network comprise transport layer 1 message retrievals.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
85 words
A method for monitoring and maintaining a communication network, comprising: identifying a plurality of network elements within the communication network; querying the network elements within the communication network to determine connection and configuration parameters of the network elements; determining performance characteristics according to the connection and configuration parameters of the network elements; and monitoring the communication network by: monitoring performance characteristics of the network elements; monitoring traffic across optical links between the network elements; and detecting messages indicating a possible fault within the communication network.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
85 words
A method for monitoring and maintaining a communication network, comprising: identifying a plurality of network elements within the communication network; querying the network elements within the communication network to determine connection and configuration parameters of the network elements; determining performance characteristics according to the connection and configuration parameters of the network elements; and monitoring the communication network by: monitoring performance characteristics of the network elements; monitoring traffic across optical links between the network elements; and detecting messages indicating a possible fault within the communication network.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method claim 29 , further comprising analyzing the performance characteristics to facilitate the avoidance and resolution of undesirable conditions in the communication network.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 30 , further comprising retrieving connection parameters and performance data for the communication network, the performance data reflecting current conditions of a corresponding one of the network elements relative to corresponding configuration parameters of the network element.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 29 , further comprising: obtaining data on the performance of the communication network; and formatting the data in a pre-determined format.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 29 , further comprising generating reports regarding performance conditions of network elements.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 33 , wherein the reports comprise alarms.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 29 , wherein the messages indicating a possible fault within the communication network comprise transport layer 1 message retrievals.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
106 words
A system for monitoring and maintaining a communication network, comprising: a user interface; and a graphical user interface operable to: display information regarding the performance characteristics of network elements within the communication network, the performance characteristics of the network elements having been determined by: identifying a plurality of network elements within the communication network; querying the network elements within the communication network to determine connection and configuration parameters of the network elements; and determining the performance characteristics according to the connection and configuration parameters of the network elements; display provisioning information for the network elements; and notify a user of possible faults within the communication network.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
106 words
A system for monitoring and maintaining a communication network, comprising: a user interface; and a graphical user interface operable to: display information regarding the performance characteristics of network elements within the communication network, the performance characteristics of the network elements having been determined by: identifying a plurality of network elements within the communication network; querying the network elements within the communication network to determine connection and configuration parameters of the network elements; and determining the performance characteristics according to the connection and configuration parameters of the network elements; display provisioning information for the network elements; and notify a user of possible faults within the communication network.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 36 , wherein the information regarding the performance characteristics of the network elements comprises alarms.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 36 , wherein the information regarding the performance characteristics of the network elements comprises translation layer 1 messages.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 36 , wherein the provisioning information comprises cross-connects between the network elements.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 39 , wherein the graphical user interface is operable to receive inputs regarding changes to the cross-connects.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 36 , wherein the graphical user interface is operable to receive commands to interface with a network element and to display the results of the those commands.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 36 , wherein the graphical user interface is operable to receive inputs regarding desired information for the network elements and to display the gathered information.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 42 , wherein the desired information is circuit provisioning.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 36 , wherein the graphical user interface is operable to request characteristics of a network element and receive those characteristics.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 36 , wherein the graphical user interface is operable to display characteristics for a network element and receive inputs regarding the characteristics.
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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) | 2007-04-06 | 2007-10-06 | 2008-04-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-04-06 | 2011-10-06 | 2012-04-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-04-06 | 2015-10-06 | 2016-04-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |