Communication Equipment Fault Location Using Dependency Matrix

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current fault location techniques for communication equipment are inefficient, requiring extensive time and technical expertise, and struggle to accurately identify faults due to complex alarm information and dynamic circuit relationships, leading to high costs and prolonged downtime.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that utilize a dependency matrix to associate fault or alarm information with unit circuits, allowing for automatic location of faulty FRUs by constructing a location sub-matrix from test information and dependency data, enabling rapid and accurate fault identification.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual analysis is employed to locate faults, then engineers can utilize their expertise to analyze alarm information, but the fault location time becomes excessively long and costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefault location accuracyVSAvoidfault location time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical analysis process with an automated computer-based system. The fault location apparatus automatically collects alarm information, constructs dependency graphs, and identifies faulty FRUs through algorithmic processing, eliminating the time-consuming manual analysis while maintaining or improving accuracy through systematic computation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-diagnosis by automatically analyzing alarm information and identifying faults without requiring engineer intervention. The fault location apparatus performs self-service fault detection by processing alarm data, constructing dependency relationships, and autonomously determining the location of faulty FRUs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Measurement precision

If engineers manually analyze complex alarm information and circuit relationships, then fault location accuracy can be maintained, but the technical expertise requirement and operational complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefault location accuracyVSAvoidfault location operation simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex manual analysis operations with automated computational processes. The system automatically collects alarm information, constructs dependency graphs representing circuit relationships, and identifies faults through algorithmic processing, eliminating the need for engineers to manually analyze complex relationships while maintaining accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a fault location apparatus as an intermediary between alarm information and fault identification. This intermediary automatically processes alarm data, constructs dependency relationships, and translates complex circuit relationships into identifiable fault locations, simplifying the operation for users.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If traditional fault location methods are used, then the process can be completed with basic tools, but the restoration time remains prolonged due to inefficient fault identification

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefault identification efficiencyVSAvoidrestoration time
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional manual fault identification methods with automated computational processing. The fault location apparatus rapidly analyzes alarm information, constructs dependency graphs, and identifies faulty FRUs through algorithmic processing, dramatically improving identification efficiency and reducing restoration time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary fault identification automatically before engineer intervention is needed. By pre-processing alarm information and identifying potential faulty FRUs through automated analysis, the system prepares fault location results in advance, reducing the overall restoration time when faults occur.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2031800B1Method, system and apparatus of fault location for communicaion apparatus
Publication Date: 2011.09.28 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP2031800B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2031800B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2031800B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

Methods and systems of fault location for a communication equipment are disclosed. The method includes obtaining internal test information of each FRU (Field Replaceable Units) in a communication equipment; searching all unit circuits associated with the test information according to the test information and a dependency matrix that describes the communication equipment; further searching the test information related to the unit circuit in the unit circuits set according to the unit circuits and the dependency matrix; setting up a location sub-matrix according to the searched unit circuit set and test information set; judging and logging the unit circuit having an abnormal state in the location sub-matrix; judging the abnormal unit circuit and logging the corresponding FRU according to an FRU analysis rule. The present invention associates the test or alarm information with the unit circuits in the FRU, so as to automatically locate the real faulty FRU. Overcoming the slowness of fault location in the prior art, the present invention can automatically locate the FRU, solve the time-consuming problem in fault location and locate the faulty FRU directly.