Communication Path Monitoring via Partitioned Testing Intervals

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Solution Overview

Problem

The increasing complexity and size of communication systems due to network traffic and VPN services make it difficult for network providers to monitor communication paths in real-time, leading to delayed detection and correction of connectivity failures, which affects customer satisfaction.

Innovation Solution

The system intelligently partitions communication paths into subsets and tests them over different intervals, ensuring all paths are tested within a specific time frame, reducing the number of required tests and enabling proactive monitoring of PE router connections.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If all communication paths are monitored continuously in real-time, then detection speed and reliability improve, but system complexity and resource consumption increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetection reliabilityVSAvoidmonitoring system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the communication system into multiple monitoring domains, each responsible for specific network segments. Instead of a single centralized monitor handling all paths, multiple distributed monitors segment the monitoring tasks, reducing individual system complexity while maintaining comprehensive coverage and high detection reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Loss of time

If all router pairs are tested frequently, then connectivity failure detection improves, but network traffic overhead and processing time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefailure detection timeVSAvoidmonitoring resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic monitoring where router pair connectivity tests are performed at scheduled intervals rather than continuously. This periodic action reduces resource consumption and network traffic overhead while still enabling timely detection of connectivity failures through strategic timing and interval selection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs connectivity tests on a selected subset of router pairs at any given time rather than testing all pairs simultaneously. This partial action approach reduces immediate resource consumption and processing time requirements while ensuring comprehensive coverage across different time periods, balancing detection speed with resource efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS8908505B2Methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture to monitor communication paths in communication systems

Publication Date: 2014.12.09 AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I L P

AI summary

Example methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture to monitor communication paths in communication systems are disclosed. An example method includes identifying links of a communication system, the links communicatively coupling router pairs, identifying communication paths in the communication system, each of the communication paths being routed via one or more of the links, testing the links during a first interval by testing at least a first portion of the communication paths, testing the links during the second interval by testing at least a second portion of the communication paths, changing the first portion of the communication paths to include at least one of the communication paths from the second portion of the communication paths such that testing the first portion of the communication paths and testing the second portion of the communication paths collectively test each of the links, and identifying a link failure based on the testing.