Network Fault Detection via Customer Premises Equipment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network fault detection methods are inefficient in identifying and locating faults in IP and Ethernet Protocol networks, as they rely on data from network equipment rather than customer premises equipment, leading to delayed detection and limited resolution, and are costly and resource-intensive.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that remotely connect to network termination devices to retrieve parameter data indicative of connectivity status, generating models of expected connectivity, and comparing actual connectivity with these models to detect faults, allowing for rapid identification and localization of issues from the customer's perspective.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If fault detection relies on data from network equipment, then detection can be performed using existing infrastructure, but detection time is delayed and resolution is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional fault detection approach by collecting data from customer premises equipment (CPE) instead of network equipment. This reversal enables direct measurement of connectivity status from the customer's perspective, achieving both faster detection and higher resolution without requiring changes to network infrastructure.
2Reliability
If fault detection is performed from network equipment perspective, then existing monitoring systems can be used, but fault detection does not directly map to reported fault conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by having CPE devices automatically collect and report their own connectivity parameter data to the monitoring system. This eliminates the need for complex active probing from network equipment while obtaining accurate fault information directly from the customer premises, thereby improving reliability without significantly increasing system complexity.
3Measurement precision
If connectivity parameters are collected from all network users, then comprehensive network coverage is achieved, but data processing burden increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by selectively monitoring connectivity parameters only from CPE devices that report fault conditions or exhibit abnormal behavior, rather than continuously collecting data from all network users. This approach maintains comprehensive fault detection coverage while significantly reducing the volume of data that requires processing and analysis.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus are provided for detecting a fault condition in a network, making use of standard parameter data generated by a network termination device of a user of the network, the method comprising, in a training phase, the remote retrieval of selected parameters from a predetermined set of users' network termination devices in order to generate one or more representative models of expected operational status using the retrieved parameters and, in a monitoring phase, determining a measure of operational status for the set of users at some future time and comparing that with a corresponding expected model measure. Parameter retrieval takes place over substantially the same path through the network as used to supply services to a respective network termination device so that the models are generated in respect of communications over those elements of network infrastructure likely to affect operational status of the respective set of users in the event of a fault condition. Any significant variation from model measures may be indicative of a fault condition. Preferred measures of operational status include connectivity status and service status.