Method and apparatus for providing signature based predictive maintenance in communication networks

US8634324B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. · US

Inventors

• David H. Lu · Morganville, US
• Hossein Eslambolchi · Los Altos Hills, US
• Paritosh Bajpay · Edison, US
• John McCanuel · Bailey, US
• Roberta Bienfait · Norcross, US
• Carolyn Bekampis · Wayside, US
• Mihail Vasilescu · Middletown, US
• Mark Rogaski · Bound Brook, US
• Wen-Jui Li · Bound Brook, US
• Mohammed Yousuf Shariff · Bengaluru, IN
• Thomas Dickey · Westport, US
• John Soares · Hayward, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 13, 2012
• Grant date: Jan 21, 2014
• Expiry date: Sep 13, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04L1/22
• WIPO field: Digital communication
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus for collecting and processing line performance data transmitted over cables, e.g., Y-cables, is disclosed. The present invention applies a method based on specific performance measurements, specific measurement time intervals, and compare results from different measurement time intervals to produce a “signature” that indicates deteriorating performance of a particular Y-cable. Once a “signature” is detected, the method will proactively and automatically generate a trouble ticket to trigger the dispatch maintenance staffs to service the cable, e.g., to perform the replacement of the Y-cable in question, thus completing the predictive maintenance process. A trouble ticket is a record used to report and manage the resolution of network related problems.