Method, system, and device for resetting network elements

1. A method, comprising:

detecting a fault associated with a network element including at least a processing module, a fault detector module and a communication module wherein said fault detector module determines if said processing module is in a latched-up or un-responsive condition and if not, said communication module communicates other than said condition to said network by sending a plurality of periodically-transmitted alive signals from said network element while said network element is in proper working, condition and if so, said communication module communicates said condition to said network by responding to receipt of a plurality of pinging request signals transmitted to said network element in response to not transmitting said alive signals for a predetermined period of time;

receiving a reset signal in response to the fault detection;

storing a new image of an operating system of the network element into memory associated with the network element in response to receiving the reset signal;

rebooting the network element; and

loading the stored new image of the operating system from the memory associated with the network element.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the fault further comprises detecting that the network element is in a latched-up condition.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the fault further comprises detecting that the network element is in an unresponsive condition.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting an alarm signal to a service provider system in response to the fault detection.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising receiving the reset signal from the service provider system, wherein the service provider system is remote from the network element.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the reset signal is transmitted from the service provider system to the network element using a specified wavelength.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating the reset signal at the network element in response to the fault detection.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the initiation of the reset signal is caused by the activation of a reset toggle that is operatively coupled to the network element.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network element comprises an optical network terminal.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network comprises a passive optical network.

11. A non-transitory physical medium comprising code which when executed by a processor performs the acts of the method of claim 1 .

12. A fault-handling system, comprising:

at least one physical and logical network element including at least a processing module, a fault detector module and a communication module communicatively coupled to a network where the system is configured to:

detect a fault by determining if said processing module is in a latched-up or un-responsive condition and if not, said communication module communicates other than said condition to said network by sending a plurality of periodically-transmitted alive signals from said network element while said network element is in proper working condition and if so, said communication module communicates said condition to said network by responding to receipt of a plurality of pinging request signals transmitted to said network element in response to said network not receiving said alive signals for a predetermined period of time, said fault being associated with the network element;

receive a reset signal in response to the fault detection;

store a new image of an operating system of the network element into memory associated with the network element in response to receiving the reset signal;

reboot the network element; and

load the stored new image of the operating system from the memory associated with the network element.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the network element is further configured to transmit an alarm signal to a service provider system in response to the fault detection.

14. The system of claim. 13 , wherein the reset signal is received from the service provider system, wherein the service provider system is remote from the network element.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the reset signal is transmitted from the service provider system to the network element using a specified wavelength.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the reset signal is generated at the network element in response to the fault detection.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the network element comprises an optical network terminal.

18. The system of claim 12 , wherein the network comprises a passive optical network.

19. A device, comprising:

a physical and logical network element including at least a processing module, a fault detector module and a communication module wherein said fault detector module determines if said processing module is in a latched-up or an-responsive condition and if not, said communication module communicates other than said condition to said network by sending a plurality of periodically-transmitted alive signals from said network element while said network element is in proper working condition and if so, said communication module communicates said condition to said network by responding to receipt of pinging request signals transmitted to said network element in response to said communication module not transmitting said alive signals for a predetermined period of time, said network element operatively coupled to a reset device circuit wherein the reset device circuit is configured to:

activate a reset toggle associated with the network element in response to receiving a reset signal, said reset signal, in turn, responsive to said fault detector module determining said condition.

20. The device of claim 19 , wherein the network element comprises an optical network terminal.