System and method for distributed fault sensing and recovery

1. A system for distributed fault recovery in a communication system including a plurality of cable stations, said system comprising:

a plurality of master controllers, each of said master controllers being associated with one of said cable stations, each of said cable stations configured to communicate with other of said cable stations along a communication path, each said master controller being configured for receiving local alarms indicating a fault in one or more network elements associated therewith, and each said master controller being provisioned with associated fault data and recovery data; and

a communication network between each of said master controllers, whereby each one of said master controllers is configured for receiving remote alarms from other ones of said master controllers, said remote alarms indicating a fault in one or more network elements associated with said other ones of said master controllers,

each of said master controllers being configured for performing a fault recovery function for modifying communication between one or more of said cable stations on said communication path if said local alarms or said remote alarms correspond to a profile included in said fault data or said recovery data associated therewith.

2. The system according to claim 1 , said system further comprising one or more shelf controllers associated with each of said master controllers, whereby each said master controller is configured to receive said local alarms from said one or more shelf controllers associated therewith.

3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein each of said master controllers is configured to aggregate said local alarms from said one or more shelf controllers associated therewith for comparing said aggregated local alarms to said profile.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said profile is a fault profile comprising an alarm signature and a list of one or more transmitting terminal identifiers wherein each said transmitting terminal identifier designates one of said cable stations to be notified if said fault corresponds to said local alarms or said remote alarms.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said profile is a recovery profile comprising a fault signature and a recovery step wherein said fault signature comprises a reporting terminal identifier and an alarm signature identifier and said recovery step comprises an adjustment to a transmitter parameter.

6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said fault recovery function comprises adjusting a transmitter parameter, wherein said transmitter parameter is a parameter selected from the group consisting of: channel transmitted power level, pre-emphasis, frequency selection; and distribution of loading tones.

7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said communication system is an undersea communication system.

8. A communication system configured for distributed fault sensing and recovery comprising:

a plurality of cable stations;

a plurality of master controllers, each of said master controllers being associated with one of said cable stations, each of said cable stations configured to communicate with other of said cable stations along a communication path, each said master controller being configured for receiving local alarms indicating a fault in one or more network elements associated therewith, and each said master controller being provisioned with associated fault data and recovery data; and

a communication network between each of said master controllers, whereby each one of said master controllers is configured for receiving remote alarms from other ones of said master controllers, said remote alarms indicating a fault in one or more network elements associated with said other ones of said master controllers,

each of said master controllers being configured for performing a fault recovery function for modifying communication between one or more of said cable stations on said communication path if said local alarms or said remote alarms correspond to a profile included in said fault data or said recovery data associated therewith.

9. The system according to claim 8 , said system further comprising one or more shelf controllers associated with each of said master controllers, whereby each said master controller is configured to receive said local alarms from said one or more shelf controllers associated therewith.

10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein each of said master controllers is configured to aggregate said local alarms from said one or more shelf controllers associated therewith for comparing said aggregated local alarms to said profile.

11. The system according to claim 8 , wherein said profile is a fault profile comprising an alarm signature and a list of one or more transmitting terminal identifiers wherein each said transmitting terminal identifier designates one of said cable stations to be notified if said fault corresponds to said local alarms or said remote alarms.

12. The system according to claim 8 , wherein said profile is a recovery profile comprising a fault signature and a recovery step wherein said fault signature comprises a reporting terminal identifier and an alarm signature identifier and said recovery step comprises an adjustment to a transmitter parameter.

13. The system according to claim 8 , wherein said fault recovery function comprises adjusting a transmitter parameter, wherein said transmitter parameter is a parameter selected from the group consisting of: channel transmitted power level, pre-emphasis, frequency selection; and distribution of loading tones.

14. The system according to claim 8 , wherein said communication system is an undersea communication system.

15. A method of establishing a fault recovery in a communication system including a plurality of cable stations, said method comprising:

providing a master controller associated with each of said cable stations, each of said cable stations configured to communicate with other of said cable stations along a communication path, each said master controller being configured for receiving local alarms indicating a fault in one or more network elements associated therewith, and each said master controller being provisioned with associated fault data and recovery data;

establishing a communication network between each of said master controllers whereby each one of said master controllers is configured for receiving remote alarms from other ones of said master controllers, said remote alarms indicating a fault in one or more network elements associated with said other ones of said master controllers; and

configuring each of said master controllers for performing a fault recovery function for modifying communication between one or more of said cable stations on said communication path if said local alarms or said remote alarms correspond to a profile included in said fault data or said recovery data associated therewith.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein each said master controller is configured to receive said local alarms from a plurality of shelf controllers associated therewith.

17. The method according to claim 15 , wherein said profile is a fault profile comprising an alarm signature and a list of one or more transmitting terminal identifiers wherein each said transmitting terminal identifier designates one of said cable stations to be notified if said fault corresponds to said local alarms or said remote alarms.

18. The method according to claim 15 , wherein said profile is a recovery profile comprising a fault signature and a recovery step wherein said fault signature comprises a reporting terminal identifier and an alarm signature identifier and said recovery step comprises an adjustment to a transmitter parameter.

19. The method according to claim 15 , wherein said fault recovery function comprises adjusting a transmitter parameter, wherein said transmitter parameter is a parameter selected from the group consisting of: channel transmitted power level, pre-emphasis, frequency selection; and distribution of loading tones.

20. The method according to claim 15 , wherein said communication system is an undersea communication system.