IP Library Granted Patent US 8,635,495
Granted Patent B2
US 8,635,495 · App. 12/947,628 · Granted Jan 21, 2014

Systems and methods for classifying power network failures

Inventors: Bruce Dexter Beeco (Buford, GA); Ian Derrick Tabb (Dunwoody, GA)
Assignee: Cox Communications, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,635,495
App. No.
12/947,628
Granted
Jan 21, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods for classifying a possible failure in a power network are provided. In one embodiment, a method may include receiving network device status information for multiple network devices in communication with a communications network and capable of receiving primary power from a power network; and determining that a possible power network failure exists based on a first portion of the network devices associated with an inactive status and a second portion of the network devices associated with an active status, wherein the first portion comprises network devices without battery back-up capabilities and the second portion comprises network devices with battery back-up capabilities.

Claims (30)

1. A method for classifying a possible failure in a power network, comprising:

receiving, at a network health analysis system comprising one or more computers, status information for a plurality of network devices in communications with a communications network, wherein a first subset of the plurality of network devices are powered by a power network and do not have battery back-up capabilities, and wherein a second subset of the plurality of network devices are powered by the power network and do have battery back-up capabilities;

analyzing, by the network health analysis system, the status information by comparing the statuses for at least a portion of the first subset without battery back-up capabilities to the statuses for at least a portion of the second subset with battery back-up capabilities; and

determining, by the network health analysis system, that a possible power network failure exists based on at least one network device in the first subset without battery back-up capabilities having an inactive status and at least one network device in the second subset with battery back-up capabilities having an active status.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of network devices are associated with one or more customer endpoints, and wherein the at least one network device in the first subset without battery back-up capabilities having an inactive status and the at least one network device in the second subset with battery back-up capabilities having an active status are associated with a same one of the customer endpoints.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one network device in the first subset without battery back-up capabilities having an inactive status comprises a plurality of network devices having an inactive status.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the at least one network device in the second subset with battery back-up capabilities having an active status comprises a plurality of network devices having an active status.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the possible power network failure exists is based on a plurality of network devices in the first subset without battery back-up capabilities above a predefined threshold having an inactive status.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein determining that the possible power network failure exists is based on all network devices in the first subset without battery back-up capabilities having an inactive status.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein determining that the possible power network failure exists is further based on a plurality of network devices in the second subset with battery back-up capabilities above a predefined threshold having an active status.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein determining that the possible power network failure exists is based on all network devices in the second subset with battery back-up capabilities having an active status.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one network device in the first subset without battery back-up capabilities having an inactive status comprises all network devices in the first subset located downstream from a first location on the communications network.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one network device in the second subset with battery back-up capabilities having an active status comprises all network devices in the second subset located downstream from the first location on the communications network.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising identifying the first location on the communications network as a location where all of the network devices in the first subset without battery back-up capabilities that are located downstream have an inactive status and the at least one of the network devices in the second subset with battery back-up capabilities that is located downstream has an active status.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first subset of network devices without battery back-up capabilities comprises data modems.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second subset of network devices with battery back-up capabilities comprises voice over Internet Protocol devices.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one network device in the first subset without battery back-up capabilities having an inactive status comprises a plurality of network devices that are either: (a) located downstream from a first location on the communications network; or (b) geographically proximate to each other; and wherein the at least one network device in the second subset with battery back-up capabilities having an active status is located downstream on the communications network from at least one of the plurality of network devices in the first subset without battery back-up capabilities having an inactive status.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one network device in the first subset without battery back-up capabilities having an inactive status and the at least one network device in the second subset with battery back-up capabilities having an active status are in communication with a same segment of the communications network.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one network device in the first subset without battery back-up capabilities having an inactive status and the at least one network device in the second subset with battery back-up capabilities having an active status are in communication with a same segment of the power network.

17. A system for classifying a possible failure in a power network, comprising:

memory storing computer-executable instructions; and

at least one processor in communication with the memory and operable to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

receive status information for a plurality of network devices in communications with a communications network, wherein a first subset of the plurality of network devices are powered by a power network and do not have battery back-up capabilities, and wherein a second subset of the plurality of network devices are powered by the power network and do have battery back-up capabilities;

analyze the status information by comparing the statuses for at least a portion of the first subset without battery back-up capabilities to the statuses for at least a portion of the second subset with battery back-up capabilities; and

determine that a possible power network failure exists based on at least one network device in the first subset without battery back-up capabilities having an inactive status and at least one network device in the second subset with battery back-up capabilities having an active status.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the at least one network device in the first subset without battery back-up capabilities having an inactive status comprises a plurality of network devices that are either: (a) located downstream from a first location on the communications network; or (b) geographically proximate to each other; and wherein the at least one network device in the second subset with battery back-up capabilities having an active status is located downstream on the communications network from at least one of the plurality of network devices in the first subset without battery back-up capabilities having an inactive status.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the at least one network device in the first subset without battery back-up capabilities having an inactive status and the at least one network device in the second subset with battery back-up capabilities having an active status are in communication with at least one of: (a) a same segment of the communications network; or (b) a same segment of the power network.

20. A method for classifying a possible failure in a power network, comprising:

receiving, at a network health analysis system comprising one or more computers, network device status information for a plurality of network devices in communication with a communications network and capable of receiving primary power from a power network; and

determining, by the network health analysis system, that a possible power network failure exists based on a first portion of the plurality of network devices associated with an inactive status and a second portion of the plurality of network devices associated with an active status, wherein the first portion comprises network devices without battery back-up capabilities and the second portion comprises network devices with battery back-up capabilities.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 17, 2010
From: BEECO, BRUCE DEXTER; TABB, IAN DERRICK
To: COX COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025380/0661 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61261664 · Nov 16, 2009
Related Publication 20110119517A1 · May 19, 2011