Displaying information in a hierarchical structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9553775-B2
Application number	US-201414252016-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 14, 2014
Priority date	Apr 12, 2013
Publication date	Jan 24, 2017
Grant date	Jan 24, 2017

Abstract

Methods and systems for displaying information in a hierarchical structure are disclosed. An embodiment provides a method for displaying HFC network monitoring information and alarms in a hierarchical, topological fashion within a network monitoring system.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method for displaying information in a hierarchical structure, the method comprising:
in at least one processor of a server configured to be communicatively coupled via a network to a cable modem termination system (CMTS):
automatically evaluating groups of issues, each issue associated with one or more cable modems of a set of cable modems connected to the CMTS,
wherein a plurality of network components are shared in common by the set of cable modems, and
wherein each issue comprises one or more of a problem, fault, or alarm associated with the respective one or more cable modems;

automatically identifying, based on the evaluating, a plurality of likely root causes, each root cause associated with a particular issue in the groups of issues;
causing a display screen in communication with the server to display, in a graphical user interface, the plurality of likely root causes in a hierarchical display structure; and
causing the display screen to display in the graphical user interface, switchably or simultaneously with displaying the hierarchical display structure, a geographic map based on a physical topology of a hybrid fiber-coaxial network connected to the CMTS,
wherein the geographic map includes one or more locations corresponding to one or more cable modems associated with the plurality of likely root causes in the hierarchical display structure,
wherein the geographic map is zoomable, and wherein the geographic map and the hierarchical display structure are automatically synchronized by updating the hierarchical display to display a level of detail corresponding to a changed zoom level of the geographic map, and by updating the geographic map to display a level of detail corresponding to a current user-selected element of the hierarchical display structure, and
wherein the level of detail is one of a plurality of levels, the plurality of levels comprising a first level corresponding to the CMTS, a second level corresponding to one of the plurality of network components, and a third level corresponding to one of the set of cable modems.

2. A system for displaying information in a hierarchical structure, the system comprising:
a server comprising at least one computer processor, the server configured to be communicatively coupled via a network to a cable modem termination system (CMTS);
an electronic display screen communicatively coupled to the server and configured by the server to provide a graphical user interface;
the at least one processor of the server configured to:
automatically evaluate groups of issues, each issue associated with one or more cable modems of a set of cable modems connected to the CMTS,
wherein a plurality of network components are shared in common by the set of cable modems, and
wherein each issue comprises one or more of a problem, fault, or alarm associated with the respective one or more cable modems;

automatically identify, based on the evaluating, a plurality of likely root causes, each root cause associated with a particular issue in the groups of issues;
cause the electronic display screen to display, in the graphical user interface, the plurality of likely root causes in a hierarchical display structure; and
cause the display screen to display in the graphical user interface, switchably or simultaneously with displaying the hierarchical display structure, a geographic map based on a physical topology of a hybrid fiber-coaxial network connected to the CMTS,
wherein the geographic map includes one or more locations corresponding to one or more cable modems associated with the plurality of likely root causes in the hierarchical display structure,
wherein the geographic map is zoomable, and wherein the geographic map and the hierarchical display structure are automatically synchronized by updating the hierarchical display to display a level of detail corresponding to a changed zoom level of the geographic map, and by updating the geographic map to display a level of detail corresponding to a current user-selected element of the hierarchical display structure, and
wherein the level of detail is one of a plurality of levels, the plurality of levels comprising a first level corresponding to the CMTS, a second level corresponding to one of the plurality of network components, and a third level corresponding to one of the set of cable modems.

3. A method comprising, in at least one processor of a server configured to be communicatively coupled via a network to a cable modem termination system (CMTS):
automatically evaluating groups of issues, each issue associated with one or more cable modems of a set of cable modems connected to the CMTS,
wherein a plurality of network components are shared in common by the set of cable modems, and
wherein each issue comprises one or more of a problem, fault, or alarm associated with the respective one or more cable modems; and

causing an electronic display screen communicatively coupled to the server and configured by the server to provide a graphical user interface to display, in a hierarchical structure, information relating to one or more of the issues; and
causing the display screen to display in the graphical user interface, switchably or simultaneously with displaying the hierarchical display structure, a geographic map based on a physical topology of a hybrid fiber-coaxial network connected to the CMTS,
wherein the geographic map includes one or more locations corresponding to one or more cable modems associated with the plurality of likely root causes in the hierarchical display structure,
wherein the geographic map is zoomable, and wherein the geographic map and the hierarchical display structure are automatically synchronized by updating the hierarchical display to display a level of detail corresponding to a changed zoom level of the geographic map, and by updating the geographic map to display a level of detail corresponding to a current user-selected element of the hierarchical display structure, and
wherein the level of detail is one of a plurality of levels, the plurality of levels comprising a first level corresponding to the CMTS, a second level corresponding to one of the plurality of network components, and a third level corresponding to one of the set of cable modems.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
causing the electronic display screen to display the information in a graphical dashboard for a network monitoring system, wherein the graphical dashboard comprises a display of network monitoring information and alarms in a hierarchical, topological fashion.

5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
causing the electronic display screen to display one or more RF parameters of the network based on a physical topology of the network.

6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
linking a monitored element of the network with both a physical location of the monitored element and a relationship of the monitored element to one or more other elements of the network;
wherein each of the monitored element and the one or more other elements, respectively, is one of a group consisting of the set of cable modems and the plurality of network components.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the relationship comprises one or more of a vertical affiliation and a horizontal affiliation;
wherein a horizontal affiliation between a first element and a second element comprises both being physically connected to a shared third element, the shared third element comprising one of a RF tap, a RF trunk amplifier, an RF splitter, a service group, and a fiber node, and
wherein a vertical affiliation between a cable modem and a second element comprises a physical connection between the cable modem and the second element, the second element

Assignees

• Gen Instrument Corp
• Arris Entpr Inc

Inventors

• Bowler David B
• Basile Brian M
• Gu Shaoting

Classifications

• H04L41/12

  Discovery or management of network topologies · CPC title

• H04L41/22 Primary

  comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI] · CPC title

• H04L41/06

  Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications · CPC title