Monitoring device and system

Abstract

In a monitoring device and system, a monitoring data inserter inserts monitoring data of a predetermined pattern into an idle period of input data to be transmitted to a transmission line. A monitoring data checker having received the monitoring data through the transmission line, when determining that the monitoring data does not maintain the predetermined pattern, provides selective switchover instructions to a selector to be controlled. Then, the monitoring data checker sequentially performs a selective switchover to processors, thereby detecting a failure point in the processors. Also, when the failure point in the processors can not be detected, the monitoring data checker provides channel switchover instructions to a switching portion and performs a channel switchover of the transmission line, thereby detecting which channel of the transmission line has caused a failure.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which the reference numerals refer to like parts throughout and in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the principle of a monitoring device according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment [1] of a monitoring device according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an overall operation of a monitoring device according to the present invention;

FIGS. 4A-4C are diagrams showing embodiments of data and monitoring data used for a monitoring device according to the present invention;

FIGS. 5A and 5B are block diagrams showing pattern examples of monitoring data used for a monitoring device according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a monitoring example (1) of an embodiment [1] of a monitoring device according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a monitoring example (2) of an embodiment [1] of a monitoring device according to the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a monitoring example (3) of an embodiment [1] of a monitoring device according to the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a monitoring example (4) of an embodiment [1] of a monitoring device according to the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a monitoring example (5) of an embodiment [1] of a monitoring device according to the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a monitoring example (6) of an embodiment [1] of a monitoring device according to the present invention;

FIGS. 12A and 12B are block diagrams showing channel switchover examples of a monitoring device according to the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a monitoring data checking example (1) of a monitoring device according to the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a monitoring data checking example (2) of a monitoring device according to the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing an embodiment [2] of a monitoring device according to the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing an embodiment [3] of a monitoring device according to the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing an embodiment [4] of a monitoring system according to the present invention;

FIG. 18 is a block diagram showing an arrangement of a frame switching system to which the present invention and the prior art example are applied; and

FIG. 19 is a block diagram showing a prior art example of a monitoring device.

Claims

1. A monitoring device comprising: a first means inserting monitoring data of a predetermined pattern into an idle period of input data to be transmitted to a transmission line;a second means selecting one or more processors arranged in the transmission line to make the selected processors process the monitoring data from the transmission line or diverting the monitoring data from all processors arranged in the transmission line; anda third means determining whether or not the monitoring data outputted from the selected processors through the transmission line maintains the predetermined pattern by comparing the monitoring data with the predetermined pattern prestored, and detecting a failure point in the processors by controlling the second means to sequentially perform a selective switchover to the processors when determining that the predetermined pattern is not maintained.

2. The monitoring device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a fourth means switching over channels composing the transmission line at an output side of the processors, the third means including a means controlling the fourth means to detect which channel of an input side transmission line or output side transmission line of the processors has caused a failure when the failure point in the processors can not be detected.

3. The monitoring device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a fourth means selectively providing the monitoring data to one or more second or third processors respectively arranged in an input side transmission line or output side transmission line of the processors to be processed, the third means detecting a failure point in the second or third processors by controlling the fourth means to sequentially perform the selective switchover to the second or third processors.

4. The monitoring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the third means includes a means providing pattern switchover instructions of the monitoring data to the first means in order for the processors not to treat the monitoring data as invalid data.

5. The monitoring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the third means controls the second means only when determining equal to or more than a predetermined number of times that the monitoring data does not maintain the predetermined pattern.

6. The monitoring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the third means includes a means controlling the second means to detect the failure point in the processors and to reconfigure the processors in which the failure point has been detected only when determining equal to or more than a predetermined number of times that the monitoring data does not maintain the predetermined pattern.

7. The monitoring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the input data comprises an Ethernet frame, the monitoring device further comprising a fourth means storing the Ethernet frame in a buffer, and a fifth means reading equal to or more than a predetermined number of Ethernet frames all at one time out of the buffer and generating the idle period by a summation of inter-frame gaps between the Ethernet frames read.

8. The monitoring device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a fourth means storing the input data in a buffer, and a fifth means providing a clock rate higher than that of the input data to the buffer, reading the input data out of the buffer, and generating the idle period by a difference between both clock rates.

9. A monitoring system comprising: a plurality of monitoring devices, as a working system and a protection system respectively,the each monitoring device having a first means inserting monitoring data of a predetermined pattern into an idle period of input data to be transmitted to a transmission line, a second means selecting one or more processors arranged in the transmission line to make the selected processors process the monitoring data from the transmission line or diverting the monitoring data from all processors arranged in the transmission line, and a third means determining whether or not the monitoring data outputted from the selected processors through the transmission line maintains the predetermined pattern by comparing the monitoring data with the predetermined pattern prestored, and detecting a failure point in the processors by controlling the second means to sequentially perform a selective switchover to the processors when determining that the predetermined pattern is not maintained;wherein the third means of the monitoring devices being provided with a means notifying an error outward when determining that the monitoring data does not maintain the predetermined pattern.

10. A monitoring method comprising: a first step of inserting monitoring data of a predetermined pattern into an idle period of input data to be transmitted to a transmission line;a second step of selecting one or more processors arranged in the transmission line to make the selected processors process the monitoring data from the transmission line or diverting the monitoring data from all processors arranged in the transmission line; anda third step of determining whether or not the monitoring data outputted from the selected processors through the transmission line maintains the predetermined pattern by comparing the monitoring data with the predetermined pattern prestored, and detecting a failure point in the processors by controlling the second step to sequentially perform a selective switchover to the processors when determining that the predetermined pattern is not maintained.