Fault monitoring in a utility supply network
AssigneeSpatialbuzz Limited
InventorsAndrew Blake, Michael Shannon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Where elements in a utility supply network are dependent upon another element for their proper operation, determining, by reference to user queries about network performance, whether there are faults in the dependent elements or a fault in the element upon which the dependent elements rely.
Claims18
A method of fault monitoring in a utility supply network containing a plurality of elements necessary for delivery of a utility, the plurality of elements comprising a first parent element upon which a first plurality of child elements depend and a second parent element upon which a second plurality of child elements depend, the method comprising:
- receiving failure indications at a network service reporting system from network elements of the utility supply network, each failure indication attributed to a child element of the first plurality of child elements and indicating failure of an element in the utility supply network;
- counting, as a first total, a number of failure indications that have been received for the first plurality of child elements;
- determining whether the first total exceeds a first threshold;
- upon determining that the first total exceeds the first threshold:
- counting, as a second total, a number of child elements of the first plurality of child elements that satisfy a likelihood condition;
- determining whether the second total exceeds a second threshold;
- and
- upon determining that the second total exceeds the second threshold, signaling that the first parent element is likely impaired;
- counting, as a third total, a number of failure indications that have been received for the child elements of the second plurality of child elements;
- determining whether the third total exceeds a third threshold;
- and
- upon determining that the third total exceeds the third threshold:
- counting, as a fourth total, a number of child elements of the second plurality of child elements that satisfy a likelihood condition;
- determining whether the fourth total exceeds a fourth threshold;
- and
- upon determining that the fourth total exceeds the fourth threshold, signaling that the second parent element is likely impaired,
- wherein, for each child element of the first plurality of child elements and the second plurality of child elements, the likelihood condition is a count of the failure indications that are attributed to said child element exceeding a limit assigned to said child element.
An apparatus for fault monitoring in a utility supply network containing a first parent element upon which a first plurality of child elements and a second parent element upon which a second plurality of child elements depend for delivery of a utility, the apparatus comprising:
- one or more processors;
- and
- a non-transitory, processor-readable storage medium comprising instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
- receive failure indications from network elements of the utility supply network, each failure indication attributed to a particular child element and indicating failure of an element in the utility supply network;
- count, as a first total, a number of failure indications that have been received for the first plurality of child elements;
- determine whether the first total exceeds a first threshold;
- and
- upon determining that the first total exceeds the first threshold:
- count, as a second total, a number of child elements of the first plurality of child elements that satisfy a likelihood condition;
- determine whether the second total exceeds a second threshold;
- upon determining that the second total exceeds the second threshold, signal that the first parent element is likely impaired;
- count, as a third total, a number of failure indications that have been received for the child elements of the second plurality of child elements;
- determine whether the third total exceeds a third threshold;
- and
- upon determining that the third total exceeds the third threshold:
- count, as a fourth total, a number of child elements of the second plurality of child elements that satisfy a likelihood condition;
- determine whether the fourth total exceeds a fourth threshold;
- and
- upon determining that the fourth total exceeds the fourth threshold, signal that the second parent element is likely impaired;
- wherein at least the first and second totals are stored in data storage hardware;
- and
- for each child element of the first plurality of child elements and the second plurality of child elements, the likelihood condition is a count of the failure indications that are attributed to said child element exceeding a limit assigned to said child element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.