Communication system

A method of analysing a communication system to locate a source of a fault, the communication system comprising a signal carrying medium coupled to a series of end station ports which enable respective end stations to transmit signals onto and receive signals from said signal carrying medium;

• and control means for controlling a connection of said respective end stations to the medium via the ports, the method comprising the steps of:
• a) causing said control means to disconnect a group of said end stations;
• b) detecting whether the fault exists;
• c) i) if it does, disconnecting a group of remaining end stations, or
• ii) if it does not, reconnecting a number of end stations of a previously disconnected group;
• d) detecting whether the fault exists;
• and,
• e) repeating steps (c) and (d) until the end station causing the fault is located.

A communication system comprising:

• a signal carrying medium coupled to a series of end station ports which enable respective end stations to transmit signals onto and receive signals from said signal carrying medium;
• control means for controlling a connection of end stations to said signal carrying medium via said end station ports;
• and
• fault analysis means for detecting a source of a fault on the system, the fault analysis means being adapted to carry out a method comprising the steps of:
• upon detection of a fault, disconnecting end stations in series from said signal carrying medium;
• detecting whether or not a fault condition still exists;
• and
• causing said control means firstly to disconnect an end station which has previously been characterised as the most likely to be a source of the fault, under control of fault analysis means adapted to respond to fault detection.

A communication system comprising:

• a signal carrying medium coupled to a series of end station ports which enable respective end stations to transmit signals onto and receive signals from said signal carrying medium;
• control means for controlling connection of end stations to said signal carrying medium via said end station ports;
• and
• fault analysis means for detecting a source of a fault on the system, the fault analysis means being adapted to carry out a method comprising the steps of:
• a) causing said control means to disconnect a group of said end stations;
• b) detecting whether the fault exists;
• c) i) if it does, disconnecting a group of remaining end stations, or ii) if it does not, reconnecting a number of end stations of a previously disconnected group;
• d) detecting whether the fault exists;
• and,
• e) repeating steps (c) and (d) until the end station causing the fault is located.