WO2012085744A2 - Dispositif, système et procédé de gestion de tempêtes de messages d'alarme dans un réseau de communication - Google Patents

Dispositif, système et procédé de gestion de tempêtes de messages d'alarme dans un réseau de communication Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2012085744A2
WO2012085744A2 PCT/IB2011/055587 IB2011055587W WO2012085744A2 WO 2012085744 A2 WO2012085744 A2 WO 2012085744A2 IB 2011055587 W IB2011055587 W IB 2011055587W WO 2012085744 A2 WO2012085744 A2 WO 2012085744A2
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Prior art keywords
alarm message
alarm
storm
messages
node
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WO2012085744A3 (fr
Inventor
Daniel Martin GÖRGEN
Oscar Garcia Morchon
Marc Aoun
Javier Espina Perez
Tim Corneel Wilhelmus Schenk
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Koninklijke Philips NV
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Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L41/00—Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
    • H04L41/06—Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
    • H04L41/0604—Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications using filtering, e.g. reduction of information by using priority, element types, position or time
    • H04L41/0622—Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications using filtering, e.g. reduction of information by using priority, element types, position or time based on time
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L43/00—Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
    • H04L43/02—Capturing of monitoring data
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L43/00—Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
    • H04L43/08—Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
    • H04L43/0823—Errors, e.g. transmission errors

Definitions

  • the invention relates to handling alarm message storms in a communications network.
  • the invention relates to devices and methods for handling alarm message storms in a communications network, to nodes of the communications network comprising the devices and to a system comprising at least one of the nodes.
  • Remote management of devices or systems is receiving increased interest in the world.
  • Remote management or telemanagement can be utilized in a plurality of areas like building automation, monitoring applications, sensor and sensor-actuator systems, medical applications, automotive techniques, automation etc. and is well known.
  • the present invention will be discussed with regard to an outdoor lighting system as an example for a system, where the remote management or telemanagement can be employed. However, it has to be pointed out, that the present invention can be used also with regard to further appropriate applications.
  • control center adapted for controlling the luminaire nodes, via collector or controller nodes, adapted for enabling and managing communications between the luminaire nodes and the control center.
  • controller node and “collector node” have the same meaning and refer to nodes adapted for enabling and managing communications between the luminaire nodes and the control center.
  • luminaire node or node refer to nodes, which are configured to perform applications and functionality of the communications system or of the telemanagement network, respectively, e.g. the lighting functionality.
  • control center refers to a central control node of the communications system of the telemanagement network, respectively, which can be a system or a device and is configured for controlling, managing and configuring the (luminaire) nodes and the collector nodes.
  • alarm or “alarm message” respectively refers to messages, which are generated by at least one (luminaire) node if the at least one node detects that a sudden change or event in a device, system or network occurred, for example, failure, interference or other device-, system- or network-damaging, -changing or - influencing event, that has to be signaled or reported to the control center by transmitting a corresponding "alarm” or "alarm message” respectively.
  • the term "message storm" means communication of a high number of messages in the communications network between the luminaire nodes and the control center via the collector/controller nodes so that a message overload or congestion of the communications network can, or is likely to, occur.
  • the communications network comprising the luminaire nodes and the collector or controller nodes is a large-scale network.
  • Scalability of such large-scale networks and of applications or processes performed in the large-scale networks is known as being problematic and limited and represents a challenging task.
  • there is still a need for efficient, robust and scalability functionality supporting handling of alarm message storms which further allows or at least supports self-configuration and/or self-healing of the communications network and its nodes in an alarm message storm situation.
  • the known solutions for implementing communications networks comprising (luminaire or further device or system) nodes and collector or controller nodes can be divided in two groups: implementation of star networks and implementation of mesh networks.
  • Fig. 1 shows an exemplary star network, where every (luminaire) node 13 (N) is connected via a direct connection 14 to a controller or collector node 12 (DC), wherein "N” is an abbreviation for “node” and “DC” is an abbreviation for "data collector”.
  • the controller or collector nodes 12 (DC) and the control center 10 are connected via a connection 11, which can be, for example, internet, cellular or further communication enabling network.
  • These star networks typically require a rooftop placed high-power/high- sensitivity base station as collector or controller nodes 12 (DC), which makes the solution cumbersome to deploy and expensive.
  • the collector or controller nodes 12 (DC) can be placed at a lower location (e.g.
  • Fig. 2 shows an exemplary mesh network, which does not have the above- outlined disadvantages of the star network. Since, the present invention is directed to communications networks having the mesh network structure, a more detailed description of mesh networks is provided below, when the present invention is described in more detail. By use of the mesh network, according to the present invention, the disadvantages of the star network are overcome.
  • RF radio frequency
  • these events can be luminaire or lamp failures, driver failures, node failures or power variations being out of the specification. While alarms will typically happen very infrequently, it can occur that multiple (luminaire) nodes produce the same alarm in the same instant. As an example, a power variation can affect a neighborhood or even the whole network in a city. When too many alarms are produced and forwarded to a controller or collector node, this can lead to alarm storms that congest the communications network.
  • Alarm messages are in general transmitted to one or multiple controller or collector nodes that acknowledge them.
  • many data packets and/or alarm messages are lost or arrive too late at the controller or collector node, which causes corresponding retransmissions at the (luminaire) nodes.
  • Fast retransmissions are necessary since alarms have in many cases a high importance and should be reliably communicated towards a (back-end) control center in a very short time frame.
  • the need for fast retransmissions leads to a further increase of the network load and, thus, makes the problem of congestion more complicated.
  • the communications network can be for a longer period of time not able to deliver any message in a reasonable timeframe.
  • WO 2009/147585 Al discloses dealing with broadcast storms due to route discovery.
  • the object is achieved by the features of the independent claims.
  • the invention is based on the idea that the handling of alarm message storms can be improved by implementing alarm message storm avoidance, detection and/or recovery and by allowing appropriate combinations of alarm message storm avoidance, detection and/or recovery.
  • a random time spreading of alarm message transmissions is proposed, wherein the random time spreading of alarm message transmissions can be based on the current context and/or node state.
  • the alarm message storm detection it is proposed to monitor the alarm message inflow frequency to trigger a recovery process, wherein the monitoring can be performed with regard to different alarm types, parts of the network and/or time periods locally and/or centrally.
  • the alarm message storm recovery or processing respectively is implemented by suppressing the amount of alarm messages to be transmitted.
  • the alarm message storm recovery or processing can be implemented in a centralized way, where potential upcoming alarm message storms (as detected) are suppressed by triggering a quieten period from the collector node and/or from the control center (e.g. by use of a broadcast message), and/or in a distributed way, where at (luminaire) nodes the alarm messages can be aggregated to a single alarm message or it can be decided not to transmit at least a part of the alarm messages.
  • the handling of alarm message storms is based in general on suspending the generation, transmission, retransmission and forwarding of alarm messages (for example, depending on a given alarm type etc.) and uses a random time-spread transmission period, which is more coordinated and is more targeted to the current alarm message storm.
  • the present invention focuses on avoiding, detecting and/or solving alarm message storms, which is one of the main reasons for limited scalability in the corresponding systems like the (outdoor) luminaire systems, for example.
  • alarming is an important application in telemanagement systems.
  • Messages reporting the alarms are sent by the (luminaire) nodes towards a (segment) controller or collector node and subsequently towards the control center in an uncoordinated way at the time the alarm messages are created.
  • This lack of coordination can lead to storms when too many nodes sent alarm messages at the same instant. Particularly, this may happen, for example, for the same type of alarm due to multiple nodes detecting the same phenomenon.
  • the present invention provides a solution to avoid alarm message storms, to early detect them, to solve them.
  • a device for handling alarm message storms in a communications network at a node of the communications network, wherein the device comprises at least one of the following: an alarm message storm avoider that is adapted to transmit an alarm message (to at least one collector node (directly or via other nodes) or to a control center via at least one collector node respectively) by randomly delaying the transmission of the alarm message according to a type of the alarm message; an alarm message storm detector that is adapted to detect alarm message storms by monitoring a number of alarm messages transmitted by the node and/or by further nodes in the
  • an alarm message storm processor that is adapted to suppress transmitting at least one alarm message (to at least one collector node (directly or via other nodes) or to a control center via at least one collector node respectively) with regard to an alarm message storm.
  • an efficient alarm message storm handling is provided, by use of which congestions of the communications network can be avoided, detected and treated effectively and promptly.
  • a fine distributed alarm message storm handling with high scalability is provided in large-scale communications networks, where, as known, the scalability in general represents a challenging task.
  • a fast and effective local handling of alarm message storms is enabled, which in known systems requires too much time and resources for detecting and processing alarm message storms not to mention avoiding of said storms.
  • a fast and effective local self-healing and self- configuration is ensured by the present invention.
  • at least one of the following: a maximum delay value and a delay condition is assigned to the type of the alarm message, wherein:
  • the alarm message storm avoider is adapted to transmit the alarm message (to at least one collector node (directly or via other nodes) or to a control center via at least one collector node respectively) by randomly delaying the transmission of the alarm message;
  • the alarm message storm avoider is adapted to transmit the alarm message at a current time
  • the alarm message storm avoider is adapted to perform the randomly delaying the transmission of the alarm message by determining a random transmission time by use of the maximum delay and by transmitting the alarm message at the determined random
  • the alarm message storm avoider is adapted not to transmit the alarm message, if the alarm message storm avoider has received a information indicating that at least one further node of the
  • the communications network has already transmitted at least one alarm message of the type of the alarm message, and/or wherein the alarm message storm avoider is adapted to generate a new alarm message by aggregating at least two alarm messages being alarm messages of the alarm type. In this way, an effective suppressing of the amount of communications between the nodes in the network and saving of resources of the communications network are enabled.
  • the alarm message storm detector is adapted to perform said monitoring by performing an alarm message type specific monitoring, in which for each type of alarm messages a number of messages of the corresponding type of alarm messages transmitted by the node and/or by the further nodes in the communications network (to at least one collector node (directly or via other nodes) or to a control center via at least one collector node respectively) is monitored.
  • an alarm message type specific monitoring in which for each type of alarm messages a number of messages of the corresponding type of alarm messages transmitted by the node and/or by the further nodes in the communications network (to at least one collector node (directly or via other nodes) or to a control center via at least one collector node respectively) is monitored.
  • the alarm message detector if the number of alarm messages exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the alarm message detector is adapted to indicate that an alarm message storm is detected; and/or if the number of messages of the corresponding type of messages exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the alarm message detector is adapted to indicate that an alarm message storm for the corresponding type of the alarm messages is detected.
  • an effectively controllable detecting of alarm message storms can be implemented, wherein also an easy adjusting of the sensitivity of the detecting methodology is enabled, since only the parameter of the predetermined threshold value has to be amended accordingly.
  • a corresponding threshold value can be specified, a more coordinated and situation- specific determining of alarm message storm is possible.
  • the alarm message detector is adapted to:
  • the local alarm message storm detecting is performed in a more qualitative and more scalable way, wherein several conditions like message types, locations or time periods are used as qualitative characteristics and since several locations of the communications (at several time periods) may be defined as focus areas for detecting alarm message storms.
  • the alarm message storm processor is adapted to perform at least one of the following:
  • a centralized alarm message storm processing by receiving a quieten message comprising a quieten period and by blocking transmitting of alarm messages (to at least one collector node (directly or via other nodes) or to a control center via at least one collector node respectively) and/or generating of alarm messages for the quieten period; and
  • a distributed alarm message storm processing by not transmitting an alarm message (to at least one collector node (directly or via other nodes) or to a control center via at least one collector node respectively), if the alarm message storm processor has received a information indicating that at least one further node of the communications network has already transmitted the alarm message (to at least one collector node (directly or via other nodes) or to a control center via at least one collector node respectively), or by generating a single message from a plurality of messages to be transmitted and transmitting the single message (to at least one collector node (directly or via other nodes) or to a control center via at least one collector node respectively).
  • a centralized alarm message storm processing is performed not only with regard to a top-level of the communications network like the level of the collector nodes or the level of the control center, but, at the same time, is broken or scaled down to the node level also.
  • the centralized alarm message storm processing is performed not only passively but also actively at all nodes of the communications network and is performed not only with regard to the nodes but also by the nodes of the communications network.
  • an effective distributed alarm message processing is provided, which allows reducing the amount of alarm messages to be transmitted at every node in the communications network.
  • a strong and effective reduction of the total amount of messages transmitted in the whole communications network is achieved by involving several levels of the
  • the alarm message storm processor is adapted to block the transmitting of alarm messages of the predefined type of alarm messages; if the alarm message storm refers to a certain type of alarm messages and the information refers to the certain type of alarm messages, the alarm message storm processor is adapted not to transmit the alarm message if the alarm message is of the certain type; and/or if the alarm message storm refers to a certain type of alarm messages, the single message is generated from a plurality of messages, which are of the certain type.
  • the alarm message storm processor is configured to queue the alarm messages, transmission of which is blocked, during the blocking. In this way, it is ensured that none of the alarm messages blocked will be lost after the blocking process and that the corresponding alarms will actually arrive at the control center for further solving causes of the alarms.
  • the alarm message storm processor is configured to transmit the alarm messages, transmission of which has been blocked, randomly and/or to dismiss transmitting of at least one of the alarm messages, transmission of which has been blocked, if the alarm message storm processor has received an information indicating that at least one further node of the communications network has already transmitted at least one further alarm message being similar or related to the at least one alarm message.
  • the quieten message comprises at least one of the following: a maximum delay value and a minimum delay value, wherein the random transmitting the alarm messages, transmission of which has been blocked, is performed by use of the maximum delay value and/or the minimum delay value.
  • a device for handling alarm message storms in a communications network at a data traffic controlling node of the communications network, wherein the device comprises at least one of the following: an alarm message storm detector that is adapted to detect alarm message storms by monitoring a number of alarm messages received by the data traffic controlling node (from at least one node of the communications network); and an alarm message storm processor that is adapted to suppress transmitting at least one alarm message (from at least one node of the
  • the data traffic controlling node can be a collector node or a control center.
  • the collector node and the control center may have the above outlined functionalities, which are explained in more detail below.
  • the term "alarm related message” refers to messages to be transmitted and/or received due to or with regard to alarm messages, which caused the alarm message storm, e.g. acknowledgement messages acknowledging the reception of the alarm messages at the data traffic controlling node and transmitted from the data traffic controlling node to the (luminaire) nodes of the network.
  • the communications network between the nodes and the control center is utilized.
  • the large-scale communications network and the handling of the alarm message storms are scaled down to several areas of the communications network in an efficient way.
  • This scaling down together with the effective area based, alarm message storm handling enable a quick reacting to alarm message storms without interfering other areas of the communications network, which do not have any alarm message storm.
  • a fast and effective self-healing and self-configuration of the corresponding affected area of the communications network is ensured by the present invention.
  • the alarm message storm detector is adapted to perform said monitoring by performing an alarm message type specific monitoring, in which for each type of alarm messages a number of messages of the corresponding type of alarm messages received by the data traffic controlling node (from at least one node in the communications network) is monitored.
  • an alarm message type specific monitoring in which for each type of alarm messages a number of messages of the corresponding type of alarm messages received by the data traffic controlling node (from at least one node in the communications network) is monitored.
  • the alarm message detector if the number of alarm messages exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the alarm message detector is adapted to indicate that an alarm message storm is detected; and/or if the number of messages of the corresponding type of messages exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the alarm message detector is adapted to indicate that an alarm message storm for the corresponding type of the alarm messages is detected.
  • an effectively controllable detecting of alarm message storms can be implemented, wherein also an easy adjusting of the sensitivity of the alarm storm detecting methodology is enabled, since only the parameter of the predetermined threshold value has to be amended accordingly.
  • a corresponding threshold value can be specified, a more coordinated and situation- specific determining of alarm message storm is possible.
  • the alarm message detector is adapted to: perform said monitoring by monitoring the number of alarm messages received by the data traffic controlling node within or independently of at least one period of time and/or with regard to or independently of at least one location (in the communications network), to which the number of alarm messages refer; and/or perform said alarm message type specific monitoring by monitoring the number of messages of the corresponding type of alarm messages received by the data traffic controlling node within or independently of at least one period of time and/or with regard to or independently of at least one location, to which the number of alarm messages of the corresponding type of alarm messages refer.
  • the alarm message storm detecting is performed in a more qualitative and scalable way.
  • the alarm message storm processor is adapted to transmit a quieten message to at least one node of the communications network comprising a quieten period for blocking transmitting of alarm messages from the at least one node of the communications network to the data traffic controlling node for the quieten period; and/or if the alarm message storm is detected and if the alarm message storm refers to a certain type of alarm messages, the alarm message storm processor is adapted to transmit an alarm message type directed quieten message to at least one node of the communications network comprising a quieten period for blocking transmitting of alarm messages of the certain type of alarm messages from the at least one node of the communications network to the data traffic controlling node for the quieten period.
  • the alarm message storm processor is adapted to stop transmitting of acknowledgement messages acknowledging reception of alarm messages (to at least one node of the communications network) for the quieten period indicated in the quieten message; and/or if the alarm message storm is detected and if the alarm message storm refers to the certain type of alarm messages, the alarm message storm processor is adapted to stop transmitting of acknowledgement messages acknowledging reception of alarm messages of the certain type (to at least one node of the communications network) for the quieten period indicated in the alarm message type directed quieten message. In this way a further release of the communications network during the detected alarm message storm is achieved.
  • the quieten message comprises at least one of the following: a maximum delay value; and a minimum delay value.
  • a detected alarm message storm oriented and considering transmission of the previously blocked alarm messages is enabled, since a maximum and/or minimum delay values can be set with regard to heaviness of traffic, i.e. the load in the communications network, with regard to
  • a (luminaire or other entity, device or system) node of a communications network comprising a device for handling alarm message storms in a communications network at the node of the
  • a method for handling alarm message storms in a communications network at a (luminaire or other entity, device or system) node of a communications network comprises steps relating to corresponding operations of the node or of said device of the node configured for said handling, said operations being outlined above and described in more detail below.
  • the method comprises at least one of the following: avoiding alarm message storms by transmitting an alarm message by randomly delaying the transmission of the alarm message according to a type of the alarm message; detecting alarm message storms by monitoring a number of alarm messages transmitted by the node and/or by further nodes in the communications network; and processing an alarm message storm by suppressing transmitting at least one alarm message with regard to the alarm message storm.
  • a data traffic controlling node of a communications network comprising a device for handling alarm message storms in a communications network at the data traffic controlling node of the communications network, wherein the device corresponds to the above-outlined and below in more detail explained device of the data traffic controlling node.
  • a method for handling alarm message storms in a communications network at a data traffic controlling node of a communications network comprises steps relating to corresponding operations of the data traffic controlling node or of said device of the data traffic controlling node configured for said handling, said operations being outlined above and described in more detail below.
  • the method comprises at least one of the following: detecting an alarm message storm by monitoring a number of alarm messages received by the data traffic controlling node; and processing an alarm message storm with regard to the alarm message storm by suppressing transmitting at least one alarm message and/or at least one alarm related message.
  • a system which comprises at least one (luminaire or other entity, device or system) node of a communications network, said node being configured as outlined above and explained in more detail below, and at least one data traffic controlling node of a communications network, said data traffic controlling node being configured as outlined above and explained in more detail below.
  • the system is an outdoor luminaire system or outdoor lighting system, respectively.
  • a communications network is provided, which comprises at least one (luminaire or other entity, device or system) node configured as outlined above and explained in more detail below and at least one data traffic controlling node configured as outlined above and explained in more detail below.
  • the communications network is a outdoor luminaire communications network or outdoor lighting communications network, respectively.
  • the (luminaire or other entity, device or system) node has at least one of the following properties: the node is adapted to transmit alarm messages to one control center (via at least one collector node), i.e. to data traffic controlling nodes in general, and to receive information or data from the control center; the node has limited processing capabilities; the node is a stationary node; the node has a position, which is fixed and known in the communications network; the node transmits alarm messages and/or data messages of limited data rate.
  • the communications network is a mesh network.
  • the communications network is a large-scale network.
  • the present invention provides an improved handling of alarm message storms in a communications network, which allows a well and flexible scalability of the communications network, which is robust, fast, effective and resource saving, which takes into consideration qualitative information like importance of alarms in the communications network, locations and/or times of alarms, for example, which allows a fast and effective self-healing and self-configuration of the communications network and which enables a handling of alarm message storms that is coordinated with conditions and states in the communications network.
  • Fig. 1 illustrates a communications network implemented as a star network
  • Fig. 2 illustrates an exemplary communications network, with regard to which the present invention can be implemented
  • Fig. 3 illustrates an arrangement of a (luminaire) node and of a data traffic controlling node according to an embodiment of the present invention
  • Fig. 4 illustrates steps performed with regard to alarm message storm avoiding at a (luminaire) node according to an embodiment of the present invention
  • Fig. 5 illustrates steps performed with regard to alarm message storm detecting at a (luminaire) node according to an embodiment of the present invention
  • Fig. 6 illustrates steps performed with regard to alarm message storm detecting at a data traffic controlling node according to an embodiment of the present invention
  • Fig. 7 illustrates steps performed with regard to alarm message storm solving or processing respectively at a data traffic controlling node according to an embodiment of the present invention
  • Fig. 8 illustrates steps performed with regard to alarm message storm solving or processing respectively at a (luminaire) node according to an embodiment of the present invention
  • Fig. 9 illustrates alarm message storm processing at a collector node according to an embodiment of the present invention
  • Fig. 10 illustrates architecture of a (luminaire) node according to an
  • Fig. 11 illustrates architecture of a (luminaire) node according to a further embodiment of the present invention.
  • Fig. 12 illustrates operations performed with regard to distributed alarm
  • Fig. 2 illustrates an exemplary communications network, with regard to which the present invention can be implemented.
  • the communications network is a mesh network comprising a plurality of nodes 23 (N) and a plurality of collector nodes 22 (N/DC), all of them connected to each other via wireless connections 24.
  • the nodes 23 (N) correspond the luminaire nodes in the lighting system.
  • the general term "node” instead of the term “luminaire node” is used to indicate that the present invention is applicable correspondingly also to further areas like building automation, monitoring applications, sensor and sensor-actuator systems, medical applications, automotive techniques, automation etc.
  • the nodes 23 (N) may be also further device, entity or system nodes.
  • wireless connection paths can be provided, each of the paths comprising a plurality of wireless connections 24.
  • the nodes 23 (N) are configured to transmit information or data to other nodes 23 (N), 22 (N/DC), wherein the collector nodes 22 (N/DC) represent a specific kind of nodes of the communications network - nodes, which are adapted to receive the information or data from nodes 23 (N) and to transmit this information to a control center 20, which can be a device or system being adapted to control the communications network.
  • the collector nodes 22 may operate in the manner of gateways between the nodes 23 (N) and the control center (20), which receive, collect the data or information from the nodes 23 (N) and forward the corresponding data or information to the control center (20). Further, the communication can be performed also in the opposite way, where the control center (20) transmits data or information to the nodes 23 (N) via the collector nodes 22 (N/DC), preferably, for controlling the nodes 23 (N). The transmitting of data or information between the nodes 23 (N) and the collector nodes 22 (N/DC) can be performed, for example, via single-hop or multi-hop transmissions.
  • the transmitting of data or information between the control center (20) and the collector nodes 22 (N/DC) can be performed, for example, via a connection 21.
  • the connection 21 can be, for example, a connection via an internet, mobile communications or cellular network, a radio system or other wired or wireless data transmission system.
  • the wireless communication among the nodes 23 (N) and the collector nodes 22 (N/DC) can be constituted, for example, by RF transmissions via the wireless connections 24 or the wireless paths, respectively.
  • the present mesh network does not base on direct communication between each of the collector nodes 22 (N/DC) and the corresponding nodes 23 (N) associated to the corresponding collector node 22 (N/DC).
  • the communication is performed by forwarding or transmitting information or data between the nodes 23 (N) and the collector nodes 22 (N/DC) via multi-hop communications.
  • the collector nodes 22 (N/DC) can be installed flexibly with the nodes 23 (N).
  • the communications network with regard to which the present invention is implemented, as shown exemplary in Fig.
  • the communications network meets also robustness requirements, since, if one of the collector nodes 22 (N/DC) fails, i.e., cannot perform its functions properly, the corresponding information, data or messages respectively can be routed to at least one another collector node 22 (N/DC) in the communications network.
  • the communications network with regard to which the present invention is
  • mesh networks can be divided in two groups: a flooding-based mesh and a routing-based mesh, explained shortly in more detail in the following.
  • the flooding-based mesh is a mesh network, in which all message are forwarded by all nodes in the network.
  • the destination node decodes the message.
  • the advantage of this technique is that it is extremely simple: a node does not have to decide to whom to forward a message, data or information respectively, it just broadcasts it.
  • the flooding-based mesh is typically quite robust due to the large number of messages, data or information respectively.
  • the disadvantage of the flooding-based mesh appears in large networks (say typically > a few 100), since then the overhead due to forwarding of messages, data or information respectively starts impacting the overall data rate. This means that collisions of information, data or messages respectively start to appear, such that the overall performance may be reduced.
  • the routing-based mesh can be classified in general in two types: a routing- based mesh having a proactive scheme and a routing-based mesh having a reactive scheme.
  • Proactive schemes keep all needed network paths up-to-date, e.g., by transmitting regular beacon messages to neighbors to discover efficient routing paths.
  • every of the nodes (corresponding to nodes 23 (N) and collector nodes 22 (N/DC) of Fig. 2) may utilize a routing table.
  • the main advantage of this type of the mesh network is the efficiency in data, information or message transmission.
  • the main disadvantage is the scalability, since the proactive update of the routing table consumes a large part of network resources in large networks.
  • large (of full) routing tables might be required in every node.
  • long time (and costly use of resources) is required to build up the routing tables.
  • Reactive schemes avoid the permanent overhead and large routing tables by discovering routes on demand. They use flooding to discover communications paths and cache active routes on nodes (corresponding to nodes 23 (N) and collector nodes 22 (N/DC) of Fig. 2). When routes are used scarcely for single messages, as in the telemanagement application, flooding information, data or messages respectively instead of performing a route discovery might be performed to make the communication more efficient. If routes are kept long enough to avoid most route discovery, reactive schemes degenerate to proactive schemes with all of the advantages and disadvantages of the proactive schemes.
  • a communications network which combines the positive properties of flooding- and routing-based mesh solutions, while achieving the required level of scalability.
  • the advantages of the flooding- and routing-based mesh solutions are achieved and the scalability problem is solved.
  • the communications network has at least one of the following properties:
  • the communications network utilizes a (very) asymmetric communication, i.e., most of the data, information or message traffic is generated by nodes 23 (N) reporting, for example, their state and power usage to the control center 20 via collector nodes 22 (N/DC).
  • the traffic could be, for example, several Kbytes per Node 23 (N) per day.
  • the traffic comprises a N-to-1 traffic, which can be realized by unicasts, for example.
  • the traffic in the other direction - from the control center 20 to nodes 23 (N) - consists basically of control commands or control related data transmitted from the control center 20 via collector nodes 22 (N/DC) to the different nodes 23 (N).
  • the traffic in the other direction comprises 1-to-l and 1-to-N traffic, which can be realized in unicast, multicast or broadcast mode, for example.
  • the number of nodes 23 (N) is extremely high compared to known wireless mesh networks, which often have less than 200 nodes.
  • the nodes 23 (N) have limited processing capabilities. When considering a lighting system, for example, due to cost considerations, the processing and memory resources in the luminaire nodes will be limited.
  • the nodes 23 (N) are stationary, i.e., they are fixed in their position, immobile, motionless, static, or at rest. Thus, compared to other ad hoc mesh networks, the
  • communications network utilized according to the present embodiment of the invention is quite stationary, i.e., the nodes 23 (N) do not move, unlike the nodes in common communications networks. Consequently, network changes will arise in the communications network mainly due to a changing environment, e.g., due to traffic. Further, all nodes may be connected to mains power.
  • Positions of nodes 23 (N) are known, i.e., knowledge about the physical positions of the nodes (e.g. GPS coordinates) is known and accessible in the system, which might be required on application level.
  • the required data rate is limited. That means that the considered application usually will not require a high data rate. However, there could be some scenarios, where a low response time is needed with regard to some certain types of messages (e.g. switching lighting nodes of a section, where a traffic accident happened, to a full power level after the traffic accident).
  • Fig. 3 illustrates an arrangement of a (luminaire) node 23 and of a data traffic controlling node 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • the data traffic controlling node 3 refers to collector nodes 23 and to the control center 20. Therefore, it is to understood, that the collector nodes 23 and/or control center 20 may be arranged as shown exemplary in Fig. 3 with regard to the data traffic controlling node 3.
  • the node 23 comprises a device 33 for handling alarm message storms in a communications network like the above-discussed network provided exemplary in Fig. 2.
  • the device 33 of the node 23 comprises an alarm message storm avoider 331 that is adapted to transmit an alarm message by randomly delaying the transmission of an alarm message, an alarm message storm detector 332 that is adapted to detect alarm message storms by monitoring a number of alarm messages transmitted by the node 23 and/or by further nodes 23 in the communications network, and an alarm message storm processor 333 that is adapted to suppress transmitting at least one alarm message at current time with regard to an alarm message storm.
  • the data traffic controlling node 3 comprises according to the present embodiment a device 32 for handling alarm message storms in the
  • the device 32 of the data traffic controlling node 3 comprises an alarm message storm detector 322 that is adapted to detect alarm message storms by monitoring a number of alarm messages received by the data traffic controlling node 3 and an alarm message storm processor 323 that is adapted to suppress transmitting at least one alarm message or at least one alarm related message at current time with regard to an alarm message storm.
  • the devices 33 and 32 will be explained in more detail by referring to Fig. 4 to Fig. 12.
  • Fig. 4 illustrates steps performed with regard to alarm message storm avoiding at a (luminaire) node 23 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • the box S4 comprising the steps representing the process of alarm message storm avoiding as whole.
  • alarm messages and/or alarm situations causing generation of alarm messages are detected S41 at (luminaire) node 23. Since in general an alarm situation causes generation of a corresponding alarm message, the step S41 is referred to as alarm message detecting, although detecting of an alarm message and/or of an alarm situation can be implemented.
  • the step S41 can be performed, for example by an alarm message detector arranged in the node 23.
  • an alarm detection algorithm ADA
  • the alarm messages detected should be communicated as soon as possible to the data traffic controlling node 3, so that immediate actions in response to the alarm messages can be taken by the system or by the system owner.
  • not all alarms are highly delay critical, and thus, an immediate delivery is not always necessary.
  • the node 22 might also decide not to send an alarm message, if it has heard that other nodes 22 located in its neighborhood are transmitting or broadcasting similar alarm messages. Examples for such similar alarm messages are alarms caused by lamp breakage during switching times or power variations being out of specification.
  • alarm messages are classified, for example, by: importance of the alarm messages, determined, for example, by use of a degree of heaviness of damage, interference or fault in the system indicated by an alarm message; delay sensitivity, meaning whether corresponding actions in response to an alarm message should be performed immediately or may performed at a later point of time; and likelihood of concurrency.
  • Alarm message types classified can further depend on time, at which the corresponding alarm message has been generated, or node state, corresponding to which the alarm message has been generated. For example, switching hours have the highest likelihood of lamp breakages.
  • the alarm message is checked S42 by the alarm message storm avoider 331 of the (luminaire) node 23.
  • the delay condition depends on the state of the node 23, at which the alarm message has been generated, but it can also have the entry "delay always", if the alarm message has a low importance, for example.
  • the alarm message storm avoider 331 checks S421 the type of the alarm message detected and the corresponding information associated to the type of the alarm message.
  • the corresponding information is the maximum delay value and the delay condition, wherein the present invention is not limited to this information only and wherein the information can be also a predetermined number of retransmissions, which the node 23 would perform with regard to a corresponding alarm message and by use of which the node 23 would decide whether the corresponding alarm message has been transmitted said number of times (if the number of retransmissions is larger than the predetermined number, no transmission will be performed, otherwise the alarm message will be transmitted).
  • the alarm message storm avoider 331 checks also whether further messages having the same type have been transmitted S422. Then, by use of the results of the checking S421, S422, the alarm message storm avoider 331 decides S43 on transmitting of the alarm message.
  • the alarm message storm avoider 331 decides S43, whether the alarm message should be transmitted. If the alarm message storm avoider 331 has received a information indicating that also further nodes have transmitted alarm messages of the same type, the alarm message storm avoider 331 may decide not to transmit the alarm message to avoid congestions and alarm message storms in the communications network. Then, the result of the deciding S43 on transmitting is 'No' (see S44) and in step S45 the transmission of the alarm message is dismissed.
  • a predetermined number 'M' for further nodes can be set, wherein for all or sub-set of types of alarm messages a corresponding number M can be set and/or for (each or at least one) specific type of alarm messages a corresponding number M can be set. Then, the alarm message storm avoider 331 may decide S43 not to transmit the alarm message if M or more than M further nodes have already transmitted alarm messages of the same type.
  • the time of transmission is determined S46 by the alarm message storm avoider 331. If the delay condition is met, a random propagation time, that is lower than the maximum delay value of the alarm class, is determined S46 by the alarm message storm avoider 331. For this several known methods for randomly determining the time of transmitting can be applied. According to the present embodiment, the alarm message storm avoider 331 uses a uniform distribution, thus the random transmission time is determined by the following equation:
  • send_time uniform(current_time, current time + maximum delay), wherein 'send time' is the determined transmission time, 'current time' represents the current time and 'maximum delay' is the maximum delay value assigned to the type of the alarm message and provided as a value for a time period. If the delay condition is not met at node 23, the alarm message is sent immediately, i.e. the transmission time is determined S46 as being equal the current time. Then, in step S47, the alarm message is transmitted at the determined transmission time by the node 23 or the alarm message storm avoider 331.
  • the alarm message storm avoider 331 can generate a new alarm message of the type by aggregating the alarm messages, i.e. the alarm messages are composed or combined to the one new message.
  • the new alarm message is transmitted at the determined transmission time (determined S46 with regard to the type of the alarm message).
  • Fig. 5 illustrates steps performed with regard to alarm message storm detecting at a (luminaire) node 23 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • the box S5 comprising the steps represent the process of alarm message storm avoiding as whole at the node 23. Since the alarm message storm detecting S5 can be performed at every
  • the alarm message storm detecting S5 performed by the node 23 and shown exemplary in Fig. 5 is referred to also as distributed alarm storm detecting.
  • the alarm message storm detector 332 of the device 33 of the node 23 keeps track of the number of all sent, overheard and/or forwarded alarm messages, i.e. of alarm messages transmitted by the node 23 and/or by other nodes 23 in the communications network. This can be done, for example, within a sliding temporal window or a further entity having a data structure appropriate for monitoring and analyzing data. If the number of alarm messages is above a given or predetermined threshold value S52, the alarm message storm detector 332 indicates S53 that an alarm message storm has been detected, otherwise S52 the monitoring S51 of the number of alarm messages is continued.
  • the alarm message storm detecting it can be distinguished whether the detecting is performed at a node 23, which is forwarding alarm messages originating from at least one further node 23 in the communications network.
  • a further criteria can be applied in addition to the threshold-criterion.
  • an alarm message storm can be detected, when the number of alarm messages exceeds the threshold value and if the alarm messages, for which the number of alarm messages has been determined, are originated from the same area of the communications network, i.e. nodes 23, which are located in the same area and/or which are neighboring nodes.
  • the monitoring S51 can be performed with regard to several areas or locations of the communications network, wherein for each area or location a corresponding number of alarm messages is monitored and compared S52 with the threshold value.
  • a scaled and location based (distributed) alarm message storm detecting can be performed.
  • the alarm message detector 332 will indicate S53, that an alarm message storm with regard to the corresponding location of the communications network has been detected.
  • the alarm message storm detecting can be performed with regard to alarm types, wherein for each type of alarm messages a corresponding number of alarm messages is monitored S51. If for one of the types of alarm messages the corresponding number of alarm messages exceeds a predetermined threshold value S52, the alarm message detector 332 will indicate S53, that an alarm message storm with regard to the corresponding type of alarm messages has been detected.
  • the alarm message storm detecting can be performed with regard to specific or predetermined time periods, for example, for specific time periods, at which a high occurrence of alarm messages can be expected or which are critical for certain reasons and to which a special attention has to be paid, or with regard to a time period of a specified length and ending at the current time. In the latter case the alarm messages of a
  • the monitoring S51 is performed with regard to at least one time period, wherein the number of alarm messages is determined with regard to the at least one time period and wherein, if the number of the alarm messages exceeds the predetermined threshold value, the alarm message detector 332 will indicate S53, that an alarm message storm with regard to the corresponding time period has been detected.
  • the alarm message storms can be detected in general, with regard to types, locations or time periods, with regard to types and locations, with regard to types and time periods, with regard to locations and time periods, and with regard to types, locations and time periods.
  • the criteria of types, locations and/or time periods will be applied in steps S51, S52, S53, as outlined above.
  • the monitoring S51 can be performed, for example, by use of a sliding window statistic on the number of transmitted alarm messages within the window, wherein also further appropriate entities based on (data) structures appropriate for efficient monitoring and analyzing data can be used.
  • the alarm message detector 332 checks the statistics for each alarm message type, each location and/or each time period.
  • the alarm messages, which meet the criteria are considered as potentially stormy, i.e. as being a cause for the detected alarm message storm.
  • the alarm message storm detecting can be performed with regard to several criteria at the same time and with several levels of detail at the same time.
  • Fig. 6 illustrates steps performed with regard to alarm message storm detecting at a data traffic controlling node 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • the steps performed for detecting alarm message storms at the data traffic controlling node 3 are similar to the above-outlined alarm message storm detecting steps performed at the (luminaire) node 23.
  • the box S6 comprising the steps represents the process of alarm message detecting at the data traffic controlling node 3 as whole.
  • the alarm message storm detecting S6 performed at the data traffic controlling node 3 being a control node for communication between the (luminaire) nodes 23 and/or at the control center 20 controlling, managing and configuring the network
  • the alarm message storm detecting S6 performed by the data traffic controlling node 3 and shown exemplary in Fig. 6 is referred to also as centralized alarm storm detecting.
  • the alarm message detector 322 of the data traffic controlling node 3 monitors S61 the number of alarm messages received at the data traffic controlling node 3. If the number of alarm messages is above a given or predetermined threshold value S62, the alarm message storm detector 322 indicates S63 that an alarm message storm has been detected, otherwise S62 the monitoring S61 of the number of alarm messages is continued.
  • the alarm message storm detecting at the data traffic controlling node 3 can be performed with regard to further criteria besides the threshold criterion.
  • the utilizing of further criteria is performed in the same way as described above with regard to alarm message storm detecting S5 at the (luminaire) node 23.
  • the monitoring S61 can be performed, for example, by use of a sliding window statistic on the number of the transmitted alarm messages within the window, wherein in this case the monitoring S61 is performed in the same way as the monitoring at the (luminaire) node 23.
  • the present invention allows also further methodologies, entities or structures to handle the several criteria for both the (luminaire) node 23 and the data traffic controlling node 3.
  • the alarm message storm detecting S6 can be performed with regard to several criteria at the same time and with several levels of detail at the same time also at the data traffic controlling node 3.
  • the predetermined threshold value can be set with regard to several factors, e.g., it can be set relative to the number of nodes 23 in the communications network and/or relative to the ratio between the number of nodes 23 and the number of collector nodes 22.
  • the predetermined threshold value could be set by assuming that, if a certain percentage of nodes transmits alarm messages, an alarm message storm situation can be caused, wherein the predetermined threshold value would then be set to the percentage of the number of nodes 22 or of the ratio between the number of nodes 23 and the number of collector nodes 22.
  • several ways of setting of the threshold value are possible and will be apparent to the skilled person.
  • both the (luminaire) node 23 and the data traffic controlling node 3 can use the methodology of alarm message storm detecting for determining and monitoring correlations according to the above criteria. Further, based on the methodology of alarm message storm detecting, performed at the data traffic controlling node 3 or at any
  • a watcher like a temporal window or further entities based on an appropriate (data) structure can be utilized for monitoring, analyzing and detecting alarm message traffic peaks, which are bigger than a given threshold value.
  • the nodes 23 and/or the data traffic controlling nodes 3 can transmit information on a detected alarm message storm (indicating the storm and, if necessary, conditions used for detecting the alarm message storm) to the neighbor nodes 23 and/or neighbor data traffic controlling nodes 3 (neighbor collector nodes 22 and/or control center 20) such that also the neighbor nodes 23 and/or neighbor data traffic controlling nodes (neighbor collector nodes 22 and/or neighbor control center 20) can perform the alarm message storm processing with regard to the detected alarm message storm.
  • alarm message storm processors 333, 323 or (luminaire) nodes 23 and/or data traffic controlling nodes 3 can be employed for solving and/or suppressing the alarm storm.
  • the solving and/or suppressing of detected alarm storms are explained in following with regard to operations, which can be performed at the data traffic controlling node 3 and at the
  • Fig. 7 illustrates steps performed with regard to alarm message storm solving or processing respectively at a data traffic controlling node 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • the box S7 comprising the steps represents the process of alarm message storm processing as whole at the data traffic controlling node 3. Since the alarm message storm processing S7 according to the present embodiment is performed at the data traffic controlling node 3, controlling the communication between the nodes 23 and the control center 20 and having, thus, a quite central rule in the communications processes, the alarm message storm processing S7 is referred to also as a centralized alarm message storm processing.
  • the alarm message storm processor 323 If an alarm message storm has been detected, the alarm message storm processor 323 generates S71 a quieten message.
  • the quieten message comprises a time period referred in following to as quieten period for stopping creation, transmission, forwarding and/or retransmission of alarm messages in the communications network, particularly, by nodes 23 for the time period specified by the quieten period and, where necessary, for dropping related messages in the communications network for said time period.
  • the alarm message storm processor 323 transmits S72 the quieten message to the nodes 23 of the communications network.
  • the quieten message can be, for example, a broadcast message; by broadcasting S72 the quieten message from the alarm message storm processor a more effective informing of nodes 23 about the determined alarm message storm is possible.
  • the alarm message storm processor 323 can stop or dismiss S73 transmitting of acknowledgement or response messages to the nodes 23, which are usually transmitted by the data traffic controlling node 3 to the nodes 23 to acknowledge reception of alarm messages transmitted by the nodes 23 and which can be transmitted as unicast messages, for example. In this way, a further reduction of traffic on connections 24 of the communications network is achieved. Further, the alarm message storm processor 323 can transmit S74 to the control center 20 a notification message, which comprises information on the detected alarm message storm. The information may comprise, for example, an information about the quieten period. Additionally the alarm message storm processor 323 transmits the already received alarm messages to the control center 20. In Fig.
  • step S71 the quieten message is generated by incorporating information about the additional criteria (e.g. types of the alarm messages, locations in the communications network and/or certain time periods) to allow the nodes 23 to perform actions with regard alarm messages meeting the additional criteria and causing the alarm message storm.
  • the quieten message can comprise additionally information about the additional criteria for alarm messages, which caused the storm.
  • the notification message transmitted to the control center 20 may also comprise a information about the additional criteria, by use of which the alarm message storm has been detected.
  • the quieten message can be generated S71 by incorporating a maximum delay value into the quieten message, the maximum delay value specifying a period of time, according to which the transmission of alarm messages after elapse of the quieten period can be delayed maximally to avoid occurrence of a new alarm message storm after the current alarm message storm processing S7.
  • a minimum delay value can be incorporated into the quieten message during its generation S71, the minimum delay value specifying a further period of time, according to which the transmission of alarm messages after elapse of the quieten period can at least be delayed to avoid occurrence of a new alarm message storm after the current alarm message storm processing S7.
  • Each of the delay values can be set, for example, in dependence on the number of nodes 23 in the network and/or on the number/frequency of received alarm messages, which is a measure for the severity of the alarm storm. According to the present invention, several corresponding setting methods known to the skilled person can be used.
  • Fig. 8 illustrates steps performed with regard to alarm message storm solving or processing respectively at a (luminaire) node 23 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • the box S8 comprising the steps represents the process of alarm message storm processing as whole.
  • the alarm message storm processing S8 can be performed by at least one of two further or sub-processing processes: the centralized processing S81 and the distributed processing S82, which are performed independently in dependence of where the alarm message storm has been detected. If the alarm message storm has been detected at the collector node 22, the centralized alarm message processing S71 is performed at the node 23 with regard to the alarm message processing S6 of the collector node 22.
  • the steps performed within the centralized alarm message processing S71 at node 22 are performed in response to the corresponding steps of the alarm message processing S6 at the collector node 22.
  • the distributed processing S82 is performed if the alarm message storm has been detected by the node 23.
  • the alarm message storm processor 333 of the device 33 of the node 23 receives S811 a quieten message from a collector node 22, wherein the received quieten message corresponds to the above-outlined quieten message transmitted by the collector node 22 during the alarm message storm processing S7. Then, in response to the received quieten message, the alarm message storm processor 333 blocks or stops S812 creating, transmitting, forwarding and/or retransmitting of related messages for the quieten period specified in the quieten message.
  • the related messages are messages, which have a relation to or are similar to alarm messages, which caused the alarm message storm.
  • the related alarm messages, transmission are messages, which have a relation to or are similar to alarm messages, which caused the alarm message storm.
  • the retransmission and/or forwarding of which has been blocked can be queued in a queue for a later transmitting, retransmitting and/or forwarding of said messages, i.e. after expiry of the quieten period.
  • the node 23, i.e. the alarm message storm processor 333 can also drop already queued related messages.
  • the quieten period is expired, in step S813 creation, transmission, retransmission and/or forwarding of the related alarm messages is resumed by the alarm message storm processor 333.
  • the quieten message comprises also at least one of the following: a maximum delay value and a minimum delay value
  • the transmission, retransmission and/or forwarding of the related alarm messages (summarized in Fig. 8 by term "transmission") can be performed by randomly delaying the transmission of the related messages, wherein the corresponding value as provided - the maximum delay value and/or minimum delay value - is used for the randomly delaying the transmission.
  • the alarm message storm processor 333 will perform the above blocking step S812 with regard to such related messages only, which also meet the additional criteria.
  • said blocking S812 would be performed with regard to alarm messages having the same type and/or being related to the same locations and/or time periods.
  • the alarm message storm processor 333 performs the distributed processing S82. At first, a decision with regard to transmitting of alarm messages is met S821. The steps S821 and S822 can be performed in similar way as described with regard to steps S43 and S44 of Fig. 4. If the alarm message storm processor 333 has received an information indicating that also further nodes have transmitted similar alarm messages, the alarm message storm processor 333 may decide not to transmit the alarm message to suppress the detected alarm message storm. Then, the result of the deciding S821 on transmitting is 'No' (see S822) and in step S823 the transmission of the alarm message is dismissed.
  • the alarm message storm processor 333 If the result of the deciding S821 on transmitting is 'Yes' (see S822), the alarm message storm processor 333, generates S824 a single alarm message from a plurality of alarm messages, which are related to alarm messages, that caused the detected alarm message storm, and which are to be transmitted or forwarded.
  • the generating S824 of the single alarm message can be performed by aggregating the plurality alarm messages, i.e. the alarm messages are composed or combined to the single message.
  • the alarm message storm processor 333 may insert into the single message a information indicating the area of the communications network, where the alarm has been originated, to provide to the control center 20 a more detailed information about the detected alarm message storm. Subsequently the node 23 or the alarm message storm processor 333 transmits the single message to the control center 20 via a collector node 22.
  • the alarm message storm processor 333 will generate S824 the single message with regard to such related alarm messages only, which also meet the additional criteria.
  • the single message will be generated S825 with regard to alarm messages having the same type and/or being related to the same locations and/or time periods.
  • Fig. 9 illustrates alarm message storm processing at a collector node 22 according to an embodiment of the present invention by visualizing main phases of the centralized alarm storm processing or solving S7, respectively. Since the collector node 22 controls communication between a plurality of nodes 23 in the communications network and one control centre 20 and since alarm message storms are caused by communication of alarm messages from the plurality of the nodes 23 to the control center 20 via the collector node 22, i.e. on the side of communications network, the communication between the collector node
  • the collector node 93 acknowledges every incoming alarm message Alarm T2 with an acknowledgement message ACK.
  • the collector node 93 acknowledges every incoming alarm message Alarm T2 with an acknowledgement message ACK.
  • acknowledgement message ACK can be, for example, a unicast message.
  • a stormy behavior phase 95 (Stormy behavior) with a plurality of transmitted alarm messages Alarm T2 occurs, which is monitored S6 by the alarm message storm detector 322 of the collector node 22.
  • the sliding window 98 (Sliding window) is used according to the present embodiment.
  • Alarm T2 of this type T2 (in that location) is suspended S73 and a quieten message Quieten is sent S72 to the network 93 to suppress further storming of this alarm message type T2 (coming from that location).
  • the quieten message Quieten can be, for example, a broadcast message, by use of which it is ensured that every node 23 in the network 93 will receive the quieten message Quieten informing about the detected alarm message storm 99.
  • the quieten message Quieten contains the length of a quieten period 96 (Quiet period T2) and parameters for a coordinated alarm message delivery.
  • a quieten period 96 (Quiet period T2) with a length specified by the collector node 22 is established in the network 93, in which no node 23 is allowed to create or forward alarm messages of the corresponding alarm type T2.
  • the nodes 23 in network 93 deliver S813 the outstanding alarm messages of the corresponding alarm message type T2, which could not be transmitted during the quieting period 96 (Quiet period T2), by randomly selecting a delivery time from a time interval specified in the quieten message Quieten.
  • the collector node 22 acknowledges the reception of the outstanding alarm messages by the acknowledgement messages ACK.
  • the transmitting of the outstanding messages is indicated in Fig. 9 by the bar 97 (Time-spread alarm delivery).
  • the outstanding alarm acknowledgement messages ACK can be also transmitted also with regard to a batch of alarm messages and not only individually, i.e. with regard to each alarm message separately.
  • Fig. 10 illustrates the architecture of a (luminaire) node 23 according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing components of the node 23, which can be involved for centralized alarm message storm processing S81 and for creating or establishing a quieten period in the node 23.
  • the alarm message storm processor 333 of the device 33 of the node 23 comprises a forward decider 10 1 (FD) that is adapted to check the type of each alarm message to be forwarded or transmitted; a router component 10 2 (Router) adapted to receive alarm messages and to pass each alarm message to the forward decider 10 1 (FD) before the corresponding alarm message is forwarded or transmitted to other nodes 22, 23 in the communications network; an alarm application component 10 3 (Alarm App.) adapted to block and unblock message types corresponding to alarm message types responsive for the detected alarm message storm and to drop alarm messages of a specific alarm message type, that are already scheduled for forwarding but alarm message type of which is involved in the detected alarm message storm; a queue component 10 4 (Queue) adapted to queue the alarm messages dropped by the alarm application component 10 3 (Alarm.
  • FD forward decider 10 1
  • router component 10 2 Router
  • an alarm application component 10 3 (Alarm App.) adapted to block and unblock message types corresponding to alarm message types responsive for the detected
  • the router component 10 2 (Router) is further adapted to enqueue the alarm messages, i.e. to derive the alarm messages from the queue component 10 4 (Queue) for forwarding or transmitting them to other nodes 22, 23 in the communications network.
  • the node 23 can comprise another application component 10 5, which can communicate also during an alarm message storm situation, if necessary, and which can receive/send messages from/via the router component 10 2, and a network interface controller 10 6 (NIC), which provides alarm and other messages received from the network to the router component 10 2 (Router).
  • the architecture of node 23 comprises three layers: application layer, network layer and link layer, comprising the above mentioned components as shown in Fig. 10.
  • Fig. 11 illustrates the architecture of a (luminaire) node 23 according to a further embodiment of the present invention.
  • the node 23 comprises an alarm detection (AD) component 11 1 adapted to detect Si l l possible alarm situations based on information such as measured information, node status, or local radio frequency communication. If an alarm is detected, it is sent SI 1 2 from the alarm detection (AD) component 11 1 to an alarm sending unit 11 2 of the node 23 that will further transmit SI 1 3 it to the network 11 4 (NWK), i.e. to further nodes 23 and/to collector nodes 22.
  • AD alarm detection
  • NWK network 11 4
  • the node 23 analyzes also alarm messages transmitted around the node 23 in the communications network.
  • Alarm forwarding unit 11 3 of the node 23 detects the alarm messages in the communications network and sends SI 1 5 statistics on these alarm messages to the alarm message storm detector 332 (SD).
  • the alarm message storm detector 332 analyzes different parameters to detect alarm message storms. Based, for example, on the type of the alarm messages, with regard to which the alarm message storm has been detected, on the location and/or on frequency, the node 23 can perform several operations with regard to the detected alarm message storm, as described above.
  • the node 23 can drop SI l_7a its own alarm messages (e.g., because similar ones are already transmitted in the communications network) or aggregate SI l_7b the alarm messages or drop SI l_7b repeated alarm messages.
  • the alarm detection (AD) component 11 1 transmits SI 1 6 information on detected alarm messages to the alarm message storm detector 332 (SD), which analyzes (amount of) the alarm messages with regard to a possible alarm message storm situation.
  • SD alarm message storm detector 332
  • each node 23 in the communications network keeps track of the alarm messages that it has heard from its neighbors or that it has forwarded.
  • the alarm detection component 11 1 (AD) of a node 23 triggers an alarm, but the node 23 has already heard similar alarms in its neighborhood
  • the alarm message storm detector 332 (SD) of the node 23 can decide not to send the alarm message (e.g., in case of alarms restricted to a given area).
  • a router component of the node 23, corresponding to the above-outlined alarm message storm processor 333 will check the alarm type, location, and time of each forwarded alarm message.
  • the router keeps track of alarm statistics and looks for correlations that enable reducing the amount of alarm-related traffic without reducing the effectivity of the system.
  • the router component relying on an alarm message storm detector 332 (SD), can decide not to forward alarm messages that are redundant.
  • the router can decide to aggregate related alarm messages, e.g., originated in the same area.
  • Fig. 12 illustrates operations performed with regard to distributed alarm message storm processing or solving S82 at a (luminaire) node 23 according to an
  • Fig. 12 gives an example for handling a quieten message, transmitted by a collector node 22 to the node 23, by components of the alarm message storm processor 333 as exemplary provided in Fig. 10.
  • the quieten message is received by the router component 10 2 of the alarm message storm processor 333 of the node 23 and provided to the alarm application component 10 3 of the alarm message storm processor 333, wherein the alarm application component 10 3, according to the present embodiment, is adapted to:
  • the forwarding and/or transmitting of alarm messages is unblocked and the node 23 or the alarm message storm processor 333 checks whether it has alarm messages of this type cached (e.g. in the interface queue component 10 4). If it does, it uses a maximum delivery delay value 'maximum delay' indicated in the quieten message to schedule the delivery or transmission of the alarm messages.
  • the scheduling of the alarm messages can be performed by use of several known and appropriate scheduling methods. According to the present embodiment, the following equation is used for randomly determining the transmission time 'send time', at which an alarm message should be transmitted:
  • send_time min_delay + uniform(current_time, current time + maximum delay)
  • the value 'min delay' indicating a minimum delay time for the transmission, ensures that all other nodes 23 have already unblocked the forwarding or transmitting too. Since normal operation of communication is reestablished after expiration of the quieten period, the alarm messages are acknowledged by acknowledgement messages (e.g. unicasts) by the collector node 22 in response to receiving the alarm messages.
  • acknowledgement messages e.g. unicasts
  • the transmitting of the acknowledgement messages can be done also by broadcasting the acknowledgement messages to limit the traffic.
  • 'maximum delay' is a critical parameter. It has to be chosen such that all potential alarm message senders 23 can communicate their alarm messages without creating an alarm message storm. If this number cannot be estimated, it can be assumed that all nodes 23 have to send an alarm, to derive the worst-case parameters (e.g. based on the estimated number of alarms, based on number of nodes in an area of alarms etc.).
  • the detection of a potential alarm message storm can be communicated to the control center 20, wherein also all already received alarm messages of the alarm type, with regard to which the alarm message storm has been detected, are communicated to the control center 20.
  • the alarm situation is communicated early to the control center 20, so that it can perform the current control of the communications network by use of current information and based on the detected alarm message storm situation.
  • the further details, i.e. the remaining alarm messages, are provided later when the communications network (i.e. nodes 23 and collector nodes 22) has transmitted the alarm messages after the quieten period in a coordinated way.
  • the quieten message which is generated in a centralized approach by the collector node 22, can be equivalent to the signal locally triggered to a router 10 3 by the alarm message storm detector 332 and that allows the router 10 3 to detect the alarm message storm before arriving the collector node 22.
  • an alarm message storm detector of a router 10 3 can take a decision regarding the dropping or not forwarding of message for a given period of time T D or T not _f orW arding. These times can be calculated in different ways. For instance, the first time an alarm is detected T D - O can take an initial time TM. After expiration of the corresponding counter, the alarm message storm detector can check whether another storm is detected within a delta of time.
  • the above-described embodiments can be combined in various ways.
  • an effective and fast handling of alarm message storms is enabled, such that alarm message overloads and congestions of the communications network are avoided.
  • the alarm message storm avoiding, detecting and/or processing according to the present invention are provided with a high scalability in a large-scale communications network and enable an efficient and effective self-healing and self-configuration in the communications network, particularly, of nodes and collector nodes in the communications network.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Alarm Systems (AREA)
  • Data Exchanges In Wide-Area Networks (AREA)

Abstract

Selon l'invention, pour améliorer la gestion de tempêtes de messages d'alarme dans un réseau de communication, un évitement, une détection et/ou une reprise sur tempête de messages d'alarme sont mis en œuvre au niveau de nœuds (23) et/ou au niveau de nœuds de régulation de trafic de données (3, 20, 22) du réseau de communication. Pour un évitement de tempête de messages d'alarme, un étalement temporel aléatoire de transmissions de message d'alarme est proposé, l'étalement temporel aléatoire de transmissions de message d'alarme pouvant être basé sur le contexte courant et/ou un état de nœud. Pour une détection de tempête de messages d'alarme, il est proposé de surveiller la fréquence d'entrée de message d'alarme pour déclencher un processus de reprise, la surveillance pouvant être effectuée relativement à différents types d'alarme, différentes parties du réseau et/ou différentes périodes de temps d'une manière locale et/ou centrale. Le traitement de tempête de messages d'alarme ou reprise sur tempête de messages d'alarme, respectivement, est mis en œuvre par réduction de la quantité de messages d'alarme à transmettre. Le traitement de tempête de messages d'alarme ou reprise sur tempête de messages d'alarme peut être mis en œuvre d'une manière centralisée et/ou répartie.
PCT/IB2011/055587 2010-12-22 2011-12-09 Dispositif, système et procédé de gestion de tempêtes de messages d'alarme dans un réseau de communication Ceased WO2012085744A2 (fr)

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US9635741B2 (en) 2013-01-31 2017-04-25 Philips Lighting Holding B.V. Requesting information from lighting devices
WO2017103321A1 (fr) * 2015-12-18 2017-06-22 Nokia Technologies Oy Gestion de réseau
AT518280B1 (de) * 2016-03-01 2017-09-15 Fts Computertechnik Gmbh Verfahren zum zuverlässigen Transport von Alarmnachrichten in einem verteilten Computersystem
US9898670B2 (en) 2013-12-13 2018-02-20 Fts Computertechnik Gmbh Method and device for observing the environment of a vehicle
CN110752942A (zh) * 2019-09-06 2020-02-04 平安科技（深圳）有限公司 告警信息的决策方法、装置、计算机设备及存储介质
CN113740666A (zh) * 2021-08-27 2021-12-03 西安交通大学 一种数据中心电力系统告警风暴根源故障的定位方法
WO2021257199A1 (fr) * 2020-06-19 2021-12-23 Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation Verrouillage pour réseau maillé

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WO2009147585A1 (fr) 2008-06-04 2009-12-10 Philips Intellectual Property & Standards Gmbh Interface réseau destinée à un noeud dans un réseau multi-sauts sans fil et procédé d'établissement d'un chemin de réseau entre des noeuds dans un réseau multi-sauts sans fil

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9635741B2 (en) 2013-01-31 2017-04-25 Philips Lighting Holding B.V. Requesting information from lighting devices
US9898670B2 (en) 2013-12-13 2018-02-20 Fts Computertechnik Gmbh Method and device for observing the environment of a vehicle
WO2017103321A1 (fr) * 2015-12-18 2017-06-22 Nokia Technologies Oy Gestion de réseau
AT518280B1 (de) * 2016-03-01 2017-09-15 Fts Computertechnik Gmbh Verfahren zum zuverlässigen Transport von Alarmnachrichten in einem verteilten Computersystem
AT518280A4 (de) * 2016-03-01 2017-09-15 Fts Computertechnik Gmbh Verfahren zum zuverlässigen Transport von Alarmnachrichten in einem verteilten Computersystem
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CN110752942A (zh) * 2019-09-06 2020-02-04 平安科技（深圳）有限公司 告警信息的决策方法、装置、计算机设备及存储介质
WO2021257199A1 (fr) * 2020-06-19 2021-12-23 Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation Verrouillage pour réseau maillé
CN113740666A (zh) * 2021-08-27 2021-12-03 西安交通大学 一种数据中心电力系统告警风暴根源故障的定位方法

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