METHOD AND APPARATUS THAT PROVIDES FAULT TOLERANCE IN A COMMUNICATION NETWORK

摘要

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system for detecting a fault in a first wire of a power grid that affects a transmission or reception of electromagnetic waves that transport data and that propagate along a surface of the first wire, selecting a backup communication medium from one or more backup communication mediums according to one or more selection criteria, and redirecting the data to the backup communication medium to circumvent the fault. Other embodiments are disclosed.

主权项

1. A system, comprising:
a first waveguide system coupled to a first transmission medium, wherein the first waveguide system facilitates reception of first electromagnetic waves that propagate along a first surface of the first transmission medium, wherein the first electromagnetic waves include first data, and wherein the first transmission medium corresponds to a primary communication link; a second waveguide system coupled to a second transmission medium, wherein the second waveguide system facilitates reception of second electromagnetic waves that propagate along a second surface of the second transmission medium, wherein the second waveguide system is configurable to transport in the second electromagnetic waves at least a portion of the first data transported in the first electromagnetic waves when a fault is detected that adversely affects a propagation of the first electromagnetic waves along the first surface of the first transmission medium, and wherein the second transmission medium corresponds to a secondary communication link; an antenna coupled to the first waveguide system and the second waveguide system; a processing system including a processor; and a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
detecting the fault in the primary communication link;responsive to detecting the fault, switching to the secondary communication link for reception of the second electromagnetic waves;receiving the second electromagnetic waves from the secondary communication link; andgenerating, by the antenna, a wireless signal based on the second electromagnetic waves received from the secondary communication link.