System and method for adaptive, active monitoring of a serial data

Abstract

An adaptive, active monitor invention is useful in detecting characteristic data patterns in messages on a high speed data network, such as starting delimiters, tokens, various types of frames, and protocol information. Such serial data streams include serial patterns of binary bits, and can also include serial patterns of multiple state symbols, such as in token ring networks and FDDI networks. The adaptive, active monitor includes two finite state machines (FSM) which are constructed to detect the occurrence of a characteristic data pattern having multiple component bit patterns. A first FSM is the predecessor FSM, and it is configured to detect the first occurring component pattern. A second FSM is called the successor FSM, and it is configured to detect the second occurring component pattern. The first FSM will send a starting signal to the second FSM, when the first FSM has successfully detected the first component pattern. The starting signal initializes the second FSM, to take over the analysis of the portion of the bit stream which follows the first component pattern. If the second FSM successfully detects the second component pattern, it then outputs a pattern alarm signal, indicating the successful detection of the entire characteristic data pattern.