Patent ID: 7051249

Claim:
A method of analyzing an attribute of a communication link, comprising: obtaining error count data, wherein the error count data includes a plurality of error counts, the plurality of error counts including a current error count; in a first state, entering a second state when the current error count is greater than a first threshold value but less than a second threshold value; and entering a third state when the current error count is greater than the second threshold value; in the second state, for each error count obtained while in the second state, calculating a first sum, wherein the first sum is a sum of up to a first number of error counts associated with the second state; entering the third state when the first sum is greater than the second threshold value; and entering the first state when the first sum is less than the first threshold value and the first sum is the sum of the first number of error counts associated with the second state; and in the third state, for each error count obtained while in the third state, calculating a second sum, wherein the second sum is the sum of up to a second number of error counts associated with the third state; and entering the first state when the second sum is less than the second threshold value and the second sum is the sum of the second number of error counts associated with the third state.