Patent ID: 6996057

Claim:
A method of controlling the operation of a redundant communication system having first and second transceivers, that are adapted to be coupled between a first communication link and a second communication link, one of said transceivers serving as a principal transceiver, and the other of said transceivers serving as a back-up transceiver that is adapted to be controllably placed in service in lieu of said principal transceiver, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a loopback test circuit that is operative to test the functionality of that one of said first and second transceivers to which it is coupled; and (b) providing a controllable switch that is operative to selectively couple said principal transceiver to said first and second communication links, while also coupling said back-up transceiver to said loopback test circuit; and wherein step (b) comprises monitorinq the functionality of said principal transceiver and operating said controllable switch so as to couple said back-up transceiver to said first and second communication links in place of said principal transceiver, in response to detecting a prescribed decrease in said functionality of said principal transceiver.