Patents Assigned to Spirent Communications, Inc.
  • Patent number: 12101229
    Abstract: The disclosed technology teaches techniques for generating a high quantity of internet traffic flows, such as in the form of data packets, to stress test network components by using range variable field modifiers. The techniques generate a large scale of flows at a relatively fast speed by using a process that may involve a finite state machine feedback loop and a multiple range variable field modifier process. Start and end range pointers for range entries of data packet modifiers are stored in memory and used with pointer and counter values, which are varied and updated in a relatively fast feedback loop. Data packet modifiers may be selected based on the pointer and counter values and are used to modify or generate data packets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignee: Spirent Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Jocelyn Kunimitsu, Craig Fujikami
  • Patent number: 12078667
    Abstract: Disclosed is an anechoic test chamber that includes six antenna probes, replacing a single probe with a small array, and using the array to form a beam to provide a similar signal to the probe signal, and reducing the transmission loss. At least five of the probes are aligned in the anechoic chamber such that the probes are aligned in azimuth along four columns separated from a center point by +/?5 degrees and +/?15 degrees. The probes are further aligned in elevation along three rows at the center point and separated from the center point by +/?5 degrees, wherein the alignments in azimuth and elevation are within 3 degrees measured spherically of the alignments stated. Also disclosed is a planar array that replaces probe antennas and forms beams to provide coverage to the chamber, and utilizing probe arrays to emulate base station signals to evaluate UE performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: SPIRENT COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Jukka-Pekka Nuutinen, John Douglas Reed, Alfonso Rodriguez-Herrera
  • Patent number: 12068794
    Abstract: Path-loss measurements are determined for a test client device moving along a path in a field test environment in which field Wi-Fi mesh network nodes are distributed. The path-loss measurements are reproduced in a field-to-lab test environment that includes a test client device disposed in an electromagnetically-isolated chamber and field test Wi-Fi mesh network nodes disposed in respective electromagnetically-isolated chambers. The test client device and the field test Wi-Fi mesh network nodes are in wired or wireless communication with each other via signal lines. A programmable attenuator is electrically coupled to each signal line. The attenuation of each programmable attenuator is varied to reproduce the path-loss measurements from the field test environment. Path-loss measurements at the location of each field Wi-Fi mesh network node are also reproduced with the programmable attenuators to reproduce the field Wi-Fi mesh network node configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: SPIRENT COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Janne Linkola, Michael Haley
  • Publication number: 20240235979
    Abstract: A testing method is provided for diagnosing faults in a multimedia over coax alliance (MoCA) local area network (LAN) including a WiFi segment. The method including, responsive to selection of a test sequence that includes testing of the WiFi segment, causing display of instructional images that depict how an operator couples the test hardware to a wireless component, invoking the test hardware to perform a test by automatically selecting, in dependence upon a problem generically identified by a user, a test and invoking the test, and automatically evaluating results returned by the test, without user interpretation of the results returned, to determine at least one of (i) whether to report a recommendation to replace/repair an identified component, and (ii) whether to (a) repeat the causing display of instructional images, (b) invoke the test hardware to perform an additional test and (c) automatically evaluate results returned by the additional test.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2023
    Publication date: July 11, 2024
    Applicant: Spirent Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Grinkemeyer, David Dailey
  • Patent number: 12021729
    Abstract: The frame sequence table (FST) architecture disclosed here partitions an FST stored in the Block RAM on an FPGA into at least two tables for emulating frame sequences for testing network equipment by providing more accurate emulations of network environments. In some implementations, one FST (the primary FST) provides frame listings for high data rate streams, while the other FST provides low data rate streams (the “slow” FST, or SFST). Data compression techniques may be used for the primary FST, allowing emulation of high frame rates using multiple repetitions of frames, while the separation of low frequency streams into the SFST (along with residuals from the primary FST), allows them to be represented accurately when mixed into the final data stream in the output port. A “ping-pong” state machine implemented in firmware governs the selection of data streams from the primary FST and SFST into the output data flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: Spirent Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Jocelyn Kunimitsu, Wade Teruya
  • Patent number: 12013777
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of efficient testing by selective UI interaction, through test script sections including setup, execution and verification, applied to an AUT that operates in both API mode and UI)mode, including providing a test environment that, when testing the UI mode of the AUT, defaults to ignoring the UI mode during setup and supplying setup values stored in a file directly to an API without rendering or interacting with UI elements in the setup section of the script. The method includes encountering an override directive in the setup section of the test script, which mandates interaction with a specified UI element in the setup section, and responsive to the directive, overriding of the default of ignoring the specified UI element in the setup section, rendering the specified UI element, and applying a bot to interact with and supply setup values from the file to the specified UI element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: Spirent Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrea Holt, Saif Ahmed, Alireza Akbari McQuee
  • Publication number: 20240015245
    Abstract: The technology includes a method, computer medium, and system for testing transport audio quality irrespective of tester location. The technology involves a virtual test agent (VTA) selecting a Mobility Management Engine (MME) for routing a second call through a Serving Gateway (SGW) assigned by the MME for audio communication with a tester terminus over a transport segment under test, so a tester can evaluate audio quality over the transport segment under test. The VTA makes a first call to a tester appliance, and makes a second call, over the transport segment under test, to the tester terminus by signaling the MME. The VTA bridges the first and second calls by relaying audio during a test of subjective audio quality, whereby the bridging assures that the relayed audio in the second call continues to be relayed over the transport segment under test and not re-routed by core network components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicant: Spirent Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Mikhail BEYLIN, Ronald ROYER, Dat PHAN, Ehab BAHJAT, In SEO
  • Publication number: 20240015536
    Abstract: The technology includes a method, computer medium, and system for testing audio quality of a transport segment between two core networks. A first virtual test agent (VTA) selects a Mobility Management Engine (MME) corresponding to an eNodeB served by a first core network for routing a second call, through a Serving Gateway (SGW) assigned by the MME for audio communication with a tester terminus. The second call is made from the first VTA to a second VTA at a second core network over a transport-segment-under-test that connects the first and second core networks, So that a tester can evaluate audio quality over the transport-segment-under-test. The first VTA makes a first call to a tester appliance, makes a second call, over the transport-segment-under-test, to the second VTA implementing audio evaluation, by signaling the MME, and bridges the first and second calls by relaying audio during a test of subjective audio quality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicant: Spirent Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Mikhail BEYLIN, Ronald ROYER, Dat PHAN, Ehab BAHJAT, In SEO
  • Publication number: 20240015535
    Abstract: The disclosed technology teaches testing voice connection routing over 911 circuits as if voice calls originated from an E911 device in coverage areas of cell tower locations, without requiring a physical presence of the E911 device in each coverage area. A remote test agent audio bridge and tester originates a first call to a test user with a first phone number, creates a media bridge, emulates an E911-compliant mobile device to originate a second call to a 911 operator, relays audio over the media bridge as a verbal exchange between the first and the second calls, and logs an evaluation of the verbal exchange. The emulation includes spoofing a call origination from an origination location being tested, the spoofed origination location being within coverage of an originating cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2022
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicant: Spirent Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Mikhail BEYLIN, Ronald ROYER, Dat PHAN, Ehab BAHJAT, In SEO
  • Publication number: 20240014909
    Abstract: The technology includes a method, computer medium, and system for remote testing over-the-air (OTA) audio quality using a test platform positioned at core network, the test platform comprising first and second cellular handsets and bridging logic that interconnects, controls, and bridges the first and second cellular handsets. The method includes triggering the bridging logic. The bridging logic initiates a first call over the first cellular handset to a tester, and initiates a second call over the second cellular handset to a destination, wherein the second call is initiated over-the-air. The bridging logic and the first and second cellular handsets are positioned in a location that causes routing by a cellular network of the first call over a segment under test. The bridging logic bridging audio between the first and the second calls, including relaying audio. The tester determines that the second call was established based on the relayed audio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicant: Spirent Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Mikhail BEYLIN, Ronald ROYER, Dat PHAN, Ehab BAHJAT, In SEO
  • Patent number: 11868360
    Abstract: The technology disclosed relates to a method for storing and time-correlating real-time and queryable test results of a test of a device under test (DUT). The method includes initiating the test applied to the DUT to collect real-time data from a multitude of data streams for multiple aspects of the DUT, the collected data including counters and fact-type values, the collected data having imperfectly synchronized time bases and the collected data being collected from different sources asynchronously at different times, specifying a recording time interval for recording the data collected among multiple databases, recording data according to the specified recording time interval, such that each piece of the recorded data is associated with a particular time interval, and at a conclusion of the test, correlating the recorded data with the test configuration data about a test state in the respective time intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Spirent Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: David Joyner, Rahul Patel
  • Patent number: 11863420
    Abstract: A testing method is provided for diagnosing faults in a multimedia over coax alliance (MoCA) local area network (LAN) including a WiFi segment. The method including, responsive to selection of a test sequence that includes testing of the WiFi segment, causing display of instructional images that depict how an operator couples the test hardware to a wireless component, invoking the test hardware to perform a test by automatically selecting, in dependence upon a problem generically identified by a user, a test and invoking the test, and automatically evaluating results returned by the test, without user interpretation of the results returned, to determine at least one of (i) whether to report a recommendation to replace/repair an identified component, and (ii) whether to (a) repeat the causing display of instructional images, (b) invoke the test hardware to perform an additional test and (c) automatically evaluate results returned by the additional test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Spirent Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Grinkemeyer, David Dailey
  • Publication number: 20230409456
    Abstract: A method of a test controller controlling a test platform to run test applications is provided, wherein an authenticated connection exists between the test platform and a phone home service through which secure tunnel information for the test controller has been obtained. The method including the test controller (i) transmitting an instruction to the test platform over an initiated first secure tunnel between the test platform and the test controller, and (ii) controlling the test platform to perform a requested test using the test application using an established second secure tunnel between (a) the test platform and (b) the test controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicant: Spirent Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: David Dailey, Kevin Myers, Daniel Abarbanel, Douglas Grinkemeyer
  • Patent number: 11843535
    Abstract: The disclosed technology teaches testing a mesh network using new service application level KPIs that extend the TWAMP measurement architecture. A control-client receives and parses a configuration file to populate memory with IP addresses, ports, and test session parameters for disclosed KPIs used to originate two-way test sessions from a first network host; with control-servers and session-reflectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Spirent Communications, Inc.
    Inventor: Jyotikumar U. Menon
  • Publication number: 20230388211
    Abstract: The disclosed technology teaches systems and methods for high fidelity emulation of a Wi-Fi environment for testing with three or more transmitters set to differing output signal strengths. The disclosed method includes using a PCAP file of captured packets from multiple stations with respective source addresses, RF bands, and channels within bands. The captured packets record metadata containing, at least, signal strength and time stamps. The method further includes analyzing the PCAP file to determine pairs of source addresses and channels, evaluating the pairs for signal strength, and allocating the pairs to three or more transmitters based on grouping by at least the channels and the evaluated signal strengths, and using the time stamps on the captured packets, replaying with synchronization over the transmitters at the set output signal strengths. The PCAP file can include packets from multiple protocols, and time-varying pairs with varying signal strength overtime.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Applicant: Spirent Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael HALEY, David Theodore MOZZONI, II, Fanny MLINARSKY
  • Publication number: 20230379551
    Abstract: The technology disclosed teaches a method of testing performance of a device-under-test during cloud gaming over a live cellular network. The method comprises instrumenting the device-under-test with at least one instrument app that interacts with a browser on the device-under-test and captures performance metrics from gaming network traffic. The browser and the instrument app can be invoked using a test controller separated from the device-under-test, causing the browser to connect to a gaming simulation over the live cellular network. A segmented gaming image stream is transmitted to the browser, with segmented playing at varying bit rates and image complexity while the instrument app causes the browser to transmit artificial gameplay events to a gaming simulation test server. Performance metrics from the gaming network traffic are captured, as well as gaming images rendered by the browser during the segmented gaming image stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2023
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Applicant: Spirent Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Mithun ASHWATHAPPA, Michael COLLIGAN
  • Patent number: 11824740
    Abstract: The technology disclosed provides a method of testing handling of HTTPS sessions of a plurality of clients with a plurality of servers by a switching, bridging or routing device (i.e., a DUT), where the testing is conducted by a test system coupled to ports on the DUT. The method includes using client state machines running on at least four processor cores, communicating through the DUT with server state machines running on at least four additional processor cores. The method also includes, for each connection between a client represented by a client state machine and a server represented by a server state machine, setting up an HTTPS session by negotiating an encryption protocol and completing an HTTPS handshake. Further, the method includes following the setup of between 100,000 HTTPS sessions and 10,000,000 HTTPS sessions, conducting a stress test including combining payload data and header information without using the negotiated encryption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Spirent Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Canady, Richard Wank, Xiaohua Wu, Chunsheng Li
  • Publication number: 20230344738
    Abstract: A method for determining whether clock skew may exist between a sending node and a remote node during two-way network testing (using protocols such as TWAMP), and a computational method for revising measured latency data to compensate for clock differences. The method for compensating for clock skew comprises monitoring the network latency between two nodes during a defined time interval. When clock skew is detected, a flag is set, and, after the time interval has completed, clock skew S is estimated using the minimum latency values for the interval. The recorded latency values for the interval are then revised using the calculated clock skew S, and one-way latency results reported. The improved accuracy can be achieved with only on a few computations after the data have been collected. This a posteriori approach saves on computational resources, which can be at a premium for network testing equipment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Applicant: Spirent Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy John DELLINGER, Joel Padulles Pubill
  • Patent number: 11765856
    Abstract: A fan tray for an enclosure containing devices to be cooled is provided. The fan tray includes a top cover having a top surface and a bottom surface facing opposite the top surface, wherein, when the fan tray is mated to the enclosure, (i) the top surface is exposed relative to outside the enclosure and (ii) the bottom surface is contained within the enclosure, a fan-receiving portion extending from the bottom surface of the top cover and configured to receive one or more fans, and one or more electrical connectors configured to provide electrical power to the one or more fans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Spirent Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Dikken, Don Chi Duong
  • Patent number: 11762748
    Abstract: A method of a test controller controlling a test platform to run test applications is provided, wherein an authenticated connection exists between the test platform and a phone home service through which secure tunnel information for the test controller has been obtained. The method including the test controller (i) generating an instruction to load and prepare a test application, the instruction including a URL for a repository that stores the test application as a component executable on the test platform, (ii) transmitting the generated instruction to the test platform over an initiated first secure tunnel between the test platform and the test controller, and (iii) controlling the test platform to perform a requested test using the test application using an established second secure tunnel between (a) the test platform or the test application and (b) the test controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Spirent Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Grinkemeyer, David Dailey, Kevin Myers, Daniel Abarbanel