Abstract: A maintenance component of an apparatus in one example employs one or more packets that are communicated over an active packet connection to evaluate the active packet connection.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing call admission control in a packet network such as an internet protocol (IP) network are provided. More particularly, a terminating endpoint of a logical connection on a packet network, e.g. an IP network, is provided with the ability to make a decision on whether to accept or reject an incoming call based on quality of service (QoS) indicator based on QoS metrics. These metrics indicate quality of service levels for specific logical connections and are accumulated over specified time periods.

Abstract: Audible ring, which is provided to all line appearances, is detected and used to determine whether or not a far end party has answered, i.e., answer supervision, for equipment connected to the line appearance which requires answer supervision for proper operation. The line appearance is monitored to detect ringing tone received at the line appearance within a first period of time from call origination. If ringing tone is not detected at the line appearance within the first period of time, receipt of answer supervision is indicated. If ringing tone is detected at the line appearance within the first period of time, the timing for the first period of time is canceled and timing for a second period of time is started from the cancellation of timing for the first time period.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for conveying information over a communication network such as a Digital Loop Carrier (DLC) network free of in-band signaling information for at least a portion of an established communication between at least two users so as to reduce the information error rate associated with the established communication. For communication links that support robbed-bit signaling (RBS), the RBS signaling is disabled to allow the communication link to be operated in a clear channel mode. When appropriate, operations can be switch from the clear channel mode back to the RBS mode. Embodiments are described for one-stage DLC systems having a local digital switch (LDS) connected to a remote terminal (RT) by a communication link conforming to either the TR-303 protocol or the TR-008 protocol. In addition, embodiments are described for two-stage DLC systems that also have a distance terminal (DT) connected to the RT by a second communication link.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for conveying information over a communication network such as a Digital Loop Carrier network free of in-band signaling information for at least a portion of an established communication between at least two users so as to reduce the information error rate associated with the established communication.