Abstract: According to certain aspects, embodiments of the invention relate to methods and apparatuses for performing diagnostics on a loop in a communications system. According to certain aspects, embodiments of the invention include performing SELT from a customer premises side of the loop. According to certain other aspects, embodiments of the invention address the issue of initiating a CPE side SELT procedure and also collecting the diagnostics data while a CPE is offline.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus to detect a missing micro-filter. In embodiments, the detection is performed by measuring the distortion caused by an unfiltered telephone device using a SELT (Single Ended Line Test) technique. According to certain aspects, the signal used to perform the distortion measurement is designed such that it causes minimal impact on vectored lines within the same cable. Embodiments of the invention first determines the estimated loop length, then uses the loop length to select a set of signal parameters that will be used to perform the distortion measurement. The parameters to be selected include transmit frequency band and PSD level. According to further aspects, embodiments of the invention include automatically running a missing filter test immediately following a line drop to determine if the line drop was caused by a missing micro-filter.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method by which an xDSL modem can be properly connected and/or optimally tuned to achieve a desired performance goal based on knowledge obtained by first performing a SELT test and then post-processing the results of that test. In embodiments, the processed SELT results are used to detect bad connections or other anomalies such as split pairs. In embodiments, the processed SELT results are used to configure programmable components and filters in the analog front end in a manner that achieves the performance goal. In these and other embodiments, the performance goal is to maximize the attainable data rate. As such, through various hardware design options and configurations according to the invention, the performance of the modem can be tuned such that even in the presence of undesirable loop characteristics, adequate, or even good performance, can be achieved.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to characterizing loops in a communication system, and more particularly to methods and apparatuses for loop gauge identification. In accordance with certain aspects, embodiments of the invention extract some information from the SELT signal. From SELT, the loop impedance, or equivalently input impedance, is determined. This information is then used for gauge identification.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to characterizing loops in a communication system, and more particularly to methods and apparatuses for loop gauge identification. In accordance with certain aspects, embodiments of the invention extract some information from the SELT signal. From SELT, the loop impedance, or equivalently input impedance, is determined. This information is then used for gauge identification.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and apparatuses of using a novel transmit signal that can be used to improve performance of various loop diagnostic features of SELT. In embodiments, a novel transmit signal uses a wide contiguous band of tones that includes frequencies in both upstream and downstream bands. In these and other embodiments of the invention, the SELT transmit signal is designed such that any crosstalk noise in adjacent lines appears as a burst of noise that falls within the limits of the FEC settings of the system such that it can be fully corrected without harming the performance of modems connected on the adjacent lines.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus to detect a missing micro-filter. In embodiments, the detection is performed by measuring the distortion caused by an unfiltered telephone device using a SELT (Single Ended Line Test) technique. According to certain aspects, the signal used to perform the distortion measurement is designed such that it causes minimal impact on vectored lines within the same cable. Embodiments of the invention first determines the estimated loop length, then uses the loop length to select a set of signal parameters that will be used to perform the distortion measurement. The parameters to be selected include transmit frequency band and PSD level. According to further aspects, embodiments of the invention include automatically running a missing filter test immediately following a line drop to determine if the line drop was caused by a missing micro-filter.

Abstract: The present invention is related to improvements to SELT testing, and more particularly to methods and apparatuses for reducing the effects of distortions of the reflected signal without sacrificing the integrity of the original signal. In embodiments, a method according to the invention consists of first modifying the transmit sequence to utilize and better “excite” the low frequency tones. In embodiments, the method includes compensating for transformer roll-off at low frequencies. In other embodiments, the method includes filling gaps in the received frequency domain S11 sequence with a predicted, or estimated, version of the S11 signal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method by which an xDSL modem can be properly connected and/or optimally tuned to achieve a desired performance goal based on knowledge obtained by first performing a SELT test and then post-processing the results of that test. In embodiments, the processed SELT results are used to detect bad connections or other anomalies such as split pairs. In embodiments, the processed SELT results are used to configure programmable components and filters in the analog front end in a manner that achieves the performance goal. In these and other embodiments, the performance goal is to maximize the attainable data rate. As such, through various hardware design options and configurations according to the invention, the performance of the modem can be tuned such that even in the presence of undesirable loop characteristics, adequate, or even good performance, can be achieved.

Abstract: According to certain aspects, embodiments of the invention relate to methods and apparatuses for performing diagnostics on a loop in a communications system. According to certain aspects, embodiments of the invention include performing SELT from a customer premises side of the loop. According to certain other aspects, embodiments of the invention address the issue of initiating a CPE side SELT procedure and also collecting the diagnostics data while a CPE is offline.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and apparatuses of using a novel transmit signal that can be used to improve performance of various loop diagnostic features of SELT. In embodiments, a novel transmit signal uses a wide contiguous band of tones that includes frequencies in both upstream and downstream bands. In these and other embodiments of the invention, the SELT transmit signal is designed such that any crosstalk noise in adjacent lines appears as a burst of noise that falls within the limits of the FEC settings of the system such that it can be fully corrected without harming the performance of modems connected on the adjacent lines.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and apparatuses for of communicating loss of connectivity to the end-user without the end-user explicitly asking for that information, as well as communicating potential mechanisms to restore the loss of connectivity. In embodiments, after detecting loss of connectivity within the CPE, user requests are redirected to a local web server on the fly, which is running on the CPE. The local webserver returns informational status web pages describing the situation, potential causes, and possible steps to fix the connectivity issue.