Testing Of Subscriber Loop Or Terminal Patents (Class 379/27.01)
  • Patent number: 11909908
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to an apparatus comprising means configured for: obtaining echo response data representative of the echo response of a communication line, wherein the echo response data specifies the echo response based on two dimensions and includes first dimension data and second dimension data, determining at least one property of the communication line based on processing the echo response data with a neural network, wherein the neural network comprises at least: a first convolutional branch for processing the first dimension data, a second convolutional branch for processing the second dimension data, a dense part for processing the outputs of the first and second convolutional branches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy
    Inventors: Nicolas Dupuis, Gert-Jan Stockman, Philippe Dierickx, Paschalis Tsiaflakis
  • Patent number: 11841968
    Abstract: A system and method for reassignment of tickets in a live event via network communications for scheduling data transfers between systems. One or more data requesting systems may request access to particular data for one or more tickets to a venue for the live event causing a task to be performed to exchange the particular data between a data accessing system having access to the particular data and a data requesting system requesting access to the particular data. In some embodiments, the communication exchange may be initiated based on a parameter included in the request that the task be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Live Nation Entertainment, Inc.
    Inventors: John Raymond Werneke, Samuel Levin, David Scarborough
  • Patent number: 11652784
    Abstract: An apparatus having an agent that includes a processor and a memory coupled with the processor and communicates with at least one of a fault, configuration, accounting, performance, security module. The processor effectuates operations including determining that a service is operating properly. The processor further effectuates operations including if the service is operating properly and the service is disabled, enabling the service. The processor further effectuates operations including if the service is not operating properly, generating an alarm and if the service is enabled, disabling the service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Mehrad Yasrebi, James Jackson
  • Patent number: 11641219
    Abstract: A method is presented of determining whether a digital subscriber line is susceptible to radio frequency interference. The method measures the signal to noise ratio (SNR) margin on the digital subscriber line over a number of 24 hour periods. The measured SNR margin over a given 24 hour period is then compared to a reference function of SNR margin over time (24 hours), where the SNR margin of the reference function is higher during the day and lower during the night, and also repeats daily. A measure of the interference susceptibility is generated based on the degree of similarity between the measured SNR margin and the reference function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS public limited company
    Inventors: David Rohlfing, Paul Benyon, Phil Bull
  • Patent number: 11277325
    Abstract: A method for monitoring an activity of a connected object including a monitoring device, includes: performing, by a measurement stage of the monitoring device, a first periodic measurement of an internal signal representative of an activity of the connected object; performing, by a computation stage of the monitoring device, a first non-cryptographic computation of an activity parameter representative of the activity from the internal signal measured during the first periodic measurement; comparing, by a comparison stage of the monitoring device, between the activity parameter on completion of the first non-cryptographic computation and a range of settings of corresponding to the activity parameter; and triggering, by a control stage of the monitoring device, a safety action in response to a determination that the activity parameter is outside of the range of settings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (GRAND OUEST) SAS
    Inventor: Frederic Ruelle
  • Patent number: 11223709
    Abstract: An exchange capable of, when a failure occurs, preventing a service from deteriorating without requiring an operation performed by a user is provided. An exchange (1) includes a notification control unit (2) configured to, when the exchange enters an operating state, request a server apparatus to transmit a notification for making a predetermined application installed in a communication terminal registered in the server apparatus register the application in the exchange, and a terminal control unit (3) configured to register the predetermined application in the exchange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: NEC Platforms, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyo Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11218188
    Abstract: Methods, devices and techniques are disclosed where vectoring is adapted to lines becoming inactive and active, for example in a discontinued operation. In some embodiments, the vectoring is modified based on already present coefficients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Lantiq Beteiligungs-GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Rainer Strobel, Vladamir Oksman
  • Patent number: 10979329
    Abstract: A method for monitoring an activity of a connected object including a monitoring device, includes: performing, by a measurement stage of the monitoring device, a first periodic measurement of an internal signal representative of an activity of the connected object; performing, by a computation stage of the monitoring device, a first non-cryptographic computation of an activity parameter representative of the activity from the internal signal measured during the first periodic measurement; comparing, by a comparison stage of the monitoring device, between the activity parameter on completion of the first non-cryptographic computation and a range of settings of corresponding to the activity parameter; and triggering, by a control stage of the monitoring device, a safety action in response to a determination that the activity parameter is outside of the range of settings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (GRAND OUEST) SAS
    Inventor: Frederic Ruelle
  • Patent number: 10938981
    Abstract: The apparatus includes a memory configured to store executable code; and a processor configured to execute the executable code and cause the apparatus to perform the operations of generating and training. The generating generates a dataset specifying, for a plurality of communication lines, i) a channel frequency response of a communication line having one or two bridged taps, and ii) a set of M lengths of bridged taps associated with the communication line, with M greater than one. The training trains, based on the dataset, a machine learning model, the machine learning model configured for determining, based on the channel frequency response of a communication line, a set of M lengths of bridged taps associated with the communication line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy
    Inventors: Nicolas Dupuis, Axel Van Damme
  • Patent number: 10069581
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for controlling an uplink noise figure and gain in a distributed antenna system network comprising at least one intermediate radio unit and one or more remote radio heads connected via a respective link to the at least one intermediate radio unit. The method comprises: establishing a target noise figure, an adjusting, for each link between the one or more remote radio heads and the intermediate radio unit, attenuation such as to obtain the target noise figure for each remote radio head connected to the at least one intermediate radio unit. The disclosure also relates to corresponding distributed antenna system network, devices, computer programs, and computer program products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
    Inventors: Ulf Skärby, Miguel Berg, Peter Pääkkönen
  • Patent number: 10063278
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising a receiver coupled to a digital subscriber line (DSL) between an exchange site and a customer premise equipment (CPE) and configured to send a feedback error message to train a precoder coupled to the exchange site, wherein the feedback error message comprises a plurality of error components and an indication of a quantity of bits per error component, a quantization accuracy per error component, or both. Included is a method comprising sending an error feedback message to a DSL crosstalk precoder to train the crosstalk precoder, wherein the error feedback message comprises an error vector and a quantization scaling factor of the error vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Raphael Jean Cendrillon, Guozhu Long
  • Patent number: 10038817
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first connection portion, a second connection portion, a communication processing portion, a switch processing portion, and a connection determination processing portion. To the switch processing portion, the first connection portion and the second connection portion are connected in parallel. The switch processing portion breaks a communication path between the second connection portion and the switch processing portion when the facsimile communication process is executed by the communication processing portion. The connection determination processing portion, when a predetermined determination start condition is satisfied, causes the switch processing portion to break the communication path, and then when a predetermined line voltage is applied to the switch processing portion, determines that a connection between the first connection portion and the public switched telephone network is normal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Shinya Ogawa
  • Patent number: 9668076
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include methods, apparatus, and systems for detecting a predicted future or current failure of a microphone of a headset. The failure may have been caused by organic matter buildup creating a signal path or short circuit across the microphone's circuitry. The headset is connected to a mobile device having a network interface that is used to send a notification message to a remote supply management system server. A failure detection circuit detects the failure based on a decrease in a microphone bias signal or increase in headset temperature over time. In some cases, the failure is based on an increase in a microphone bias signal over time. Upon detection of the failure, it signals that a failure notification be transmitted to the remote supply management system. The notification may then cause a new headset to be sent to the owner of the mobile device. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony P. Bidmead, Jahan C. Minoo
  • Patent number: 9633554
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided that includes a two-wire loop having first and second conductors that connect a monitoring system with a plurality of addressable sensors and alarm devices of the monitoring system, the two-wire loop having first and second ends connected to the monitoring system, a memory that contains first respective resistance values of the first and second conductors and second respective resistance values between the first and second ends and each of the plurality of addressable sensors and alarm devices, and a processor that detects a fault in the two-wire loop by measuring third resistance values from opposing ones of the first and second ends of the two-wire loop during a scan of the plurality of addressable sensors and alarm devices and compares the third resistance values with corresponding ones of the first and second respective resistance values in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventor: Michael Barson
  • Patent number: 9515908
    Abstract: In general, techniques are described that may allow a network element to analyze the performance of a network without using external equipment external to the network. In one example, a method includes injecting a plurality of data units onto the network, forwarding the plurality of data units around the network loop, injecting at least one timing data unit on to the network, forwarding the at least one timing data unit around the network loop, and determining at least one latency statistic correlated to the at least one characteristic of the forwarded plurality of data units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Calix, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy Hayes
  • Patent number: 9509855
    Abstract: The described implementations relate to migrating from a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) system implementing Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) equipment that handles analog communication signals to a DSL system that implements All Digital (AD) enabled equipment capable of handling DSL data and Internet Protocol (IP) telephony traffic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Lantiq Beteiligungs-GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Alois Eder
  • Patent number: 9462116
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising a receiver coupled to a digital subscriber line (DSL) between an exchange site and a customer premise equipment (CPE) and configured to send a feedback error message to train a precoder coupled to the exchange site, wherein the feedback error message comprises a plurality of error components and an indication of a quantity of bits per error component, a quantization accuracy per error component, or both. Included is a method comprising sending an error feedback message to a DSL crosstalk precoder to train the crosstalk precoder, wherein the error feedback message comprises an error vector and a quantization scaling factor of the error vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Raphael Jean Cendrillon, Guozhu Long
  • Patent number: 9288695
    Abstract: A system and method of testing call performance of a plurality of mobile telephones is provided. In one embodiment the method comprises storing in a memory of a test device, data for one or more test scenarios that each comprises associated test parameters for attempting a plurality of telephone calls, causing the mobile telephone to attempt to establish a plurality of telephone calls of the test scenarios, and monitoring the plurality of telephone calls of the mobile telephone to determine test results data. The method further includes attempting and monitoring a plurality of telephone calls of the mobile telephone to determine test results data with one or more remote call servers and outputting the test results data to a remote computer system for processing to determine the number of dropped calls, call set up times, number of calls successfully initiated, number of calls having two way speech, and other data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Spirent Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Dimitrios M. Topaltzas, Jeffrey P. Homer
  • Patent number: 9167079
    Abstract: A capability for subscriber cable pair identification is presented. The capability for subscriber cable pair identification may be configured to support subscriber cable identification for Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) cable pairs, Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) cable pairs, or both POTS and ISDN cable pairs. The subscriber cable pair identification may be performed using a subscriber cable pair identification assembly including a computing device, a probe interface device, and a probe, where the computing device is configured to run a control program configured to control subscriber cable pair identification, the probe interface device is configured as an interface between the computing device and the probe, and the probe is configured to be connected to a unit supporting subscriber cable pairs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventors: Dennis W Capecci, David L Spaay, David L Brugman
  • Patent number: 9124723
    Abstract: A method and a device for data processing in a digital subscriber line environment. A virtual noise level for a digital subscriber line is determined based on measurement information of at least one network element connected to the digital subscriber line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Adtran GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Kuipers, Werner Kozek, Thomas Ahrndt
  • Patent number: 9100304
    Abstract: A system comprises a communications network configured to support transmission of a plurality of communications streams and a resource manager communicatively coupled to the communications network and configured to provision resources of the communications network to the plurality of communications streams. The system may further comprise a performance test manager communicatively coupled to said communications network and configured to identify a communication stream from said plurality of communications streams, identify a test network path for said identified communication stream that is substantially free of other network traffic, and perform a performance test over said test network path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventor: Hassan M. Omar
  • Patent number: 9094261
    Abstract: A method for establishing a call over a packet network may include receiving a call request via an originating trunk on a packet network from an originating call device. Status of an originating trunk and terminating segment may be determined. If the status of the originating trunk and terminating segment are within a first range, the call between the originating and terminating call device over the determined transmission path at a first data rate may be established. Otherwise, if the status of the originating trunk or terminating segment is within a second range, a determination as to whether the originating trunk and terminating segment can operate at a lower data rate may be made, and, if so, the call may be established over the transmission path between the originating call device and terminating call device at the lower data rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
    Inventors: William L. Wiley, Michael K. Bugenhagen, Robert J. Morrill
  • Patent number: 8958466
    Abstract: Through the use of a least squares minimization concept, the loop length, the number of bridged taps and length of the bridged taps on a transmission line can be determined from readily available modem data. In particular, the loop length, the number of bridge taps and the length of bridged taps can be estimated by comparing a measured frequency domain channel impulse response of the transmission line to a model of a loop that is comprised of multiple sections and multiple bridge taps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Murat Belge
  • Publication number: 20140376702
    Abstract: A device for detecting absence of a Plain Old Telephony Service or POTS splitter on a Digital Subscriber Line, includes a device for collecting channel transfer function data or the Digital Subscriber Line, and a device for detecting a single hole in the channel transfer function data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Benoit Drooghaag, Issam Wahibi
  • Patent number: 8913729
    Abstract: A system may include a memory configured to store a number of workflows and a system interface configured to communicate with other systems associated with provisioning a broadband service. The system may also include logic configured to receive input from a user identifying a first one of the workflows, where the first workflow includes actions associated with provisioning the broadband service and an output of at least some of the actions are linked to other actions associated with provisioning the broadband service. The logic is also configured to execute the first workflow, where when executing the first workflow, the logic is configured to transmit and receive information to and from the other systems via the system interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Ashis Sarkar, Abhitabh Kushwaha, Pardha S. Vishnumolakala
  • Patent number: 8902958
    Abstract: A data collector combiner, a network management system, a DSL Optimizer (DSLO), or any combination thereof collects data, parameter(s), characteristic(s), information, or any combination thereof from two or more data sources. The data collector probabilistically combines at least the first and second data to estimate at least one DSL characterizing parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignees: Adaptive Spectrum and Signal Alignment, Inc., AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: George Ginis, Mark H. Brady, Stuart Lynch Blackburn
  • Patent number: 8903050
    Abstract: A particular method includes receiving first data indicating a measured strength of an ambient electromagnetic signal in a particular frequency range during a particular time period and at a particular location. The method also includes receiving second data indicating a bit loading within a portion of a wireline network in the particular frequency range during the particular time period. The portion of the wireline network provides service within a service area proximate to the particular location. The method also includes determining a correlation of changes in the second data during the particular time period to changes in the first data during the particular time period. The method further includes identifying at least one issue associated with the wireline network based on the correlation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: James Gordon Beattie, Jr., Arvind R. Mallya, Roque Rios
  • Patent number: 8897421
    Abstract: A system and method for telephone service technicians to retrieve telephone line assignment information, including receiving a telephone call from a telephone service technician. A telephone number assigned to a customer of a communications carrier may be received, where the telephone number is associated with a telephone operating on a wired communications network, such as the public switched telephone network (PSTN). Telephone line assignment information may be requested, where the telephone line assignment information includes cable and line pair information. The telephone line assignment information may be converted into speech synthesized audible signals and communicated to the telephone service technician during the telephone call. The conversion of the telephone line assignment information may be performed by an interactive voice response system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
    Inventor: Wendell J. Smith
  • Publication number: 20140328471
    Abstract: A diagnostic tool is adapted to include the capability of initiating one or more diagnostic tests, collecting the raw data from the diagnostic test(s) and transporting the raw diagnostic data to an OSS. The OSS interprets the raw diagnostic data and stores the results in a database. The stored results can be searched, sorted, manipulated, analyzed, and the like. The results of any of these operations can then be, for example, displayed to one or more entities such as customer support, network operators, network planners, or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Inventors: Jim Wahl, Michael Lund
  • Publication number: 20140226798
    Abstract: A method is proposed for calculating a line performance, or stability, measure for a telephone line. Various physical parameters associated with the line, such as insulation resistance, capacitance and DC voltages, are measured. The values for each of the parameters are compared to expected values, which are based on historical values measured for that line. Individual performance measures for each parameter are calculated based on the difference between the actual and expected values, normalised by the deviation of that parameter. The deviation accounts for general fluctuations across all the lines. A weighting value is also applied, based on knowledge of values relevant to the good operation of lines. The deviation effectively gives a scaling, and the weighting gives a context to the measured values for a single line. The individual performance measures are summed to get the final performance as measure for the line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2012
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS public limited company
    Inventors: David Michael Rohlfing, Mark Andrew Fletcher
  • Patent number: 8767716
    Abstract: Systems and methods of selecting a media path for data packets bearing the media of a telephone call to traverse during a voice over Internet protocol telephone call include testing the call quality of multiple potential media paths immediately before a call is setup. The potential media path with the highest call quality is used as the initial media path for the call. If the call quality of the media path currently in use declines below a threshold value during a call, potential alternate media paths are identified and tested for call quality. If one of the alternate media paths has better call quality than the media path presently in use, the call is switched to the alternate media path with the highest call quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Vonage Network, LLC
    Inventors: Yariv Trabelsi, Baruch Sterman
  • Patent number: 8755504
    Abstract: A system and method for creating a custom-developed service by a customer in a service directory of a network service provider are provided. The data defining the custom-developed service received by the network service provider may be tested, corrected, and verified. The service directory may be established in the provider's network to store the data associated with the custom-developed service. Once the custom-developed service is established and operational, the customer or its subscribers may be billed based on their use of the service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Nextel Communications Inc.
    Inventors: Mohammad Hassan Partovi, Roy Leo Spitzer
  • Publication number: 20140161236
    Abstract: A particular method includes receiving first data indicating a measured strength of an ambient electromagnetic signal in a particular frequency range during a particular time period and at a particular location. The method also includes receiving second data indicating a bit loading within a portion of a wireline network in the particular frequency range during the particular time period. The portion of the wireline network provides service within a service area proximate to the particular location. The method also includes determining a correlation of changes in the second data during the particular time period to changes in the first data during the particular time period. The method further includes identifying at least one issue associated with the wireline network based on the correlation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I,L.P.
    Inventors: James Gordon Beattie, JR., Arvind R. Mallya, Roque Rios
  • Patent number: 8750460
    Abstract: A system and method for testing a subscriber loop. A maintenance port of a switch is configured to dial a phone number associated with a subscriber loop. A remote device is commanded to initiate a test for the subscriber loop utilizing a test bus. Test measurements of the subscriber loop are received from a remote test head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
    Inventors: Robert Walters, Steven M. Jensen
  • Patent number: 8743707
    Abstract: Delay is measured associated with the transfer of voice signals involving a telephone connected to a PSTN carrier (e.g., non VoIP based) where the call is terminated by an operator agent using a workstation connected to a VoIP based network. A test tone is provided to the telephone causing a tone to be generated at a headset of the workstation. An oscilloscope measures the delay using an input of a first signal associated with the generation of the test tone at the telephone, and a second signal associated with the generation of the resulting tone at the headset. The tone at the headset can be looped back into the headset microphone, causing a return signal to be generated and measured. Once the overall delay is known, and the delay of certain elements are estimated, the delay associated with other network elements, including the workstation, can be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Mike Metaxas, Vijay Jayapalan, Sundar Padmanabhan, Manvinder Chopra, Jim Bartlett
  • Patent number: 8737572
    Abstract: A method and device for transmission line testing are provided. A particular modem device includes a transmission line interface to connect to a transmission line. The modem device also includes a memory to store a plurality of transmission line tests. The modem device also includes a controller coupled to the memory and to the transmission line interface. The controller selects one or more tests of the plurality of transmission line tests from the memory. The controller also performs the selected one or more tests on the transmission line and detects an electrical characteristic of the transmission line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Properties, I, L.P.
    Inventors: Thomas J. J. Starr, Carlton L. Brown
  • Patent number: 8724679
    Abstract: Transceiver calibration is a critical issue for proper transceiver operation. The transceiver comprises at least one RF transmit chain and one RF receive chain. A closed loop path is formed from the digital block, the RF transmit chain, the substrate coupling, the RF receive chain back to the digital block and is used to estimate and calibrate the transceiver parameters over the operating range of frequencies. The substrate coupling eliminates the need for the additional circuitry saving area, power, and performance. In place of the additional circuitry, the digital block which performs baseband operations can be reconfigured into a software or/and hardware mode to calibrate the transceiver. The digital block comprises a processor and memory and is coupled to the front end of the RF transmit chain and the tail end of the RF receive chain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Tensorcom, Inc.
    Inventor: Ismail Lakkis
  • Patent number: 8712018
    Abstract: A testing apparatus and a testing method for a telephone apparatus are disclosed. The testing apparatus includes an audio generator, an audio signal processor, and a noise analyzer. The audio generator transmits a testing audio signal to a receiver of the telephone apparatus. The audio signal processor receives the testing audio signal and an output audio signal. The audio signal processor performs a time-to-frequency transformation operation on a difference between the testing audio signal and the output audio signal to obtain a noise information. The noise analyzer receives the noise information and obtains a maximum noise component among a plurality of noise components respectively corresponding to frequencies in the noise information. The noise analyzer compares the maximum noise component with a predetermined threshold to generate a testing result of the telephone apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Wistron Corporation
    Inventors: Pei-Lin Chen, Hsin-Chun Lee, Shou-Jung Chang, Chia-Chien Feng
  • Publication number: 20140112456
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and system to provide the ability for an analog telephone adapter (or other consumer electronics device) to provide spoken information to a consumer to help diagnose problems. The spoken diagnostics system and method for comprises a central analysis server and an analog telephone adapter (“ATA”). When in operation, when a consumer (as an end user) pick up a telephone which is connected to and/or operating through the ATA and enters a preset diagnostic code, defined a telephone number in one embodiment, the ATA and the central analysis server perform a series of diagnostic functions and cause one or more verbal messages relating to the status of the ATA as determined through the diagnostic functions to be spoken over the phone so as to be communicated to the consumer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Inventors: Garry M Paxinos, Anastasios Kyriakides, Kenneth Alvin Hosfeld, Anastasios Nicholas Kyriakides, II
  • Patent number: 8699959
    Abstract: A method for monitoring voice quality in a communication network. In a first embodiment, the method comprises the steps of: establishing a voice communication pathway (VCPW) between first and second telephone terminals; establishing speech cadence between first and second terminals, wherein the terminals alternate between opposing send and listen/receive modes such that when one of the terminals is sending a voice test message the other terminal is either listening for or receiving the voice test message and vice versa; and calculating a voice quality score for one or more received voice test messages. In a second embodiment, synchronous cadence is established between a plurality of telephone terminals and a voice recognition server (VRS).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Spirent Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Dimitrios M. Topaltzas, Jeffrey Horner
  • Patent number: 8687680
    Abstract: Through the use of a least squares minimization concept, the loop length, the number of bridged taps and length of the bridged taps on a transmission line can be determined from readily available modem data. In particular, the loop length, the number of bridge taps and the length of bridged taps can be estimated by comparing a measured frequency domain channel impulse response of the transmission line to a model of a loop that is comprised of multiple sections and multiple bridge taps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Aware, Inc.
    Inventor: Murat Belge
  • Patent number: 8675638
    Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for enabling DTMF signal processing in the core VoIP network. More specifically, the present invention enables a VoIP network to recognize and respond to special DTMF signals entered by a user and initiate the appropriate service logic response to satisfy the user's service request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Marian Croak, Hossein Eslambolchi
  • Publication number: 20140064459
    Abstract: A diagnostic tool is adapted to include the capability of initiating one or more diagnostic tests, collecting the raw data from the diagnostic test(s) and transporting the raw diagnostic data to an OSS. The OSS interprets the raw diagnostic data and stores the results in a database. The stored results can be searched, sorted, manipulated, analyzed, and the like. The results of any of these operations can then be, for example, displayed to one or more entities such as customer support, network operators, network planners, or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: AWARE, INC.
    Inventors: Jim Wahl, Michael Lund
  • Patent number: 8660138
    Abstract: Example methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture to allocate ports to vectored digital subscriber line (DSL) groups are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes obtaining data representative of a statistical distribution of service penetration for a non-vectored DSL service, estimating an expected vectored DSL group size from the data, and configuring a DSL access multiplexer (DSLAM) to reserve a number of ports of the DSLAM for a vectored DSL group based on the expected vectored DSL group size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Jin Wang, Richard D. Hart, Raghvendra Savoor, Gary Tennyson
  • Patent number: 8649737
    Abstract: To enable addition or changes of functions with changes of communication standards in a mobile communication terminal test system. A mobile communication terminal test system includes a transceiver which has a control unit configured to append input information to acquired waveform data, a signal analysis unit which executes an analysis program, and a signal analyzer which is provided separately from the transceiver. The analysis program has a processing program which is provided for each type of arithmetic processing on the waveform data, a control program which is provided for each communication system, selects one or more processing programs for each test item, and executes the processing programs, and a switching program which specifies a communication system and a test item on the basis of the input information, and selects and executes a control program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Anritsu Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Kihara, Micael-Lacson Magpayo, Naofumi Naruse
  • Patent number: 8644456
    Abstract: An improper connection determination method includes a closed circuit forming step, a current detection step and a determination step. In the closed circuit forming step, a closed circuit from one of at least two contacts in a telephone connection terminal of a communication apparatus to another one of the at least two contacts in the telephone connection terminal is formed. In the current detection step, a current flowing in the closed circuit, when the closed circuit is formed in the closed circuit forming step, is detected. In the determination step, it is determined that the telephone line is improperly connected to the telephone connection terminal when the current is detected in the current detection step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jyunji Maeda, Hiroshi Ono
  • Patent number: 8644169
    Abstract: A data analyzer operative to be located at a customer premises, causes the transmission of a probing signal into at least one telephone line. The data analyzer computes a parameter that represents a characteristic of at least one telephone line based upon at least a measured reflected probing signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignees: Adaptive Spectrum and Signal Alignment, Inc., AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: John M Cioffi, George Ginis, Peter J. Silverman, Bin Lee, Richard Dennis Hart
  • Patent number: 8599704
    Abstract: Described is automatically testing the quality of an audio channel between a caller and a callee that includes a device under test, such as a VoIP or other gateway. An analyzer receives timestamps from a caller and callee during a calling session, including timestamps for when the callee initially provides audio (e.g., speech) to the caller, when the caller initially detects sound, when the caller initially provides audio to the callee, and when the callee initially detects sound. The analyzer uses the relative timing of the timestamps and the speech recognizer's outcome to determine whether the audio channel is experiencing interference or echo. When the audio includes speech, a confidence level corresponding to accuracy of speech recognition also may establish the audio channel's quality. Random selection and timing of output may be employed, such as to vary the testing patterns during repetitive tests.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Kuansan Wang, Nirav Girish Shah
  • Patent number: 8594278
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for testing a voice communication system. A job instruction is transmitted from an application server to a turret via a communications network. The application server causes the turret to execute at least one diagnostic test based on the job instruction. The application server receives, from the turret via the communications network, a message including a result of the at least one diagnostic test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: IPC Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew G. Pappas, Mark Sawers
  • Patent number: 8588285
    Abstract: A digital subscriber line arrangement includes a downstream modem, an upstream modem and a copper pair connection between the modems. Each modem includes electrical length estimation function code means which causes the respective modem to measure the attenuation of signals transmitted by the other modem at a plurality of different frequencies, and to combine these measurements, or functions thereof, together to form a combined attenuation measure and to use this combined measure to form an electrical length estimation, KL0bis. The downstream modem is operable to transmit its electrical length estimation to the upstream modem, and the upstream modem is operable to generate a definitive electrical length estimation in dependence upon both the received estimation from the downstream modem and the estimation made by the upstream modem. Having generated a definitive electrical length estimation, the upstream modem is operable to transmit this to the downstream modem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: British Telecommunications Public Limited Company
    Inventors: Leslie Derek Humphrey, Andrew David Wallace