Digital Subscriber Line Diagnostic System

• US 20070071177A1
• Filed: 08/29/2006
• Published: 03/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callahan Cellular LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Paradyne Corporation (Dasan Networks Incorporated)
• Inventors: Chapman, Joseph, Macdonald, Alistair
• Granted Patent: US 7,782,933 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/22.40
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/304 and using xDSL modems xDSL line qualification H04M3/306

Abstract

A communication device transmits very low frequency signals in order to help diagnose the cause of a communication problem in a DSL communication system. The communication problem may be, for example, the inability of a remote data transceiver unit (DTU-R) to successfully train-up with a central data transceiver unit (DTU-C). The very low frequency signals may be used to communicate the status or settings of the remote transceiver unit to the DTU-C, to download settings parameters or executable code to the DTU-R, or to coordinate the transmission of testing signals.

Claims

1. A system for diagnosing an xDSL communication problem, the system comprising:

a data source in communication with a remote modem;

an xDSL modem communicatively coupled to the remote modem via a subscriber loop and communicatively coupled to the data source via a network interface, the xDSL modem configured to receive data from the data source and to transmit the received data over the subscriber loop; and

a very-low-frequency (VLF) modem communicatively coupled to the remote modem via the subscriber loop and communicating using frequencies within the range of 0-20 kHz,

wherein the data source is configured to;

receive a notification from the xDSL modem of a communication problem between the xDSL modem and the remote modem; and

in response to the notification, exchange diagnostic data with the remote modem through the VLF modem, the diagnostic data related to a cause of the unsuccessful communication.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the VLF modem is configured to communicate using at least one of voice-band spread spectrum modulated signals or dual-tone multi-frequency signals.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the data source is further configured to:

request, through the VLF modem, at least a portion of the diagnostic data from the remote modem;

receive, through the VLF modem, the requested diagnostic data; and

determine the cause of the unsuccessful communication using the received diagnostic data.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the data source is further configured to:

transmit a request, through the VLF modem, to the remote modem for the remote modem to transmit a plurality of xDSL test signals to the xDSL modem.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the data source is further configured to:

instruct the xDSL modem to communicate the received xDSL test signals to the data source; and

analyze the xDSL test signals to determine the cause of the unsuccessful communication.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the data source is further configured to:

request the xDSL modem to transmit a plurality of xDSL test signals to the remote modem.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the data source is further configured to:

instruct the xDSL modem to communicate the received xDSL test signals to the data source; and

analyze the xDSL test signals to determine the cause of the unsuccessful communication.

8. A system for diagnosing an xDSL communication problem, the system comprising:

a data source in communication with a remote modem, the data source comprising a means for diagnosing an xDSL communication problem between the xDSL modem and the remote modem;

an xDSL modem communicatively coupled to the remote modem via a subscriber loop and communicatively coupled to the data source via a network interface, the xDSL modem configured to receive data from the data source and to transmit the received data over the subscriber loop; and

a very-low-frequency (VLF) modem communicatively coupled to the remote modem via the subscriber loop and communicating using frequencies 0-20 kHz,

wherein the means for diagnosing comprises;

means for receiving a notification from the xDSL modem in response to the xDSL communication problem; and

means for exchanging diagnostic data with the remote modem through the VLF modem, the diagnostic data related to a cause of the unsuccessful communication.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the means for diagnosing the xDSL communication problem is downloaded to the data source via the VLF modem after the xDSL communication problem occurs.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the diagnostic data comprises at least one of a status or a configuration of the data source.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the configuration comprises at least one of communication settings of the data source, and information about communication software residing on the data source and associated with the xDSL modem.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the diagnostic data comprises configuration parameters for the xDSL modem.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the diagnostic data comprises at least one of an xDSL modem address or information about a communication protocol used between the xDSL modem and the remote modem.

14. A method for diagnosing an xDSL communication problem, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, over a network, a notification from an xDSL modem when communication between the xDSL modem and a remote modem over a subscriber loop is unsuccessful; and

in response to the notification, exchanging diagnostic data with the remote modem using frequencies 0-20 kHz, the diagnostic data related to a cause of the unsuccessful communication.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

requesting, using frequencies 0-20 kHz, at least a portion of the diagnostic data from the remote modem;

receiving, using frequencies 0-20 kHz, the requested diagnostic data; and

analyzing the received diagnostic data to determine the cause of the unsuccessful communication.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of:

transmitting a request, through the VLF modem, to the remote modem for the remote modem to transmit a plurality of xDSL test signals to the xDSL modem.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

instructing the xDSL modem to communicate the received xDSL test signals to the data source; and

analyzing the xDSL test signals to determine the cause of the unsuccessful communication.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the xDSL test signals are used to determine at least one of a loading coil on the subscriber loop, a POTS splitter on the subscriber loop, POTS activity on the subscriber loop, presence of a low pass filter on the subscriber loop, POTS interference, non-linear distortion, noise levels, crosstalk levels, tonal interference, and data transmission rates.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of:

requesting the xDSL modem to transmit a plurality of xDSL test signals to the remote modem.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

instructing the xDSL modem to communicate the received xDSL test signals to the data source; and

analyzing the xDSL test signals to determine the cause of the unsuccessful communication.