DSL SYSTEM ESTIMATION AND PARAMETER RECOMMENDATION

• US 20080071516A1
• Filed: 11/26/2007
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Assia Spe LLC
• Original Assignee: Adaptive Spectrum and Signal Alignment, Incorporated
• Inventors: Rhee, Wonjong, Cioffi, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,711,530 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/32 Reducing cross-talk, e.g. by compensating
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0002 by adapting the transmission rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0019 in which mode-switching is based on a statistical approach
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2874 Processing of data for distribution to the subscribers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6478 Digital subscriber line, e.g. DSL, ADSL, HDSL, XDSL, VDSL
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/145 involving simulating, designing, planning or modelling of a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0829 Packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0847 Transmission error
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0888 Throughput
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0894 Packet rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/106 using time related information in packets, e.g. by adding timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0044 allocation of payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/062 using different frequency bands for speech and other data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2209 : for lines also used for data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/30 : for subscriber's lines , for the local loop
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/304 : and using xDSL modems xDSL line qualification H04M3/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/34 : Testing for cross-talk
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 : in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

Estimates of a communication system configuration, such as a DSL system, are based on operational data collected from a network element management system, protocol, users and/or the like. The operational data collected from the system can include performance-characterizing operational data that typically is available in an ADSL system via element-management-system protocols. Generated estimates and/or approximations can be used in evaluating system performance and directly or indirectly dictating/requiring changes or recommending improvements in operation by transmitters and/or other parts of the communication system. Data and/or other information may be collected using “internal” means or may be obtained from system elements and components via email and/or other “external” means. The likelihood of a model'"'"'s accuracy can be based on various data, information and/or indicators of system performance, such as observed normal operational data, test data and/or prompted operational data that shows operating performance based on stimulation signals. One example of such prompted data uses frequency carrier masks to approximate the H log of a given channel, including information regarding bridged taps attenuation, etc.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method of generating a model of a DSL system, the DSL system model comprising a set of one or more model parameter values for one or more model parameters, the method comprising:

prompting the DSL system to generate operational data, wherein prompting the DSL system to generate operational data comprises;

setting an operational mode for the DSL system based on one or more of the model parameters; and

operating the DSL system using the set operational mode to generate the operational data;

collecting the generated operational data;

using the collected operational data to generate one or more model parameter values; and

recording or storing one or more of the generated model parameter values in a memory.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein prompting the DSL system to generate operational data further comprises selecting the model parameters;

further wherein setting an operational mode for the DSL system is based on one or more of the selected model parameters; and

further wherein using the collected operational data to generate one or more model parameter values comprises comparing the collected operational data to one or more previous model parameter values.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising modifying the model parameter values based on the comparison of the collected operational data to the one or more previous model parameter values.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the operational data comprises performance-characterizing operational data available from the DSL system.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein prompting the DSL system to generate operational data is repeated using a plurality of operational modes for the DSL system.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising one or more of the following:

recommending operational modes for the DSL system based on the DSL system model;

or

diagnosing the DSL system using the DSL system model.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein setting the operational mode for the DSL system comprises setting one or more operational parameters in a modem in the DSL system.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the model parameter value set comprises at least one of the following DSL parameter types:

line length;

number of bridged taps;

position of each bridged tap;

channel insertion-loss transfer function;

power level;

PSD level;

bit error rate;

time-averaged versions of errors;

errored seconds;

code violations;

code settings;

PSD shape;

or

potential noises.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein setting the operational mode for the DSL system comprises setting an operational frequency band.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the collected operational data comprises one or more points showing H log for a set operational frequency band.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein H log is estimated with the method further comprising:

determining a plurality of attenuation values, each of the plurality corresponding to a different frequency carrier mask, wherein determining the attenuation value for each carrier mask further comprises;

setting a data-bearing frequency carrier mask;

transmitting data to a DSL modem coupled to the line using one or more frequencies in the carrier mask;

receiving the attenuation value from the DSL modem for the transmitted data;

generating a function approximating the plurality of received attenuation values as dependent variables of a bit loaded frequency, f, in the carrier mask; and

outputting or storing in a memory the generated function as the estimate of the H log function.

33. A DSL system estimator for generating a model of a DSL system, the DSL system model comprising a set of one or more model parameter values for one or more model parameters, the estimator comprising:

collecting means coupled to the DSL system and comprising a hardware module configured to collect operational data generated by the DSL system; and

estimating means coupled to the collecting means and comprising a hardware module configured to generate one or more DSL system model parameter values based on the collected operational data and further configured to record or store one or more generated model parameter values in a memory;

wherein the estimator is configured to prompt the DSL system to generate operational data, wherein prompting the DSL system to generate operational data comprises;

setting an operational mode for the DSL system based on one or more of the model parameters, wherein operating the DSL system using the set operational mode generates the operational data.

34. The DSL system estimator of claim 33, wherein the estimator is coupled to a signal generator configured to send operating mode instructions to the DSL system.

35. The DSL system estimator of claim 33, wherein the hardware module of the collecting means and the hardware module of the estimating means are the same hardware module.

36. The DSL system estimator of claim 33, wherein the hardware module of the collecting means and the hardware module of the estimating means are distinct hardware modules.

37. A computer readable media having instructions stored thereon for generating a model of a DSL system, the DSL system model comprising a set of one or more model parameter values for one or more model parameters, the instructions comprising:

instructions for prompting the DSL system to generate operational data, wherein prompting the DSL system to generate operational data comprises;

setting an operational mode for the DSL system based on one or more of the model parameters; and

operating the DSL system using the set operational mode to generate the operational data;

instructions for collecting the generated operational data;

instructions for generating one or more model parameter values based on the collected operational data; and

instructions for recording or storing one or more of the generated model parameter values in a memory.

38. A method of estimating the H log function of a line in a DSL system, the method comprising:

determining a plurality of attenuation values, each of the plurality corresponding to a different frequency carrier mask, wherein determining the attenuation value for each carrier mask further comprises;

setting a data-bearing frequency carrier mask;

transmitting data to a DSL modem coupled to the line using one or more frequencies in the carrier mask; and

receiving the attenuation value from the DSL modem for the transmitted data;

generating a function approximating the plurality of received attenuation values as dependent variables of a bit loaded frequency, f, selected from the one or more frequencies in the carrier mask; and

outputting or storing in a memory the generated function as the estimate of the H log function.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein f is the only frequency in each carrier mask and the corresponding received attenuation value is the insertion loss of the line for f.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the data-bearing carrier mask comprises a band of frequencies having a lower bound of f and further wherein the received attenuation value is an approximation of the insertion loss of the line for f.

41. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

approximating the channel transfer function for an entire DSL system usable frequency range on the basis of received attenuation values.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

removing undesirable effects from the approximated channel transfer function.

43. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

determining at least one of the following values for the line;

QLN;

MSE;

or

SNR.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising:

setting or recommending an operational mode of part of the DSL system based on at least one of the following values for the line;

H log;

QLN;

MSE;

or

SNR.

45. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

plotting the received attenuation values as a function of the frequency f associated with each of the different frequency carrier masks.