METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING MULTISERVICE TESTING

• US 20100279681A1
• Filed: 04/29/2009
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Shah, Faisal, Ahmad, Attique
• Granted Patent: US 8,213,926 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/424
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic

Abstract

An approach is provided for a multiservice tester. A connection over an access link providing a customer premise with connectivity to a plurality of telecommunication services provided over a data network is established at a test device. Testing the plurality of telecommunication services is initiated by either physically connecting to one or more end devices or invoking an emulation application for emulating the one or more end devices. The plurality of telecommunication services are verified based on performance of the connection. A secure connection may be established with a provisioning system maintained by a service provider of the plurality of telecommunication services, wherein the secure connection may be established via the access link or via one or more wireless network access links. The provisioning system may facilitate verification of the plurality of telecommunication services and/or troubleshooting the plurality of telecommunication services.

Claims

3-1. A method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more end devices are telephony devices, multimedia devices, or computing devices.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a communication interface configured to establish a connection over an access link providing a customer premise with connectivity to a plurality of telecommunication services provided over a data network; and

a processor configured to initiate testing of the plurality of telecommunication services based on a physical connection to one or more end devices or by invoking an emulation application for emulating the one or more end devices,

wherein the processor is further configured to verify the plurality of telecommunication services based on performance of the connection.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

a plurality of ports for establishing the connection, the ports including a registered jack port and a coax port.

11. An apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

a display configured to provide a touchscreen interface.

12. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein in the processor is further configured to execute a troubleshooting application based on the performance of the connection.

13. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the communication interface is further configured to interface with a technician access device via wireless fidelity, bluetooth, or infrared.

14. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the communication interface is further configured to establish a secure connection with a provisioning system maintained by a service provider of the plurality of telecommunication services.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the secure connection includes a secure tethered connection with a technician access device.

16. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to detect whether a physical connection to a particular end device is established and to initiate non-emulation testing based on detecting the physical connection.

17. A method comprising:

receiving performance information related to testing a plurality of telecommunication services provided over a data network via an access link that enables a customer premise to access the plurality of telecommunication services; and

verifying the plurality of telecommunication services based on comparing the performance information in relation to one or more predefined thresholds,

wherein the testing is initiated by either physically connecting a multiservice test device to one or more end devices or invoking an emulation application on the multiservice test device for emulating the one or more end devices.

18. A method according to claim 17, further comprising:

generating troubleshooting information based on the performance information; and

transmitting the troubleshooting information to the multiservice test device over a secure connection.

19. A method according to claim 17, further comprising:

receiving job status information from the multiservice test device; and

updating a job status for verifying the plurality of communication services at the customer premise.