Multi-port caller ID-based telephone ringback test device
First Claim
1. A method of testing a communication circuit installed in a communication network, said communication circuit having caller identification and call waiting classes of service, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) calling, from a caller'"'"'s communication unit coupled to said communication circuit, a telephone number assigned to a test device in said telephone network;
(b) detecting at said test device a telephone number assigned to said communication circuit as contained in identification information provided by said communication network;
(c) placing a first call to said telephone number assigned to said communication circuit by way of a first port of said test device;
(d) in response to said caller'"'"'s telephone answering said first call placed in step (c), stimulating said call waiting classes of service of said communication circuit by placing a second call to said telephone number assigned to said communication circuit by way of a second port of said test device.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A multi-ported, caller ID-based test unit, which may be installed in the central office of a public switched telephone network, is capable of determining the telephone number, subscriber name and various other information associated with the subscriber line used to access to the test device, and is operative to conduct various tests of a telephone circuit from which a call to the test device is placed. These tests include exercising a caller identification, call waiting class of service, testing the ability of the telephone circuit to receive incoming calls, and testing the operation of a message-waiting indicator of a telephone unit coupled to the telephone circuit, as well as the ability to conduct a data session with a remote terminal using the test unit'"'"'s data port.
62 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A method of testing a communication circuit installed in a communication network, said communication circuit having caller identification and call waiting classes of service, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) calling, from a caller'"'"'s communication unit coupled to said communication circuit, a telephone number assigned to a test device in said telephone network; (b) detecting at said test device a telephone number assigned to said communication circuit as contained in identification information provided by said communication network; (c) placing a first call to said telephone number assigned to said communication circuit by way of a first port of said test device; (d) in response to said caller'"'"'s telephone answering said first call placed in step (c), stimulating said call waiting classes of service of said communication circuit by placing a second call to said telephone number assigned to said communication circuit by way of a second port of said test device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of testing the ability of a communication circuit, having caller identification and call waiting classes of service, to receive incoming calls placed to it over a communication network to which said communication circuit is connected, comprising the steps of:
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(a) placing a first call to a test device, installed in said communication network, by way of a communication device that has been coupled to said communication circuit; (b) causing said communication circuit test device to invoke a call return operation through said communication network, so that a second call is placed from said communication test device to said communication circuit; and (c) monitoring said communication circuit, by way of said communication device, for receipt of said second call and caller information contained therein identifying said test device. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. For use with a communication circuit having a message-waiting class of service provided by a communication network in which said communication circuit is installed, a method of testing the ability of a communication unit coupled to said communication circuit to generate an output representative of the exercise of said message-waiting class of service, comprising the steps of:
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(a) placing a first call to a test device, installed in said communication network, by way of a communication device that has been coupled to said telephone circuit; (b) upon said first call being placed, causing said test device to transmit a message to said communication circuit that causes said communication unit to generate an output representative of an exercise of said message-waiting class of service; and (c) monitoring the operation of said communication unit for generation thereby of said output representative of said message-waiting class of service. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A test device installable in a communication network and being controllably accessible by way of a communication device that is coupled to a communication circuit of said communication network, said test device comprising:
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a first communication port and a second communication port coupled to said communication network; and a communication transceiver coupled to said first and second communication ports and being operative to transmit and receive telecommunication signals over said communication network, said communication transceiver including a call supervision computer, which is programmed to cause said communication transceiver to interface signals which are effective to test the operation of said communication circuit by way of either of said first and second communication ports, and wherein said communication circuit is provided with caller identification, call-waiting class of service, and wherein said call supervision computer is programmed to test the ability of said communication circuit to exercise said caller identification, call-waiting class of service by causing said communication transceiver to place respective calls to said communication circuit via said first and second communication ports of said test device. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A test device installable in a communication network and being controllably accessible by way of a communication device that is coupled to a communication circuit of said communication network, said test device comprising:
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a first communication port and a second communication port coupled to said communication network; and a communication transceiver coupled to said first and second communication ports and being operative to transmit and receive telecommunication signals over said communication network, said communication transceiver including a call supervision computer, which is programmed to cause said communication transceiver to interface signals which are effective to test the operation of said communication circuit by way of either of said first and second communication ports, and wherein said communication circuit has a message-waiting class of service, and wherein said call supervision computer is programmed to test the ability of a communication unit coupled to said communication circuit to generate an output representative of the exercise of said message-waiting class of service by performing a test routine that comprises the steps of; (a) in response to receiving an incoming call placed from said communication device to said first port of said test device, detecting the telephone number of said communication circuit; and (b) during the course of said incoming call, transmitting a message to said communication circuit that causes said communication unit to generate an output representative of an exercise of said message-waiting class of service, so that the operation of said communication unit may be monitored for the generation of said output representative of said message-waiting class of service. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A test device installable in a communication network and being controllably accessible by way of a communication device that is coupled to a communication circuit of said communication network, said test device comprising:
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a first communication port and a second communication port coupled to said communication network; a communication transceiver coupled to said first and second communication ports and being operative to transmit and receive telecommunication signals over said communication network, said communication transceiver including a call supervision computer, which is programmed to cause said communication transceiver to interface signals which are effective to test the operation of said communication circuit by way of either of said first and second communication ports, and wherein said call supervision computer is programmed to test the ability of a communication circuit to receive calls by performing a first test routine that comprises the steps of; (a) receiving an incoming call placed by way of said communication device; and (b) after termination of said incoming call, invoking a call return operation through said telephone network, whereby a return call is placed from said test device to said communication circuit as a called party, so that said return call may be monitored by way of said communication device for the presence of caller identification information contained therein identifying said test device. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A test unit installable in a communication network and being controllably accessible by way of a communication device that is coupled to a communication circuit of said communication network, said test unit comprising:
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a first communication port for interfacing first communication channel signals with said communication network and a second communication port for interfacing second communication channel signals with said communication network; and a communication transceiver coupled to said first and second communication ports and being operative to transmit and receive communication signals over said communication network, said communication transceiver including a call supervision computer, which is programmed to cause said communication transceiver to interface communication signals which are effective to test the operation of said communication circuit by way of either or both of said first and second communication ports, and wherein said first and second communication ports have respectively associated telephone numbers. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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31. A test unit installable in a communication network and being controllably accessible by way of a communication device that is coupled to a communication circuit of said communication network, said test unit comprising:
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a first communication port for interfacing first communication channel signals with said communication network and a second communication port for interfacing second communication channel signals with said communication network; and a communication transceiver coupled to said first and second communication ports and being operative to transmit and receive communication signals over said communication network, said communication transceiver including a call supervision computer, which is programmed to cause said communication transceiver to interface communication signals which are effective to test the operation of said communication circuit by way of either or both of said first and second communication ports, and wherein said communication transceiver includes a caller ID detection circuit, which is controllably coupled to one of said first and second communication ports by the operation of said supervision computer inserted during reception of caller ID signalling information accompanying ringing signals of an incoming call to said one of said first and second communication ports of said test unit. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification