Test system for remotely testing switches within a telecommunications network

• US 6,230,006 B1
• Filed: 09/03/1998
• Issued: 05/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RcatsOne Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Acterna LLC (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Adams, David E., Keenan, Timothy Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Application Number:
  US09/146,606
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 455/424, 455/423, 455/67.1, 455/67.3, 455/67.4, 379/5, 379/23, 379/27, 370/241, 370/242, 370/244
• US Class Current: 455/424
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements

Abstract

A system for centrally and remotely testing switches of cellular and conventional telecommunications network wherein a controller located at a remote location provides instructions to Remote Call Processor (RCP) to thereby prompt the RCPs to establish a communication link from the RCP through a switch to a destination device whereby audio from said destination device is communicated, by way of the switch and the RCP, to the controller in order to verify that the switch properly routed and billed of the call. The destination device may be a service provided by such network or it may be another RCP.

Claims

1. A system for testing the operation of a switch in a calling area, said system comprising:

a remote call processor having phone means for establishing a communication link through said calling area switch to a destination device such that audio from the destination device is communicated to said remote call processor;

a controller for remotely controlling operation of said remote call processor, said controller having remote communication means for establishing a communication link between said remote call processor and said controller such that audio received at said remote call processor will be communicated to said controller and having means for instructing said remote call processor to initiate a phone call to said destination device,

where, upon prompting, said controller establishes a communication link between said controller and said remote call processor and instructs said remote call processor to initiate a phone call to a selected destination device, and said remote call processor, in accordance with said instructions, initiates a phone call to said destination device to thereby establish a communication link from said remote call processor through said calling area switch to a destination device such that audio generated by said destination device is communicated through said remote call processor to said controller, whereby operation of said switch may be verified.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said calling area is a cellular network.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said remote call processor comprises wireless means for establishing wireless communication with said cellular network.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said calling area is a land-line network.

5. The system according to claim 1 wherein

the communication link between said controller and said remote call processor is such that audio from said controller is communicated to said remote call processor; and

the communication link between said remote call processor and said destination device is such that audio from said remote call processor is communicated to said destination device,

whereby audio from said controller is communicated through said remote call processor to said destination device.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said remote communication means for establishing a communications link between said remote call processor and said controller comprises voice-over-Internet means for passing digital audio data over the Internet.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said remote communication means is an Ethernet communication link.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said remote call processor comprises means for digitizing audio received from said destination device.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said remote call processor comprises means for storing digital audio data.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said controller comprises means for receiving, digitizing and storing audio received from a user.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said controller further comprises:

means for instructing said remote call processor to sequentially initiate multiple phone calls to one or more destination devices and to store audio received from each of said destination devices; and

means for retrieving audio stored by said remote call processor.

12. A system for remotely testing a switch of a calling area, said system comprising:

a remote call processor geographically located to be capable of communication with said call area, said remote call processor comprising;

communication means for receiving control instructions from a remote controller;

phone means responsive to said control instructions for establishing a communication link through said calling area switch to a destination device such that said remote call processor receives audio from said destination device; and

audio communication means for communicating audio received by said remote call processor to said controller over said communication means.

13. In a telecommunications network having multiple calling areas and at least one switch for more than one of said multiple calling areas, a system for testing said network, said system comprising:

a first remote call processor associated with a first calling area switch;

a second remote call processor associated with a second calling area switch;

said first remote call processor having phone means for initiating a phone call through said first calling area switch to said second remote call processor,

a controller for remotely controlling operation of said first and second remote all processors, said controller having remote communication means for establishing a first communication link between said controller and said first remote call processor and a second communication link between said controller and said second remote call processor and having means for instructing said first remote call processor to initiate a phone call to said second remote call processor,

said second remote call processor having means for informing said controller of the status of said phone call from said first remote call processor,

where, upon prompting, said controller establishes a communication link between said controller and said first and second remote call processors and instructs said first remote call processor to initiate a phone call to said second remote call processor, and said first remote call processor, in accordance with said instructions, initiates a phone call to said second remote call processor to thereby establish a communication link from said remote call processor through said first calling area switch to said second remote call processor, and said second remote call processor informs said controller of the status of the phone call initiated by said first remote call processor whereby correct operation of said switch may be determined.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said controller comprises means for transmitting audio to said first remote call processor over said first communication link,

said first remote call processor comprises means for transmitting audio to said second remote call processor when said communication link between said first and second remote call processor is established, and

said second remote call processor comprises means for transmitting audio to said controller over said second communication link,

such that a user of said system can verify that the switch correctly established a communication link between the first and second remote call processors by transmitting audio from said controller and verifying that said audio is received at said controller after passing through said first remote call processor, said first call area switch, and said second remote call processor.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said second remote call processor comprises means for measuring the quality of the audio received from said first remote call processor.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein said controller comprises means for transmitting audio to said second remote call processor over said second communication link,

said second remote call processor comprises means for transmitting audio to said first remote call processor when said communication link between said first and second remote call processor is established, and

said first remote call processor comprises means for transmitting audio to said controller over said first communication link,

such that a user of said system can verify that the switch correctly established a communication link between the first and second remote call processors by transmitting audio from said controller and verifying that said audio is received at said controller after passing through said second remote call processor, said first call area switch, and said first remote call processor.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said first remote call processor comprises means for measuring the quality of the audio received from said first remote call processor.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein

said second remote call processor comprises means for transmitting audio to said first remote call processor when said communication link between said first and second remote call processor is established,

said first remote call processor comprises means for measuring the quality of the audio transmitted by said second remote call processor, and

said first remote call processor comprises means for transmitting measurement results to said controller,

whereby the quality of audio transmitted from said second remote call processor to said first remote call processor may be verified.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein

said first remote call processor comprises means for transmitting audio to said second remote call processor when said communication link between said first and second remote call processor is established,

said second remote call processor comprises means for measuring the quality of the audio transmitted by said first remote call processor, and

said second remote call processor comprises means for transmitting measurement results to said controller,

whereby the quality of audio transmitted from said first remote call processor to said second remote call processor may be verified.

20. A system for testing the operation of a switch in a calling area, said system comprising:

a remote call processor having phone means for establishing a communication link through said calling area switch to a destination device such that data from the destination device is communicated to said remote call processor;

a controller for remotely controlling operation of said remote call processor, said controller having remote communication means for establishing a communication link between said remote call processor and said controller such that data received at said remote call processor will be communicated to said controller and having means for instructing said remote call processor to initiate a phone call to said destination device,

where, upon prompting, said controller establishes a communication link between said controller and said remote call processor and instructs said remote call processor to initiate a phone call to a selected destination device, and said remote call processor, in accordance with said instructions, initiates a phone call to said destination device to thereby establish a communication link from said remote call processor through said calling area switch to a destination device such that data generated by said destination device is communicated through said remote call processor to said controller.