Proact module for proactive maintenance application

• US 6,614,882 B1
• Filed: 04/27/2001
• Issued: 09/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: BellSouth Intellectual Property Management Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Beamon, Elizabeth Ann, Barnwell, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DUC MINH
• Application Number:
  US09/844,001
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 379/2, 379/5, 379/10-1-, 379/12-13, 379/14, 379/15-1-, 379/26-1-, 379/27.01, 379/27.08, 379/29-1-, 379/32-1-, 379/9-2-, 370/241, 370/242, 370/244, 370/247, 370/250, 370/251
• US Class Current: 379/27.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/24 Arrangements for testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/247 Knowledge-based maintenance systems

Abstract

Methods and systems for proactively maintaining a telephone system local loop. One embodiment includes communicating with a communications network and acquiring status information associated with telephone lines. Proactive maintenance is predicted using upon the status information. Work orders describing the predicted proactive maintenance may be generated and dispatched. Another embodiment includes communicating with a communications network and acquiring at least one customer information associated with copper line pairs, service information associated with copper line pairs, and status information associated with telephone lines. The acquired information is stored in a database. The database is updated with the status information associated with telephone lines. Proactive maintenance is predicted using the stored information.

Claims

1. An automated method for proactively maintaining a telephone system local loop, comprising:

communicating with a communications network and acquiring status information associated with telephone lines, wherein the status information comprises at least one of customer demographics, network element performance history, field conditions, mold temperature data, cleaning/washing fluid turbidity data, and growth patterns for split cross-connects;

predicting proactive maintenance using the status information;

generating work order information describing the predicted proactive maintenance;

interfacing with a technician dispatch system to electronically dispatch work order information describing the predictive proactive maintenance; and

dispatching the work order information.

2. A method for proactively maintaining a telephone system local loop according to claim 1, wherein the step of acquiring status information includes acquiring status information from a Loop Facilities and Control System.

3. A method for proactively maintaining a telephone system local loop according to claim 1, further comprising interfacing with a Loop Maintenance Operating System to electronically dispatch the work order information describing the predicted proactive maintenance.

4. An automated method for proactively maintaining a telephone system local loop, the method comprising:

communicating with a communications network and acquiring at least one of customer demographics, network element performance history, field conditions, mold temperature data, cleaning/washing fluid turbidity data, and growth patterns for split cross-connects;

storing the acquired information;

updating the stored information with the status information associated with telephone lines;

predicting proactive maintenance using the stored information;

generating work order information describing the predicted proactive maintenance; and

electronically dispatching the work order information to the field.

5. A method for proactively maintaining a telephone system local loop according to claim 4, further comprising combining the stored information.

6. A method for proactively maintaining a telephone system local loop according to claim 4, further comprising weighting the stored information.

7. A method for proactively maintaining a telephone system local loop according to claim 4, further comprising weighting the customer information associated with copper line pairs.

8. A method for proactively maintaining a telephone system local loop according to claim 4, further comprising weighting the service information associated with copper line pairs.

9. An automated system for predicting proactive maintenance of a telephone system local loop, the system comprising:

a Dynamic Network Analyzer module communicating with a communications network and acquiring Dynamic Network Analyzer information;

a Loop Facilities and Control System module communicating with the communications network and acquiring Loop Facilities and Control System information;

a ProAct module communicating with the communications network and acquiring status information associated with telephone lines;

a database stored in memory, the database storing the acquired information wherein the acquired information comprises at least one of customer demographics, network element performance history, field conditions, mold temperature data, cleaning/washing fluid turbidity data, and growth patterns for split cross-connects; and

a processor capable of processing information stored in the database and of generating proactive maintenance;

wherein the ProAct module allows a work order describing the proactive maintenance to be electronically dispatched.

10. A computer program product for an automated system for proactively maintaining a telephone system, comprising:

ea computer-readable medium; and

a ProAct module stored on the medium, the ProAct module coupled to a Loop Facilities and Control System over a communications network, the ProAct module predicting proactive maintenance based on status information, comprising at least one of customer demographics, network element performance history, field conditions, mold temperature data, cleaning/washing fluid turbidity data, and growth patterns for split cross-connects, and the ProAct module allowing a work order describing proactive maintenance to be electronically dispatched to a field technician.

11. A computer program product according to claim 10, further comprising a Dynamic Network Analyzer module stored on the medium, the Dynamic Network Analyzer module coupled to a Dynamic Network Analyzer over a communications network, the Dynamic Network Analyzer module acquiring information concerning the Dynamic Network Analyzer.

12. A computer program product according to claim 10, further comprising a Loop Facilities and Control System module stored on the medium, the Loop Facilities and Control System module coupled to a Loop Facilities and Control System over a communications network, the Loop Facilities and Control System module acquiring information concerning the Loop Facilities and Control System.