End-user communications test system
First Claim
1. A method for remotely diagnosing problems in establishing a communications link between a call-routing component and a target component in a telecommunications network environment, comprising:
- from a remote site, originating a signal transmission at said call-routing component bound for said target component, said originating including;
providing a first phone number specific to said call-routing component and configured to be forwarded at said call-routing component to a second phone number directed toward said target component; and
initiating a call from said remote site to said first phone number, whereby said call is forwarded to said second phone number, thereby originating said signal transmission; and
monitoring communication signaling of said signal transmission, whereby problems with establishing said communications link can be identified.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention is a method and system for remotely testing network paths diagnosing problems in establishing a communications link between a call-routing component and a target component in a telecommunications network environment. The test system permits a call to be originated at any end office from a remote location. Originating a call at a customer'"'"'s end office accurately recreates the customer'"'"'s experience. A test method accurately reveals problems with a specific communications path. The last mile of a customer'"'"'s connection can also be tested.
21 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method for remotely diagnosing problems in establishing a communications link between a call-routing component and a target component in a telecommunications network environment, comprising:
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from a remote site, originating a signal transmission at said call-routing component bound for said target component, said originating including;
providing a first phone number specific to said call-routing component and configured to be forwarded at said call-routing component to a second phone number directed toward said target component; and
initiating a call from said remote site to said first phone number, whereby said call is forwarded to said second phone number, thereby originating said signal transmission; and
monitoring communication signaling of said signal transmission, whereby problems with establishing said communications link can be identified. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
generating said call from said remote site with a call tester; and
observing data provided by said call tester gathered from said signaling.
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4. The method of claim 1, wherein diagnosing problems in establishing said communications link includes conducting a test on establishing said communications link.
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5. The method of claim 4, wherein said test is a signal translation test.
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6. The method of claim 4, wherein said test is a call-routing test.
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7. The method of claim 4, wherein said test is a telephone attenuation/distortion test.
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8. The method of claim 4, wherein said test is a data error test.
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9. A computer-readable medium having computer-useable instructions embodied thereon for testing a communications link between a signal-routing component and a target component in a telecommunications network environment, said computer-useable instructions, comprising:
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code for remotely originating a signal transmission at said signal-routing component, said code for remotely originating said signal transmission including;
code for calling a first phone number specific to said signal-routing component and configured to be forwarded at said signal-routing component to a second phone number directed toward said target component; and
code for forwarding a call made to said first phone number to said second phone number, thereby originating said signal transmission; and
code for remotely receiving signaling information associated with said signal transmission. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
code for receiving calling instructions from a call tester;
code for generating said call based on said calling instructions; and
code for observing data provided by said call tester.
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13. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein said computer-usable instructions for testing said communications link further includes code for conducting a test on establishing said communications link.
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14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein said test is a signal translation test.
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15. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein said test is a call-routing test.
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16. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein said test is a telephone attenuation attenuation/distortion test.
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17. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein said test is a data error test.
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18. A system for diagnosing problems associated with establishing a communications link between a first network component and a second network component in a telecommunications network environment, comprising:
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a remote call-generation component;
a test server component logically coupled to said call-generation component for managing calls to at least a first phone number specific to said first network component; and
a call-forwarding component for forwarding said calls from said first phone number at said call-generation component to at least a second phone number directed toward said second network component, whereby problems associated with attempting to establish said communications link can be remotely observed.
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19. A method for testing a communications link, between a signal-routing component and a target component in a telecommunications network environment, comprising:
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remotely originating a signal transmission at said signal-routing component, said remotely originating including;
providing a first phone number specific to said signal-routing component and configured to be forwarded at said call-routing component to a second phone number directed toward said target component; and
initiating a call from a remote site to said first phone number, whereby said call is forwarded to said second phone number, thereby originating said signal transmission; and
remotely receiving signaling information associated with said signal transmission, whereby said signaling information is used to determine problems associated with maintaining said communications link.
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20. In a telecommunications network environment wherein a first signal path is comprised of a first segment from a remote test device to a call-routing component and a second segment from the call-routing component to a target component and a second signal path is comprised of the first segment and a third segment from the call-routing component to an end-user device, a method for remotely testing said third segment, comprising:
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determining that no communications problems exist along said first signal path, wherein said determining includes, from said remote test device, originating a signal transmission at said call-routing component bound for said target component by providing a first phone number specific to said call-routing component and configured to be forwarded at said call-routing component to a second phone number directed toward said target component and initiating a call from said remote test device to said first phone number, whereby said call is forwarded to said second phone number thereby originating said signal transmission; and
initiating an end-user test across said second signal path, whereby any communications problems observed will correspond to problems across the third segment. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
issuing a test command from said remote test device; and
receiving data based on said test command, whereby said first signal path can be determined to be error-free.
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23. The method of claim 20, wherein initiating an end-user test across said second signal path includes:
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establishing a connection with said end-user device;
issuing a test command via said remote test device; and
receiving data from said test command to isolate a communications problem along said second signal path.
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24. The method of claim 23, wherein said test command includes a loop code command.
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25. The method of claim 23, wherein said test command includes a data error command.
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26. A computer programmed to perform the steps recited in the method of claim 20.
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27. In a telecommunications network environment wherein a first signal path is comprised of a first segment from a remote test device to a call-routing component and a second segment from the call-routing component to a target component and a second signal path is comprised of the first segment and a third segment from the call-routing component to an end-user device, a computer-readable medium having computer-useable instructions embodied thereon for remotely testing said third segment, comprising:
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code for determining that no communications problems exist along said first signal path, said code including, from said remote test device, code for originating a signal transmission at said call-routing component bound for said target component, said code including code for providing a first phone number specific to said call-routing component and configured to be forwarded at said call-routing component to a second phone number directed toward said target component and code for initiating a call from said remote test device to said first phone number, whereby said call is forwarded to said second phone number, thereby originating said signal transmission; and
code for initiating an end-user test across said second signal path, whereby any communications problems observed will correspond to problems across said third segment. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
code for issuing a test command from said remote test device; and
code for receiving data based on said test command, whereby said first signal path can be determined to be error-free.
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30. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein code for initiating an end-user test across said second signal path includes:
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code for establishing a connection with said end-user device;
code for issuing a test command via said remote test device; and
code for receiving data from said test command to isolate a communications problem along said second signal path.
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31. The computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein said test command includes a loop code command.
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32. The computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein said test command includes a data error command.
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33. In a telecommunications network environment wherein a signal path from a remote test device to an end-user'"'"'s device is comprised of a first segment from a remote location to a call-routing component and a second segment from the call-routing component to the end-user'"'"'s device, and a third segment from the call-routing component to a target component, a method for remotely testing said second segment, comprising:
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providing for the determination that no communications problems exist along said first and third segments, said providing including;
from said remote test device, originating a first signal transmission at said call-routing component bound for said target component said originating including providing a first phone number specific to said call-routing component and configured to be forwarded at said call-routing component to a second phone number directed to said target component and initiating a call from said remote location to said first phone number, whereby said call is forwarded to said second phone number, thereby originating said signal transmission; and
monitoring communication signaling of said first signal transmission, whereby problems with said first and third segments can be eliminated; and
providing for the testing of said first and second segments, whereby any communications problems observed on said testing correspond to problems across said second segment. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37)
generating said call from said remote location with a call tester; and
observing data provided by said call tester gathered from said signaling.
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35. The method of claim 33, wherein providing for the testing of said second and third paths segments includes:
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from said remote test device, originating a second signal transmission at said call-routing component bound for said end-user'"'"'s device; and
monitoring communication signaling of said second signal transmission.
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36. The method of claim 35, wherein originating said second signal transmission includes:
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providing said first phone number specific to said call-routing component and configured to be forwarded at said call-routing component to a third phone number directed to said end-user'"'"'s device; and
initiating a call from said remote location to said first phone number, whereby said call is forwarded to said third phone number, thereby originating said second signal transmission.
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37. The method of claim 36, wherein monitoring communication signaling of said second signal transmission includes:
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generating said call from said remote location with a call tester; and
observing data provided by said call tester gathered from said signaling.
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38. In a telecommunications network environment wherein a signal path from a remote test device to an end-user'"'"'s device is comprised of a first segment from the remote test device to a call-routing component and a second segment from the call-routing component to the end-user'"'"'s device, a method for remotely testing said second segment, comprising:
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providing for the determination that no communications problems exist along said first segment, said providing including;
from said remote test device, originating a first signal transmission at said call-routing component bound for said target component, said originating including providing a first phone number specific to said call-routing component and configured to be forwarded at said call-routing component to a second phone number directed to said target component and initiating a call from said remote location to said first phone number, whereby said call is forwarded to said second phone number, thereby originating said signal transmission; and
monitoring communication signaling of said first signal transmission, whereby problems with said first and third segments can be eliminated; and
providing for the testing of said signal path, whereby any communications problems observed on said signal path correspond to problems across said second segment.
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Specification