Browser on test equipment

• US 7,092,947 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2002
• Issued: 08/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Enzmann, Mark J., Moton, Robert T. Jr., Zellner, Samuel N., Sargent, Nathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Mofiz, Apu M.
• Application Number:
  US10/334,874
• Publication Number:
  US 20030093406A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,324 Days
• Field of Search: 370/245, 370/249, 370/255, 370/338, 379/21, 379/32.01, 379/88.23, 379/356.01, 379/17, 375/220, 375/221, 375/222, 361/681, 361/600, 709/200, 709/224, 709/231, 709/250, 714/712, 70/58, 164/29
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/24 Arrangements for testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/916 Audio
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A portable telecommunication test set, such as a telephone line butt set, with a web browser incorporated therein. A standard HTML (Hyper Text Mark-up Language) or WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) browser may be incorporated within the portable test set, allowing a network technician to access the Internet as well as other remotely-located sources of information to retrieve data and other useful technical information while in the field for communication network or telephone line maintenance, troubleshooting or repair. The test set may contain memory to locally store certain technical information, e.g., telephone line-specific data or circuit information, that may be retrieved and “read” by the built-in browser module when prompted by the network technician. The web browser may display the content of the requested information on a display provided on the test set. Line-specific (as well as manufacturer-specific) test information need not be in a manufacturer-dictated proprietary format, but, instead, may be in a generally available text format, e.g., the HTML format or the WML (Wireless Mark-up Language) format. Testing-related data may thus be supplied (as hardware or software plug-in modules) by a vendor other than the manufacturer of the test set.

Claims

1. A communications test device, comprising:

a hand-held housing;

a processor located in the housing;

a protocol analyzer located in the housing and in communication with the processor, wherein the protocol analyzer is operative to perform test operations on a communications network;

a web browser module located in the housing and in communication with the processor, the web browser module including a communications stack designed for wireless communications, the web browser module operative to facilitate communications between the communications test device and an external source of information, and the web browser module operative to receive audio data files and video data files from the external source of information;

a power supply; and

a removable memory device for storing results of the test operations and data received by the web browser module,

wherein the test operations performed by the protocol analyzer are customizable,

wherein the external source of information includes a remote communications test device,

wherein the communications test device operates without input from a physical keyboard, and

wherein the communications test device operates over a wireline communications network and a wireless communications network.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a wireless modem and a wireline modem in communication with the web browser module.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising a DTMF dialer module in communication with the processor.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the web browser module includes a WAP browser and the communications stack designed for wireless communications includes a WAP stack.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the web browser module includes a Java browser operative to receive Java files located external to the test device.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising a testing module located in the housing and in communication with the processor and the web browser module.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the testing module drives a test on a Signaling System Number 7 (SS7) circuit.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the testing module is for testing a telephone line noise level.

9. The device of claim 6, wherein the testing module is for testing a telephone line for conveyance of one of a ringing signal and a dial tone.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the hand-held housing comprises a material that is water-resistant and shock-absorbent.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the material is Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS).

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the communications network is an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the communications network is a Synchronous Optical Network (SONET).

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the communications network includes a Digital Service (DS) circuit.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the communications network includes fiber optic cables.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the communications test device and the external source of information communicate via Radio Frequency (RF) signals.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the communications test device and the external source of information communicate using Ricochet protocol.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the communications test device and the external source of information communicate via Internet Protocol (IP).

19. The device of claim 1, further comprising a pair of clips extending from the hand-held housing, wherein the pair of clips are operative to attach the communications test device to a line of the communications network being tested.

20. The device of claim 1, further comprising an antenna originating within the housing and protruding therefrom to a predetermined distance, wherein the antenna is operative to provide a signaling interface between the communications test device and the external source of information via the wireless communications network.

21. The device of claim 1, wherein the communications test device is operative to

transmit an electronic message addressed to the remote communications test device;

and

receive an electronic message from the remote communications test device addressed to the communications test device.

22. A communications test device, the device comprising:

a hand-held housing;

a processor located in the housing;

a protocol analyzer located in the housing and in communication with the processor;

a web browser module located in the housing and in communication with the processor, the web browser module including a communications stack designed for wireless communications, the web browser module operative to facilitate communications between the communications test device and an external source of information, and the web browser module operative to receive audio data files and video data files from the external source of information;

a testing module located in the housing and in communication with the processor, wherein the testing module is operative to perform test operations on a communications network;

a power supply; and

a removable memory device for storing results of the test operations and data received by the web browser module,

wherein the test operations performed by the testing module are customizable;

wherein the external source of information includes a remote communications test device,

wherein the communications test device operates without input from a physical keyboard, and

wherein the communications test device operates over a wireline communications network and a wireless communications network.

23. The communications test device of claim 22, wherein the testing module drives a test signal on a telephone line and receives a response signal from the telephone line.

24. The communications test device of claim 22, wherein the external source of information includes a content server located external to the communications test device.

25. The communications test device of claim 22, wherein the communication network includes one or more of the following:

a Local Area Network (LAN); and

the Internet.

26. The communications test device of claim 22, further comprising a wireless modem and a wireline modem.

27. The communications test device of claim 22, wherein the communications network is a wireless network.

28. The communications test device of claim 22, wherein the test device includes a line interface unit.

29. The device of claim 22, wherein the web browser module is further operative to receive Java files from the external source of information.