Method and apparatus for testing communications between a network edge device and a customer premises device

• US 7,349,345 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2002
• Issued: 03/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Hansen, Kevin, Weber, Walt
• Primary Examiner(s): Backer; Firmin
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGO, NGUYEN HOANG
• Application Number:
  US10/160,631
• Time in Patent Office: 2,125 Days
• Field of Search: 370/216, 370/221, 370/224, 370/241.1, 370/242, 370247-249, 370/252, 370/352, 379/1.01, 379 103- 104, 379 21- 22, 379/22.01, 379/22.04, 379/27.01, 379/26.01
• US Class Current: 370/242
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2883 ATM DSLAM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements

Abstract

A method and apparatus for testing communications within a broadband network between a network edge device and a customer premises device. Network data traffic is diverted from the customer premises device to a test device. The test device emulates the customer premises device through the use of identifying data associated with the customer premises device. In one embodiment, data is diverted from the customer premises device to a test port loop back converter, which performs a DSL conversion of the data. The converted data is backhauled from the test port loop back converter to a test network edge device. The data is then sent from the test network edge device to a test customer premises device. The test customer premises device can be located at a site remote from the network edge device or can be collocated with and directly coupled to the network edge device.

Claims

1. A method for testing communications within a broadband network between a network edge device and a customer premises device comprising:

diverting network data traffic between a network edge device and a customer premises device to a test customer premises device;

emulating the customer premises device with the test customer premises device through entry into the test customer premises device of identifying data associated with the customer premises device;

diverting network data traffic from the customer premises device to a test port loop back converter coupled to the network edge device;

performing a DSL conversion on the network data by the test port loop back converter;

backhauling the converted data from the test port loop back converter to a test network edge device coupled to the test port loop back converter; and

sending the converted data from the test network edge device to a test customer premises device coupled to the test network edge device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifying data associated with the customer premises device is a MAC ID.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the network edge device is a DSLAM.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the customer premises device is an ISH.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the broadband network is an ATM network.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the connection between the network edge device and the customer premises device is an xDSL connection.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising automatically entering the identifying data associated with the customer premises device into the test customer premises device when network data traffic is diverted from the customer premises device to the test customer premises device.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising diverting network data traffic from the customer premises device to the test port loop back converter by means of a remote switch.

9. An apparatus for testing communications within a broadband network between a network edge device and a customer premises device comprising:

a test customer premises device coupled to a network edge device and configured to receive network data traffic diverted from a customer premises device and to emulate the customer premises device through the use of identifying data associated with the customer premises device;

a test port loop back converter coupled to the network edge device and configured to receive network data traffic diverted from the customer premises device and perform a DSL conversion on the network data;

a test network edge device coupled to the test port loop back converter and configured to receive converted data backhauled from the test port loop back converter; and

a test customer premises device coupled to the test network edge device.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the identifying data associated with the customer premises device is a MAC ID.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the network edge device is a DSLAM.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the customer premises device is an ISH.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the broadband network is an ATM network.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the connection between the network edge device and the customer premises device is an xDSL connection.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the identifying data is automatically entered into the test customer premises device when network data traffic is diverted from the customer premises device to the test customer premises device.

16. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a remote switch to divert network data traffic from the customer premises device to the test port loop back converter.