Systems and methods for establishing a diagnostic transmission mode and communicating over the same

• US 7,570,686 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2003
• Issued: 08/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TQ Delta LLC (Techquity Capital Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Aware Incorporated (Crowley Holdings Preferred LLC)
• Inventors: Krinsky, David M, Pizzano, Jr., Robert Edmund
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khanh C
• Application Number:
  US10/619,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20040202237A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,211 Days
• Field of Search: 375/222, 375224-225, 375/227, 375/220, 375/284, 370/252, 370/282, 370/241, 379/22.02, 379/22.04, 379/27.01, 379/27.03
• US Class Current: 375/222
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/46 Monitoring; Testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0001 Systems modifying transmission characteristics according to link quality, e.g. power backoff adaptive data allocation for multicarrier modulation H04L5/0044; controlling transmission power for radio systems H04W52/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0061 Error detection codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/08 by repeating transmission, e.g. Verdan system H04L1/1858 and H04L1/189 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/18 Automatic repetition systems, e.g. Van Duuren systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/24 Testing correct operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/245 by using the properties of transmission codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2601 Multicarrier modulation systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/3461 in order to transmit a subchannel
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1438 Negotiation of transmission parameters prior to communication modified according to link quality H04L1/0001
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2209 for lines also used for data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2227 Quality of service monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/28 Automatic routine testing ; Fault testing; Installation testing; Test methods, test equipment or test arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/30 for subscriber's lines , for the local loop
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/304 and using xDSL modems xDSL line qualification H04M3/306

Abstract

Upon detection of a trigger, such as the exceeding of an error threshold or the direction of a user, a diagnostic link system enters a diagnostic information transmission mode. This diagnostic information transmission mode allows for two modems to exchange diagnostic and/or test information that may not otherwise be exchangeable during normal communication. The diagnostic information transmission mode is initiated by transmitting an initiate diagnostic link mode message to a receiving modem accompanied by a cyclic redundancy check (CRC). The receiving modem determines, based on the CRC, if a robust communications channel is present. If a robust communications channel is present, the two modems can initiate exchange of the diagnostic and/or test information. Otherwise, the transmission power of the transmitting modem is increased and the initiate diagnostic link mode message re-transmitted to the receiving modem until the CRC is determined to be correct.

Claims

1. In a multicarrier modulation transceiver, a method of communicating diagnostic information over a communication channel using multicarrier modulation comprising:

transmitting or receiving at the multicarrier modulation transceiver an initiate diagnostic mode message; and

transmitting from the multicarrier modulation transceiver a diagnostic message using multicarrier modulation, wherein the diagnostic message comprises a plurality of data variables representing the diagnostic information about the communication channel and each bit in the diagnostic message is mapped to at least one DMT symbol, and wherein one variable comprises an array representing frequency domain received idle channel noise information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the initiate diagnostic mode message is based on at least one of an initialization failure, a bit rate failure, a CRC error in an initialization message, a CRC error during the normal steady state transmission mode, a forward error correction error, a user request and a CO technician request.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic message comprises diagnostic information about the communication channel including at least one of a length of the diagnostic information, a time domain received reverb signal, a frequency domain reverb signal, an amplifier setting, a CO transmitter power spectral density, a frequency domain received idle channel, a signal to noise ratio, bits and gain information, and upstream and or downstream transmission rates.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is a central office modem or a remote terminal modem.

5. A diagnostic system capable of communicating diagnostic information over a communication channel using multicarrier modulation comprising:

a transceiver capable of transmitting or receiving an initiate diagnostic mode message; and

a message determination module capable of determining and, in cooperation with the transceiver, transmitting a diagnostic message from the transceiver, wherein the diagnostic message comprises a plurality of data variables representing the diagnostic information about the communication channel and each bit in the diagnostic message is mapped to at least one DMT signal, and wherein one variable comprises an array representing frequency domain received idle channel noise information.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the initiate diagnostic mode message is based on at least one of an initialization failure, a bit rate failure, a CRC error in an initialization message, a CRC error during the normal steady state transmission mode, a forward error correction error, a user request and a CO technician request.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the diagnostic message comprises diagnostic information about the communication channel including at least one of a length of the diagnostic information, a time domain received reverb signal, a frequency domain reverb signal, an amplifier setting, a CO transmitter power spectral density, a frequency domain received idle channel, a signal to noise ratio, bits and gain information, and upstream and or downstream transmission rates.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the transceiver is a central office modem or a remote terminal modem.

9. A multicarrier communication transceiver capable of communicating diagnostic information over a communication channel using multicarrier modulation comprising:

means for transmitting or receiving at the multicarrier communication transceiver an initiate diagnostic mode message; and

means for transmitting from the multicarrier communication transceiver a diagnostic message using multicarrier modulation, wherein the diagnostic message comprises a plurality of data variables representing the diagnostic information about the communication channel and each bit in the diagnostic message is mapped to at least one DMT symbol, and wherein one variable comprises an array representing frequency domain received idle channel noise information.

10. The transceiver of claim 9, wherein the initiate diagnostic mode message is based on at least one of an initialization failure, a bit rate failure, a CRC error in an initialization message, a CRC error during the normal steady state transmission mode, a forward error correction error, a user request and a CO technician request.

11. The transceiver of claim 9, wherein the diagnostic message comprises diagnostic information about the communication channel including at least one of a length of the diagnostic information, a time domain received reverb signal, a frequency domain reverb signal, an amplifier setting, a CO transmitter power spectral density, a frequency domain received idle channel, a signal to noise ratio, bits and gain information, and upstream and or downstream transmission rates.

12. The transceiver of claim 9, wherein the transceiver is a central office modem or a remote terminal modem.

13. In a multicarrier communication transceiver, a protocol for communicating diagnostic information over a communication channel using multicarrier modulation comprising:

transmitting or receiving at the multicarrier communication transceiver an initiate diagnostic mode message; and

transmitting from the multicarrier communication transceiver a diagnostic message using multicarrier modulation, wherein the diagnostic message comprises a plurality of data variables representing the diagnostic information about the communication channel and each bit in the diagnostic message is mapped to at least one DMT symbol, and wherein one variable comprises an array representing frequency domain received idle channel noise information.

14. The protocol of claim 13, wherein the initiate diagnostic mode message is based on at least one of an initialization failure, a bit rate failure, a CRC error in an initialization message, a CRC error during the normal steady state transmission mode, a forward error correction error, a user request and a CO technician request.

15. The protocol of claim 13, wherein the diagnostic message comprises diagnostic information about the communication channel including at least one of a length of the diagnostic information, a time domain received reverb signal, a frequency domain reverb signal, an amplifier setting, a CO transmitter power spectral density, a frequency domain received idle channel, a signal to noise ratio, bits and gain information, and upstream and or downstream transmission rates.

16. The protocol of claim 13, wherein the transceiver is a central office modem or a remote terminal modem.

17. An information storage media comprising instructions that when executed communicate diagnostic information over a communication channel using multicarrier modulation comprising:

instructions that when executed direct a transceiver to receive or transmit an initiate diagnostic mode message; and

instructions that when executed transmit a diagnostic message from the transceiver using multicarrier modulation, wherein the diagnostic message comprises a plurality of data variables representing the diagnostic information about the communication channel and each bit in the diagnostic message is mapped to at least one DMT symbol, and wherein one variable comprises an array representing frequency domain received idle channel noise information.

18. The media of claim 17, wherein the initiate diagnostic mode message is based on at least one of an initialization failure, a bit rate failure, a CRC error in an initialization message, a CRC error during the normal steady state transmission mode, a forward error correction error, a user request and a CO technician request.

19. The media of claim 17, wherein the diagnostic message comprises diagnostic information about the communication channel including at least one of a length of the diagnostic information, a time domain received reverb signal, a frequency domain reverb signal, an amplifier setting, a CO transmitter power spectral density, a frequency domain received idle channel, a signal to noise ratio, bits and gain information, and upstream and or downstream transmission rates.

20. In a multicarrier modulation transceiver, a method of communicating diagnostic information over a communication channel using multicarrier modulation comprising:

transmitting or receiving at the multicarrier modulation transceiver an initiate diagnostic mode message; and

transmitting from the multicarrier modulation transceiver a diagnostic message using multicarrier modulation with DMT symbols that are mapped to one bit of the diagnostic message, wherein the diagnostic message comprises a plurality of data variables representing the diagnostic information about the communication channel, and wherein one variable comprises an array representing frequency domain received idle channel noise information.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the initiate diagnostic mode message is based on at least one of an initialization failure, a bit rate failure, a CRC error in an initialization message, a CRC error during the normal steady state transmission mode, a forward error correction error, a user request and a CO technician request.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the diagnostic message comprises diagnostic information about the communication channel including at least one of a length of the diagnostic information, a time domain received reverb signal, a frequency domain reverb signal, an amplifier setting, a CO transmitter power spectral density, a frequency domain received idle channel, a signal to noise ratio, bits and gain information, and upstream and or downstream transmission rates.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the transceiver is a central office modem or a remote terminal modem.

24. A diagnostic system capable of communicating diagnostic information over a communication channel using multicarrier modulation comprising:

a transceiver capable of transmitting or receiving an initiate diagnostic mode message; and

a message determination module capable of determining and, in cooperation with the transceiver, transmitting from the transceiver a diagnostic message using multicarrier modulation with DMT symbols that are mapped to one bit of the diagnostic message, wherein the diagnostic message comprises a plurality of data variables representing the diagnostic information about the communication channel, and wherein one variable comprises an array representing frequency domain received idle channel noise information.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the initiate diagnostic mode message is based on at least one of an initialization failure, a bit rate failure, a CRC error in an initialization message, a CRC error during the normal steady state transmission mode, a forward error correction error, a user request and a CO technician request.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the diagnostic message comprises diagnostic information about the communication channel including at least one of a length of the diagnostic information, a time domain received reverb signal, a frequency domain reverb signal, an amplifier setting, a CO transmitter power spectral density, a frequency domain received idle channel, a signal to noise ratio, bits and gain information, and upstream and or downstream transmission rates.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the transceiver is a central office modem or a remote terminal modem.

28. A multicarrier communication transceiver capable of communicating diagnostic information over a communication channel using multicarrier modulation comprising:

means for transmitting or receiving at the multicarrier communication transceiver an initiate diagnostic mode message; and

means for transmitting from the multicarrier communication transceiver a diagnostic message using multicarrier modulation with DMT symbols that are mapped to one bit of the diagnostic message, wherein the diagnostic message comprises a plurality of data variables representing the diagnostic information about the communication channel, and wherein one variable comprises an array representing frequency domain received idle channel noise information.

29. The transceiver of claim 28, wherein the initiate diagnostic mode message is based on at least one of an initialization failure, a bit rate failure, a CRC error in an initialization message, a CRC error during the normal steady state transmission mode, a forward error correction error, a user request and a CO technician request.

30. The transceiver of claim 28, wherein the diagnostic message comprises diagnostic information about the communication channel including at least one of a length of the diagnostic information, a time domain received reverb signal, a frequency domain reverb signal, an amplifier setting, a CO transmitter power spectral density, a frequency domain received idle channel, a signal to noise ratio, bits and gain information, and upstream and or downstream transmission rates.

31. The transceiver of claim 28, wherein the transceiver is a central office modem or a remote terminal modem.

32. In a multicarrier communication transceiver, a protocol for communicating diagnostic information over a communication channel using multicarrier modulation comprising:

transmitting or receiving at the multicarrier communication transceiver an initiate diagnostic mode message; and

transmitting from the multicarrier communication transceiver a diagnostic message using multicarrier modulation with DMT symbols that are mapped to one bit of the diagnostic message, wherein the diagnostic message comprises a plurality of data variables representing the diagnostic information about the communication channel, and wherein one variable comprises an array representing frequency domain received idle channel noise information.

33. The protocol of claim 32, wherein the initiate diagnostic mode message is based on at least one of an initialization failure, a bit rate failure, a CRC error in an initialization message, a CRC error during the normal steady state transmission mode, a forward error correction error, a user request and a CO technician request.

34. The protocol of claim 32, wherein the diagnostic message comprises diagnostic information about the communication channel including at least one of a length of the diagnostic information, a time domain received reverb signal, a frequency domain reverb signal, an amplifier setting, a CO transmitter power spectral density, a frequency domain received idle channel, a signal to noise ratio, bits and gain information, and upstream and or downstream transmission rates.

35. The protocol of claim 32, wherein the transceiver is a central office modem or a remote terminal modem.

36. An information storage media comprising instructions that when executed communicate diagnostic information over a communication channel using multicarrier modulation comprising:

instructions that when executed direct a transceiver to receive or transmit an initiate diagnostic mode message; and

instructions that when executed transmit from the transceiver a diagnostic message using multicarrier modulation with DMT symbols that are mapped to one bit of the diagnostic message, wherein the diagnostic message comprises a plurality of data variables representing the diagnostic information about the communication channel, and wherein one variable comprises an array representing is frequency domain received idle channel noise information.

37. The media of claim 36, wherein the initiate diagnostic mode message is based on at least one of an initialization failure, a bit rate failure, a CRC error in an initialization message, a CRC error during the normal steady state transmission mode, a forward error correction error, a user request and a CO technician request.

38. The media of claim 36, wherein the diagnostic message comprises diagnostic information about the communication channel including at least one of a length of the diagnostic information, a time domain received reverb signal, a frequency domain reverb signal, an amplifier setting, a CO transmitter power spectral density, a frequency domain received idle channel, a signal to noise ratio, bits and gain information, and upstream and or downstream transmission rates.

39. In a multicarrier modulation transceiver, a method of communicating diagnostic information including a plurality of data variables over a communication channel using multicarrier modulation comprising:

associating, at said transceiver in a diagnostic message and based on an initiate diagnostic mode message, each bit in the diagnostic message with at least one DMT symbol, wherein one variable comprises an array representing frequency domain received idle channel noise information.

40. In a multicarrier modulation transceiver, a method of communicating diagnostic information over a communication channel using multicarrier modulation comprising:

transmitting, during a diagnostic mode, a diagnostic message using multicarrier modulation, wherein the diagnostic message comprises a plurality of data variables representing the diagnostic information about the communication channel and at least one bit in the diagnostic message is mapped to at least one DMT symbol, wherein one variable comprises an array representing frequency domain received idle channel noise information.

41. Communicating diagnostic information over a communication channel using multicarrier modulation comprising:

communicating from a transceiver a diagnostic message comprising a plurality of data variables representing the diagnostic information, wherein each bit in the diagnostic message is mapped to at least one DMT symbol, wherein one variable comprises an array representing frequency domain received idle channel noise information.