Close-out test system

• US 7,660,394 B1
• Filed: 09/29/2005
• Issued: 02/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Morris, John Lloyd, Finch, Douglas B., Blank, Richard D.
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US11/238,055
• Time in Patent Office: 1,594 Days
• Field of Search: 379/1.01, 379/9, 379/9.03, 379/10.01, 379/15.01, 379/21, 379/22, 379/22.01, 379/22.03, 379/27.01, 379/29.01
• US Class Current: 379/1.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/24 Arrangements for testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/308 Craftsperson test terminals

Abstract

The invention is a method and system conducting a completion test on a communications line. The system includes a testing device coupled to a remote device by a network. Line-test results are received from the testing device and made available to various client devices via the same or another network. Test data is automatically archived for analysis.

Claims

1. A method for providing line test results, the method comprising:

receiving the line test results from a first client device;

storing the test results;

providing remote access to the test results;

providing the test results to an evaluation application;

performing close out tests by selecting from a group of operations;

receiving additional data associated with rerun tests that produce results within the test parameters; and

receiving an override indication; and

evaluating the test results for accuracy.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first client device includes a selection from the group comprising:

a client computer, a consumer electronic device, a handheld device, a handheld terminal, and a personal data assistant (PDA).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the test results include results from a test selected from the group comprising:

a voltage test, a current test, a resistance test, an impedance test, a reactance test, a line test, a tone test, a balance test, a frequency test, a loss test, a signal degradation test, a power-influence test, a noise test, a fault test, a dead-air test, a continuity test, a signal-quality test, a completion test, a loop-length test, a joint-resistance test, an irregular-load test, a capacitance test, a wet-cable test, and a split-pair test.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving the test results includes:

logically coupling the first client device to a test server; and

receiving data captured by the first client device at the test server.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein storing the test results includes embodying the test results in a computer-readable medium.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein providing remote access to the test results includes providing access to the test results via a computer network.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the computer network includes a selection from the group comprising:

a single line, a wireless network, a local-area network (LAN), a wide-area network (WAN), a distributed network, a communications network, World Wide Web, and the Internet.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein providing remote access to the test results includes providing for the presentation of the test results.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein providing for the presentation of the test results includes providing for the presentation of the test results on a second client device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the second client device includes a selection from the group comprising:

a computer, a display device, a consumer electronic device, a printer, a speaker, and a handheld device, including a personal data assistant (PDA), a mobile phone, a handheld terminal, the first client device, and any other electronic device adapted to present transmitted information to a user.

11. The method of claim 4, wherein storing the test results includes storing a location from where the test results were obtained.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein storing the test results further comprises:

associating the test results with a technician who conducted the test; and

integrating technician data with the test results.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the technician data include a selection from the group comprising:

a technician identifier, contact information, and prior test results obtained by the technician.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the evaluation application receives test parameters from a remote service and determines which of the one or more line tests failed.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the override indication further comprises:

requiring that comments be entered in remarks fields prior to closing the test, if the override indication is received.

16. A method for performing line tests on a communication line in a communication network, the method comprising:

initiating one or more line tests on a communication line;

receiving test data that includes a set of line results received in response to running mandatory tests;

providing said test data to an evaluation application;

communicating the test results to a remotely accessible storage medium;

evaluating the test results for accuracy; and

presenting the test results on at least one presentation screen selected from the group consisting of;

a trouble report presentation screen, and a report resolution presentation screen.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein evaluating the test results for accuracy further comprises:

performing subsequent action to correct unresolved problems.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the evaluation application receives test parameters from a remote service and determines which of the one or more line tests failed.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the test data includes data from a test selected from the group comprising:

a voltage test, a current test, a resistance test, an impedance test, a reactance test, a line test, a tone test, a balance test, a frequency test, a loss test, a signal-degradation test, a power-influence test, a noise test, a fault test, a dead-air test, a continuity test, a signal-quality test, a completion test, a loop-length test, a joint-resistance test, an irregular-load test, a capacitance test, a wet-cable test, and a split-pair test.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the evaluation application runs on a portable device, and where the portable device includes a selection from the group comprising a computer, a consumer electronic device, a handheld device, a handheld terminal, a personal data assistant (PDA), a display device, and a mobile phone.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprises:

storing the test data such that they are accessible by a presenting application that presents at least a portion of the test data on a user interface.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the user interface includes a network browser, wherein the network browser includes an Internet browser.

23. A handheld device programmed to execute the machine-useable instructions of claim 16.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the trouble report presentation screen communicates test data that includes demographic data related to a communications line user.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein the report resolution presentation screen communicates test data that includes information related to the different problem-resolution steps taken by a communication line technician.