Dynamically troubleshooting voice quality

• US 7,978,620 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2007
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Seetharaman, Anantha Narayanan, Blatnik, Jennifer Mun, Chokshi, Jayesh A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh; Ayaz R
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAMPTON, TARELL A
• Application Number:
  US11/748,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20080285474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,520 Days
• Field of Search: 370/392, 370/252, 370/241, 370/250, 370/251, 379/32.01, 379/35
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0829 Packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/087 Jitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS

Abstract

In an example embodiment, a method for dynamically troubleshooting voice quality. The method comprises generating a request to intercept a predetermined data stream on a network, acquiring a replicated copy of the intercepted data stream responsive to the request and analyzing the replicated copy of the intercepted data stream.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for dynamically troubleshooting voice quality, the method, comprising:

acquiring call setup information via a first stream;

requesting a predetermined data stream on a network to analyze by executing a Tool Command Language script to search for a Real-Time Transport Protocol port and an Internet Protocol address of the data stream and to trigger a Simple Network Management Protocol command;

determining an intercept access point the predetermined data stream passes through based on the call setup information;

acquiring a replicated copy of the predetermined data stream, via a second stream, responsive to the request by intercepting the predetermined data stream at the intercept access point; and

analyzing the replicated copy of the predetermined data stream, wherein the analyzing comprises one of the group consisting of generating a Mean Opinion Score for the replicated data stream and generating a Packet Perceptual Speech Quality Measurement for the replicated data stream.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined data stream is acquired from a gateway server in data communication with an endpoint of the data stream.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data stream is selected from a group consisting of a voice stream, a data stream and a video stream.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data stream is a voice stream.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the analyzing the replicated copy of the predetermined data stream further comprises analyzing signal parameters and waveform of the replicated stream.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the analyzing the replicated copy of the predetermined data stream further comprises determining a packet loss rate for the replicated stream.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the analyzing the replicated copy of the predetermined data stream further comprises analyzing whether the replicated data stream contains data packets with errors.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the call setup information is for a Voice over Internet Protocol data stream.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

an interface for acquiring data representative of a predetermined data stream to intercept;

an administrative communication port coupled to a network in data communication with the data stream;

an intercepting control element port coupled to the network;

an intercepting network element port coupled to the network; and

voice quality logic coupled to the interface, the intercepting control element port, the intercepting network element port, and the administrative communication port;

wherein the voice quality logic is responsive to the interface acquiring data representative of the predetermined data stream to intercept to transmit a request through the administrative communication port to intercept the predetermined data stream;

wherein the request comprises executing a Tool Command Language script to search for a Real-Time Transport Protocol port and an Internet Protocol address of the data stream and to trigger a Simple Network Management Protocol command;

wherein call setup data is received via the intercepting control element port;

wherein a replicated copy of the predetermined data stream is received via the intercepting network port based on the call setup data and is analyzed by the voice quality logic; and

wherein voice quality logic analyzes communication content of the replicated copy of the predetermined data stream, the analysis is selected from the group consisting of generating a Mean Opinion Score for the replicated data stream and generating a Packet Perceptual Speech Quality Measurement for the replicated data stream.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the data stream is selected from a group consisting of a voice stream, a data stream and a video stream.

11. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the data stream is a voice stream.

12. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the voice quality logic is configured to analyze signal parameters and waveform of the replicated copy of the predetermined data stream.

13. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the voice quality logic is configured to determine a packet loss rate for the replicated copy of the predetermined data stream.

14. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the voice quality logic is configured for analyzing whether the replicated copy of the predetermined data stream contains data packets with errors.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

means for acquiring call setup information via a first stream;

means for generating a request to intercept a predetermined data stream on a network by executing a Tool Command Language script to search for a Real-Time Transport Protocol port and an Internet Protocol address of the data stream and to trigger a Simple Network Management Protocol command;

means for determining an intercept access point the predetermined data stream passes through based on the call setup information;

means for acquiring a replicated copy of the predetermined data stream, via a second stream, responsive to the request by intercepting the predetermined data stream at the intercept access point; and

means for analyzing the replicated copy of the predetermined data stream, wherein the means for analyzing comprises one of the group consisting of means for generating a Mean Opinion Score for the replicated data stream and means for generating a Packet Perceptual Speech Quality Measurement for the replicated data stream.