Methods and systems for providing supported DSL communications features as selections

• US 8,121,029 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2006
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cuberson, Russel D., Warshawsky, Marc L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harper, Kevin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, THINH D
• Application Number:
  US11/348,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20070183324A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,206 Days
• Field of Search: 370/230
• US Class Current: 370/230
• 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 12/289 Single service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/15 in relation to multipoint traffic arrangements for broadcast or multicast in data networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/801 Real time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/808 User-type aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/822 Collecting or measuring resource availability data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/062 using different frequency bands for speech and other data

Abstract

A method of offering Digital Subscriber Link (DSL) communications features includes eliminating selections from a menu of features to be provided via a Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) to a customer premises prior to allowing selections from the menu.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a full menu of features available for selection, wherein the features are based on digital subscriber link communications features that are to be provided via a customer premises equipment of a customer premises;

transmitting test signals on a connection to the customer premises;

receiving response signals on the connection;

determining parameters for the connection based on an age, a length and a gauge size of a conductor of the connection and based on parameters of the response signals including signal integrity determined from a comparison of a shape of the response signals with a stored profile;

determining a set of features offered by a provider that are supported by the connection to the customer premises based on the determined parameters;

using a network server, eliminating selections from the full menu to generate a supported menu by providing only the set of features as selections, the set of features including less than the full menu of features available for selection so that at least one of the features is eliminated from the full menu; and

presenting the supported menu to enable selection of any feature in the set of features.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein determining parameters for the connection to the customer premises further comprises determining bandwidth for the connection based on a geographic location of the customer premises.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein determining the set of features offered by a provider that are supported by the connection to the customer premises comprises:

executing separate tests for the features offered by the provider or executing a single test for the features offered by the provider.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein eliminating comprises:

allowing input from a customer indicating a request for additional features offered by the provider;

determining bandwidth for the connection to the customer premises based on parameters of response signals including noise margin, attenuation, amplitude, and signal integrity;

determining which additional features offered by the provider are supported by the bandwidth for the connection;

disabling selection of the additional features not supported by the bandwidth for the connection in the menu; and

allowing selection of the additional features supported by the bandwidth for the connection in the menu.

5. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

allowing input from the customer indicating a request for an increase in bandwidth for the connection responsive to determining that the bandwidth does not support all the features offered by the provider.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein a request for an increase in the determined bandwidth for the connection comprises a request for an upgraded Digital Subscriber Link modem.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein eliminating comprises:

receiving an order from a customer for Digital Subscriber Link communications features at the customer premises;

arranging for delivery of a Digital Subscriber Link modem comprising the customer premises equipment to the customer premises;

allowing automatic provisioning of the Digital Subscriber Link modem using a customer premises equipment management system;

determining bandwidth for the connection to the customer premises;

determining which features offered by the provider are supported by the bandwidth for the connection;

disabling selection of the features not supported by the bandwidth for the connection in the menu; and

allowing selection of the features supported by the bandwidth for the connection in the menu.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein determining bandwidth for the connection to the customer premises comprises an estimate of bandwidth for the connection to the customer premises based on parameters associated with the connection including a geographic location of the customer premises.

9. A system offering Digital Subscriber Link communications features, the system comprising:

a Digital Subscriber Link communications feature server configured to eliminate selections from a menu of features to be provided via a customer premises equipment to a customer premises prior to allowing selections from the menu, wherein the Digital Subscriber Link communications feature server is further configured to determine a full menu of features available for selection from the menu and then to provide less than the full menu of features available for selection so that at least one of the features is eliminated from the full menu, wherein the Digital Subscriber Link communications feature server is further configured to determine a set of features offered by a provider that are supported by a connection to the customer premises and configured to provide only the set of features as selections on the menu, wherein the set of features are determined based on parameters of response signals received from the customer premises equipment, wherein the parameters include signal integrity determined from a comparison of a shape of the response signals with a stored profile.

10. A system according to claim 9, further comprising:

a Digital Subscriber Link connection test circuit, coupled to the connection and to the Digital Subscriber Link communications feature server, the Digital Subscriber Link connection test circuit configured to transmit test signals on the connection to the customer premises and receive the response signals on the connection.

11. A system according to claim 10 further comprising:

a database, coupled to the Digital Subscriber Link communications feature server, the database configured to store parameters of the response signals and parameters associated with the connection including a geographic location of the customer premises, wherein Digital Subscriber Link communications feature server is further configured to determine bandwidth for the connection to the customer premises based on at least some of the parameters stored in the database.

12. A system according to claim 10 wherein the Digital Subscriber Link connection test circuit is configured to execute separate tests for the features offered by the provider.

13. A system according to claim 9 wherein the Digital Subscriber Link communications feature server is further configured to allow input from a customer indicating a request for additional features offered by the provider, determine bandwidth for the connection to the customer premises based on parameters of response signals including signal integrity, determine which additional features offered by the provider are supported by the bandwidth for the connection, disable selection of the additional features not supported by the bandwidth for the connection in the menu and allow selection of the additional features supported by the bandwidth for the connection in the menu.

14. A system according to claim 9 wherein the Digital Subscriber Link communications feature server is further configured to allow input from the customer indicating a request for an increase in the determined bandwidth for the connection responsive to determining that the determined bandwidth does not support all the features offered by the provider.

15. A system according to claim 14 wherein the request for the increase in the determined bandwidth for the connection comprises a request for an upgraded Digital Subscriber Link modem.