Browser on test equipment

• US 8,145,447 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2006
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: BellSouth Intellectual Property Management Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zellner, Samuel N., Sargent, Nathan, Enzmann, Mark J., Moton, Jr., Robert T.
• Primary Examiner(s): SYED, FARHAN M
• Application Number:
  US11/442,754
• Publication Number:
  US 20080250278A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,128 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 702/122
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/24 Arrangements for testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/916 Audio
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A portable telecommunication test set, such as a telephone line butt set, with a web browser incorporated therein. A standard HTML (Hyper Text Mark-up Language) or WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) browser may be incorporated within the portable test set, allowing a network technician to access the Internet as well as other remotely-located sources of information to retrieve data and other useful technical information while in the field for communication network or telephone line maintenance, troubleshooting or repair. The test set may contain memory to locally store certain technical information, e.g., telephone line-specific data or circuit information, that may be retrieved and “read” by the built-in browser module when prompted by the network technician. The web browser may display the content of the requested information on a display provided on the test set.

Claims

1. A communications test device, comprising:

a processor located in a hand-held housing;

a protocol analyzer located in the hand-held housing and configured to communicate with the processor, the protocol analyzer configured to monitor data passing over a communications network and to perform test operations on the data transmitted over the communications network, wherein the test operations comprise testing functionality of the communications network;

a web browser module stored in memory of the hand-held housing and configured to be executed by the processor, the web browser module operative to initiate data communications between the web browser module and a source of information located external to the communications test device;

a wireline modem and a wireless modem configured to communicate with the web browser module, wherein the wireline modem and the wireless modem utilize at least one of a frequency shift keying modulation scheme, a differential phase shift keying modulation scheme, a quadrature amplitude modulation scheme, and a trellis-coded modulation scheme to modulate and demodulate information transmitted to and received from the source of information located external to the communications test set; and

the hand-held housing for enclosing the processor, the protocol analyzer, the web browser module, the wireline modem, and the wireless modem.

2. The communications test device of claim 1, wherein the web browser module includes a communications stack designed for wireless communications.

3. The communications test device of claim 1, wherein the web browser module is further operative to receive audio data files and video data files from the external source.

4. The communications test device of claim 1, wherein the communications test set operates over at least one of a wireline communications network and a wireless communications network.

5. The communications test device of claim 4, wherein the wireless communications network comprises at least one of an analog wireless network, a digital wireless network, a wireless Local Area Network, and a Wireless Local Loop network.

6. The communications test device of claim 1, further comprising memory operative to store at least one of line-specific data and circuit information accessible by the web browser module.

7. The communications test device of claim 6, wherein the at least one of the line-specific data and the circuit information is in a plug-in hardware memory module form.

8. The communications test device of claim 1, wherein the web browser module is further operative to convert information received from the source of information located external to the communications test device to a format understandable by a user of the communications test set.

9. The communications test device of claim 1, wherein the information received from the source of information located external to the communications test device is in at least one of a Hyper Text Mark-Up Language format, a Wireless Mark-up Language format, and a JavaScript scripting language format.

10. The communications test device of claim 1, wherein the wireline modem and the wireless modem function in a full duplex communication mode allowing the communications test set to transmit and receive data simultaneously.

11. The communications test device of claim 1, further comprising a line interface unit operative to split a signal in a two-wire system into a four-wire system.

12. The communications test device of claim 1, further comprising a hands-free speaker.

13. The communications test device of claim 1, further comprising an adapter slot operative to receive a plug-in hardware memory module including at least one of line-specific data and circuit information.

14. The communications test device of claim 1, wherein the processor is operative to initiate a testing operation on the communications network and simultaneously initiate transmittal of information to and receipt of information from the source of information located external to the communications test set.

15. The communications test device of claim 1, wherein the source of information located external to the communications test device is a remote communications test device and wherein the communications test device is operative to:

transmit an electronic message addressed to the remote communications test device; and

receive an electronic message from the remote communications test device addressed to the communications test device.

16. The communications test device of claim 1, wherein the web browser module includes a Wireless Application Protocol browser operative to use at least one of Short Message Service bearer service, a circuit switched data bearer service, and a packetized data bearer service.

17. The communications test device of claim 1, further comprising a diagnostic tool operative to perform testing of mobile networks.

18. The communications test device of claim 1, wherein the communications network includes at least one of a packet network and an optical network.

19. A communications test device, comprising:

a processor located in a hand-held housing;

a testing module located in the hand-held housing, wherein the testing module is configured to receive a first indication from the processor and to initiate responsively one or more test operations for a communications entity;

a web browser module stored in memory of the hand-held housing, wherein the web browser module is configured to be executed by the processor and is configured to receive a second indication from the processor and initiate data communications between the web browser module and a source of information located external to the communications test device;

a diagnostic tool operative to perform testing of mobile networks;

a protocol analyzer located in the hand-held housing and configured to communicate with the processor, the protocol analyzer configured to monitor data passing over a communications network and to perform test operations on the data transmitted over the communications network, wherein the test operations comprise testing functionality of the communications network; and

the hand-held housing for enclosing the processor, the testing module, the web browser module, the diagnostic tool, and the protocol analyzer,

wherein the communications test device is configured to provide an alert indicating a potential for use of the communications test device to disrupt data transmissions associated with the communications entity.

20. A communications test device, comprising:

a processor located in a hand-held housing;

a protocol analyzer located in the hand-held housing and configured to communicate with the processor, the protocol analyzer configured to monitor data passing over a communications network and to perform test operations on the data transmitted over the communications network, wherein the test operations comprise testing functionality of the communications network;

a web browser module stored in memory of the hand-held housing and configured to be executed by the processor, the web browser module operative to initiate data communications between the web browser module and a source of information located external to the communications test device;

a wireline modem and a wireless modem configured to communicate with the web browser module, wherein the wireline modem and the wireless modem function in a full duplex communication mode allowing the communications test device to transmit and receive data simultaneously; and

the hand-held housing for enclosing the processor, the protocol analyzer, the web browser module, the wireline modem, and the wireless modem.

21. A communications test device, comprising:

a processor located in a hand-held housing;

a protocol analyzer located in the hand-held housing and configured to communicate with the processor, the protocol analyzer configured to monitor data passing over a communications network and to perform test operations on the communications network, wherein the test operations comprise testing functionality of the communications network;

a web browser module stored in memory of the hand-held housing and configured to be executed by the processor, the web browser module operative to initiate data communications between the web browser module and a source of information located external to the communications test device; and

the hand-held housing for enclosing the processor, the protocol analyzer, and the web browser module,

wherein the communications network includes at least one of a packet network and an optical network, and

wherein the communications test device is configured to provide an alert indicating a potential for use of the communications test device to disrupt data transmissions associated with the communications network.

22. A communications test device, comprising:

a processor located in a hand-held housing;

a protocol analyzer located in the hand-held housing and configured to communicate with the processor, the protocol analyzer configured to monitor data passing over a communications network and to perform test operations on the communications network, wherein the test operations comprise testing functionality of the communications network;

a web browser module stored in memory of the hand-held housing and configured to be executed by the processor, the web browser module operative to initiate data communications between the web browser module and a source of information located external to the communications test device, and wherein the web browser module supports video data and JavaScript scripting language; and

the hand-held housing for enclosing the processor, the protocol analyzer, and the web browser module,

wherein the communications test device is configured to provide an alert indicating a potential for use of the communications test device to disrupt data transmissions associated with the communications network.