Automatic testing of scheduled telepresence meetings

• US 8,320,257 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2008
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Srivastava, Aseem, Monaghan, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhou, Yong
• Application Number:
  US12/049,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20090231438A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,716 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/241
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/004 for digital television systems

Abstract

Equipment and network resources are automatically tested in advance of scheduled telepresence meetings in order to discover problems before the actual telepresence meeting. When a meeting between telepresence sites is scheduled, a test time is automatically scheduled for performing a test in advance of a scheduled time of the telepresence meeting. At the test time, performing the test to determine whether equipment functions at telepresence sites involved in the telepresence meeting and network resource availability are sufficient to support the telepresence meeting.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

capturing scheduling information for a scheduled telepresence meeting initiated by a meeting organizer, the scheduling information including information identifying the meeting organizer, members of meeting participants, and a plurality of telepresence sites to be used during the scheduled telepresence meeting;

scheduling a test time in a default time interval for a test of equipment and network resources that will be used for the scheduled telepresence meeting based on the scheduling information, wherein the test time is before a scheduled time for the scheduled telepresence meeting;

performing the test at the test time by generating and transmitting, from a first one of the plurality of telepresence sites to a second one of the telepresence sites involved in the scheduled telepresence meeting, probe test traffic that comprises signals and data representing audio and video traffic that are suitable for testing (i) audio, video and display functionalities of telepresence equipment at the second telepresence site, (ii) encoding and decoding capabilities of the telepresence equipment at the second telepresence site and (iii) the network resources that will be used for the scheduled telepresence meeting;

evaluating availability of the network resources to be used for the scheduled telepresence meeting based on results of the test;

determining whether the telepresence equipment at the second telepresence site functionality and network resources are operating sufficiently to support the scheduled telepresence meeting based on the results of the test;

determining whether there is ongoing telepresence meeting activity that is using the telepresence sites for a telepresence meeting other than the scheduled telepresence meeting;

determining whether there are any pending tests to be performed on the telepresence equipment at remaining ones of the plurality of telepresence sites;

determining whether there is sufficient time available to perform the pending tests; and

performing the pending tests on the telepresence equipment at the remaining ones of the plurality of telepresence sites when there is sufficient time available to perform the tests.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the test at the test time comprises generating and transmitting the signals and data of the probe test traffic that have a size, data rate and traffic volume comparable to that for signals and data associated with an actual telepresence meeting between the telepresence sites.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the test at the test time comprises generating and transmitting the signals and data of the probe test traffic that have a size, data rate and traffic volume that is smaller than that for an actual telepresence meeting.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein generating and transmitting comprises generating and transmitting the signals and data of the probe test traffic when there is an ongoing telepresence meeting between telepresence sites that are involved in the scheduled telepresence meeting.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the test at the test time comprises simulating a telepresence meeting, after completion of the test, with simulated telepresence meeting test traffic when it is determined that there is sufficient time remaining before the scheduled time of the scheduled telepresence meeting.

6. The method of claim 1, and further comprising receiving a notification that the ongoing telepresence meeting activity other than the scheduled telepresence meeting has terminated.

7. The method of claim 1, and further comprising generating test result data from performing the test, wherein the test result data indicates an actual test time that the test was performed and whether there was any failure of telepresence equipment and network resource availability issues that would degrade quality of voice, data or video during the telepresence meeting.

8. The method of claim 7, and further comprising sending a notification to a network management entity, wherein the notification contains information describing the results of the test and reasons for failure of the test when the results of the test indicate that the test failed.

9. The method of claim 1, and further comprising sending a notification to at least one participant of the telepresence meeting that indicates that the scheduled telepresence meeting cannot be conducted when the results of the test indicate that the scheduled telepresence meeting cannot be conducted or when audio or video quality may be severely degraded.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein capturing comprises receiving a message resulting from the meeting organizer and sending a telepresence meeting notification to one or more meeting participants.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the test at the test time comprises performing the test with initial test parameters that are based on expected or known performance criteria for the scheduled telepresence meeting.

12. The method of claim 11, and further comprising adjusting test parameters when it is determined that telepresence equipment and network resources cannot support the scheduled telepresence meeting at the initial test parameters.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the test at the test time comprises:

sending a test signal from the first telepresence site to the second telepresence site to test the functionality of telepresence equipment at the second telepresence site and to test the functionality of telepresence equipment at any intervening telepresence site between the first telepresence site and the second telepresence site;

receiving, at the first telepresence site, a response signal from the second telepresence site sent in response to the test signal; and

analyzing the response signal at the first telepresence site to determine whether the telepresence equipment at the second telepresence site and at the intervening telepresence site are operating sufficiently.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the test at the test time comprises performing the test to determine whether the telepresence equipment at the second telepresence site and the interfaces and queues in network infrastructure equipment are operating sufficiently to support the telepresence meeting.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the test at the test time comprises performing the test to determine functionality and performance of the telepresence equipment including video cameras, microphones and displays at a telepresence site.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the test at the test time comprises performing the test to evaluate availability of the network resources according to data rate, bandwidth, jitter and latency parameters.

17. The method of claim 1, and further comprising:

storing results from the test of the equipment and network resources in a database; and

sending a notification to one or more participants of the scheduled telepresence meeting that the scheduled telepresence meeting cannot be conducted when the results of the test indicate that the scheduled telepresence meeting cannot be conducted.

18. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

capture scheduling information for a scheduled telepresence meeting initiated by a meeting organizer, the scheduling information including information identifying the meeting organizer, members of the meeting participants, and a plurality of telepresence sites to be used during the scheduled telepresence meeting;

schedule a test time in a default time interval for a test of equipment and network resources that will be used for the scheduled telepresence meeting based on the scheduling information, wherein the test time is before a schedule scheduled time for the telepresence meeting;

perform the test at the test time by generating and transmitting, from a first one of a plurality of telepresence sites to a second one of the telepresence sites involved in the scheduled telepresence meeting, probe test traffic that comprises signals and data representing audio and video traffic that are suitable for testing (i) audio, video and display functionalities of telepresence equipment at the second telepresence site, (ii) encoding and decoding capabilities of the telepresence equipment at the second telepresence site and (iii) the network resources that will be used for the telepresence meeting;

evaluate availability of the network resources to be used for the telepresence meeting based on results of the test;

determine whether the telepresence equipment at the second telepresence site and the network resources are operating sufficiently to support the telepresence meeting based on the results of the test;

determine whether there is ongoing telepresence meeting activity that is using the telepresence sites for a telepresence meeting other than the scheduled telepresence meeting;

determine whether there are any pending tests to be performed on the telepresence equipment at remaining ones of the plurality of telepresence sites;

determine whether there is sufficient time available to perform the pending tests; and

perform the pending tests on the telepresence equipment at the remaining ones of the plurality of telepresence sites when there is sufficient time available to perform the tests.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, and further comprising instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to generate test result data from performing the test, wherein the test result data indicates an actual test time that the test was performed and whether there was any failure of telepresence equipment functions and network resource availability issues that would degrade quality of voice, data or video during the telepresence meeting.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19, and further comprising instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to send a notification to a network management entity, wherein the notification contains information describing the results of the test and reasons for failure of the test when the results of the test indicate that the test failed.

21. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, and further comprising instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to:

store results from the test of network equipment and the network resources in a database; and

send a notification to one or more participants of the scheduled telepresence meeting that the scheduled telepresence meeting cannot be conducted when results of the test indicate that the scheduled telepresence meeting cannot be conducted.

22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions that cause the computer to perform the test at the test time comprise instructions that cause the processor to generate and transmit the signals and data of the probe test traffic that have a size, data rate and traffic volume comparable to that for signals and data associated with an actual telepresence meeting between the telepresence sites.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions that cause the computer to perform the test at the test time comprise instructions that cause the computer to generate and transmit the signals and data of the probe test traffic that have a size, data rate and traffic volume that is smaller than that for an actual telepresence meeting.

24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions that cause the computer to perform the test at the test time comprise instructions that cause the computer to perform the test to determine functionality and performance of the telepresence equipment including video cameras, microphones and displays at a telepresence site.

25. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions that cause the computer to perform the test at the test time comprise instructions that cause the computer to perform the test to evaluate availability of the network resources according to data rate, bandwidth, jitter and latency parameters.