Systems and methods for a transceiver to transmit or receive test information over a communication channel using multicarrier modulation

• US 8,743,931 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2013
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TQ Delta LLC (Techquity Capital Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: TQ Delta LLC (Techquity Capital Management, LLC)
• Inventors: Krinsky, David M., Pizzano, Robert Edmund Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khanh C
• Application Number:
  US13/873,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20130243049A1
• Time in Patent Office: 399 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 375/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/46 Monitoring; Testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0001 Systems modifying transmission characteristics according to link quality, e.g. power backoff adaptive data allocation for multicarrier modulation H04L5/0044; controlling transmission power for radio systems H04W52/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0061 Error detection codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/08 by repeating transmission, e.g. Verdan system H04L1/1858 and H04L1/189 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/18 Automatic repetition systems, e.g. Van Duuren systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/24 Testing correct operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/245 by using the properties of transmission codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2601 Multicarrier modulation systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/3461 in order to transmit a subchannel
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1438 Negotiation of transmission parameters prior to communication modified according to link quality H04L1/0001
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2209 for lines also used for data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2227 Quality of service monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/28 Automatic routine testing ; Fault testing; Installation testing; Test methods, test equipment or test arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/30 for subscriber's lines , for the local loop
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/304 and using xDSL modems xDSL line qualification H04M3/306

Abstract

Upon detection of a trigger, such as the exceeding of an error threshold or the direction of a user, a diagnostic link system enters a diagnostic information transmission mode. This diagnostic information transmission mode allows for two modems to exchange diagnostic and/or test information that may not otherwise be exchangeable during normal communication. The diagnostic information transmission mode is initiated by transmitting an initiate diagnostic link mode message to a receiving modem accompanied by a cyclic redundancy check (CRC). The receiving modem determines, based on the CRC, if a robust communications channel is present. If a robust communications channel is present, the two modems can initiate exchange of the diagnostic and/or test information. Otherwise, the transmission power of the transmitting modem is increased and the initiate diagnostic link mode message re-transmitted to the receiving modem until the CRC is determined to be correct.

Claims

1. A device operable to transmit channel measurement information, comprising:

a multicarrier transceiver operable to transmit, during user data transmission or reception and using multicarrier modulation, a message that includes the channel measurement information and to modulate bits in the message using Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM),

wherein the message comprises information indicative of a plurality of signal-to-noise ratios determined during the user data transmission or reception, each signal-to-noise ratio associated with one or more subchannels that comprise a wideband communication channel, wherein the transceiver is further operable to transmit a first signal to initiate a change in a communication state of the transceiver and, in response to the signal not being received by a remote transceiver, transmitting a second signal to initiate a change in the communication state of the transceiver, the second signal having a higher power level than the first signal.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is further operable to receive a second message that causes the transceiver to transmit the message that includes the channel measurement information.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the wideband communication channel is comprised of a plurality of discrete frequency carriers.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the message further conveys status information associated with the transceiver.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is further operable to receive data rate information associated with the wideband communication channel.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is further operable to receive power information associated with the transmitter remote transceiver.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is further operable to receive gain setting information associated with the remote transceiver.

8. A device operable to transmit channel measurement information, comprising:

a multicarrier transceiver operable to transmit, during user data transmission or reception and using multicarrier modulation, a message that includes the channel measurement information and to modulate bits in the message using Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM),

wherein the message comprises information indicative of a plurality of signal-to-noise ratios determined during the user data transmission or reception, each signal-to-noise ratio associated with one or more subchannels that comprise a wideband communication channel, wherein the transceiver is further operable to retransmit the message in response to the message not being successfully received by a remote receiving device to allow the remote receiving device to diversity combine a plurality of transmissions of the message.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the transceiver is further operable to receive a second message that causes the transceiver to transmit the message that includes the channel measurement information.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the wideband communication channel is comprised of a plurality of discrete frequency carriers.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the message further conveys status information associated with the transceiver.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein the transceiver is further operable to receive data rate information associated with the wideband communication channel.

13. The device of claim 8, wherein the transceiver is further operable to receive power information associated with the remote receiving device.

14. The device of claim 8, wherein the transceiver is further operable to receive gain setting information associated with the remote receiving device.

15. A device operable to transmit channel measurement information, comprising:

a multicarrier transceiver operable to transmit, during user data transmission or reception and using multicarrier modulation, a message that includes the channel measurement information and to modulate bits in the message using Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM),

wherein the message comprises information indicative of a plurality of signal-to-noise ratios determined during the user data transmission or reception, each signal-to-noise ratio associated with one or more subchannels that comprises arise a wideband communication channel, wherein the transceiver is further operable to include a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) with the message to allow a receiving device to determine whether the message is successfully received by the receiving device.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the transceiver is operable to receive a second message that causes the transceiver to transmit the message that includes the channel measurement information.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the wideband communication channel is comprised of a plurality of discrete frequency carriers.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein the message further conveys status information associated with the transceiver.

19. The device of claim 15, wherein the transceiver is further operable to receive data rate information associated with the wideband communication channel.

20. The device of claim 15, wherein the transceiver is further operable to receive power information associated with the receiving device.

21. The device of claim 15, wherein the transceiver is further operable to receive gain setting information associated with the receiving device.

22. A device operable to transmit channel measurement information, comprising:

a multicarrier transceiver operable to transmit, during user data transmission or reception and using multicarrier modulation, a message that includes the channel measurement information and to modulate bits in the message using Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM),

wherein the message comprises information indicative of a plurality of signal-to-noise ratios determined during the user data transmission or reception, each signal-to-noise ratio associated with one or more subchannels that comprise a wideband communication channel, wherein the transceiver is further operable to retransmit the message a predetermined maximum number of times.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the transceiver is further operable to receive a second message that causes the transceiver to transmit the message that includes the channel measurement information.

24. The device of claim 22, wherein the wideband communication channel is comprised of a plurality of discrete frequency carriers.

25. The device of claim 22, wherein the message further conveys status information associated with the transceiver.

26. The device of claim 22, wherein the transceiver is further operable to receive data rate information associated with the wideband communication channel.

27. The device of claim 22, wherein the transceiver is further operable to receive power information associated with a remote transceiver.

28. The device of claim 22, wherein the transceiver is further operable to receive gain setting information associated with a remote transceiver.

29. A device operable to receive channel measurement information, comprising:

a multicarrier transceiver operable to receive, during user data transmission or reception, a message that includes the channel measurement information and to demodulate bits in the message using Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM),

wherein the message comprises information indicative of a plurality of signal-to-noise ratios determined during the user data transmission or reception, each signal-to-noise ratio associated with one or more subchannels that comprise a wideband communication channel, wherein the transceiver is further operable to receive a plurality of transmissions of the message and to diversity combine the plurality of transmissions of the message.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein the transceiver is further operable to transmit a second message that causes a remote transceiver to transmit the message that includes the channel measurement information.

31. The device of claim 29, wherein the wideband communication channel is comprised of a plurality of discrete frequency carriers.

32. The device of claim 29, wherein the message further conveys status information associated with the transceiver.

33. The device of claim 29, wherein the transceiver is further operable to transmit data rate information associated with the wideband communication channel.

34. The device of claim 29, wherein the transceiver is further operable to transmit power information to a remote transceiver.

35. The device of claim 29, wherein the transceiver is further operable to transmit gain setting information to a remote transceiver.

36. The device of claim 29, wherein the transceiver is further operable to receive a first signal to initiate a change in a communication state of the transceiver.

37. A device operable to receive channel measurement information, comprising:

a multicarrier transceiver operable to receive, during user data transmission or reception, a message that includes the channel measurement information and to demodulate bits in the message using Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM),

wherein the message comprises information indicative of a plurality of signal-to-noise ratios determined during the user data transmission or reception, each signal-to-noise ratio associated with one or more subchannels that comprise a wideband communication channel, wherein the transceiver is further operable to decode a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) to determine whether the message is successfully received.

38. The device of claim 37, wherein the transceiver is further operable to transmit a second message that causes a remote transceiver to transmit the message that includes the channel measurement information.

39. The device of claim 37, wherein the wideband communication channel is comprised of a plurality of discrete frequency carriers.

40. The device of claim 37, wherein the message further conveys status information associated with a remote transceiver.

41. The device of claim 37, wherein the transceiver is further operable to transmit data rate information associated with the wideband communication channel.

42. The device of claim 37, wherein the transceiver is further operable to transmit power information to a remote transceiver.

43. The device of claim 37, wherein the transceiver is further operable to transmit gain setting information to a remote transceiver.

44. The device of claim 37, wherein the transceiver is further operable to receive a first signal to initiate a change in a communication state of the transceiver.

45. A device operable to receive channel measurement information, comprising:

a multicarrier transceiver operable to receive, during user data transmission or reception, a message that includes the channel measurement information and to demodulate bits in the message using Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM),

wherein the message comprises information indicative of a plurality of signal-to-noise ratios determined during the user data transmission or reception, each signal-to-noise ratio associated with one or more subchannels that comprise a wideband communication channel, wherein the transceiver is further operable to receive a plurality of transmissions of the message up to a predetermined number of times.

46. The device of claim 45, wherein the transceiver is further operable to transmit a second message that causes a remote transceiver to transmit the message that includes the channel measurement information.

47. The device of claim 45, wherein the wideband communication channel is comprised of a plurality of discrete frequency carriers.

48. The device of claim 45, wherein the message further conveys status information associated with the remote transceiver.

49. The device of claim 45, wherein the transceiver is further operable to transmit data rate information associated with the wideband communication channel.

50. The device of claim 45, wherein the transceiver is further operable to transmit power information to a remote transceiver.

51. The device of claim 45, wherein the transceiver is further operable to transmit gain setting information to a remote transceiver.

52. The device of claim 45, wherein the transceiver is further operable to receive a first signal to initiate a change in a communication state of the transceiver.