Equivalent working length determinative system for digital subscriber line circuits

• US 20040120470A1
• Filed: 12/23/2002
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
• Original Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
• Inventors: Kimble, David L., Cambron, G. Keith, Hart, Richard D., Yackle, Clifford E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,620,154 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/1.04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2854 Wide area networks, e.g. public data networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2209 for lines also used for data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/301 Circuit arrangements at the subscriber's side of the line
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/305 testing of physical copper line parameters, e.g. capacitance or resistance locating faults in cables G01R31/08

Abstract

An equivalent working length (EWL) determinative system (11) for use in a digital subscriber line (DSL) telecommunication network (10) is provided. The EWL system (11) includes a DSL circuit (32) having a customer site (14) with customer premises equipment (30). The customer premises equipment (30) receives and transmits communication signals and generates a first attenuation signal in response to the communication signals. A remote terminal (20) forms a loop (31) with the customer site (14) and has a loop length. The remote terminal (20) includes a remote terminal transceiver (40) that is in communication with the customer premises equipment (30). A main controller (37) is electrically coupled to the customer premises equipment (30) and determines an EWL of the loop (31) in response to the first attenuation signal. A method of performing the same is also provided.

Claims

1. An equivalent working length determinative system for use in a digital subscriber line telecommunication network comprising:

(a) a digital subscriber line circuit comprising;

at least one customer site comprising;

customer premises equipment receiving and transmitting communication signals and generating a first attenuation signal in response to said communication signals;

at least one remote terminal forming at least one loop with said at least one customer site and having a loop length, said at least one remote terminal comprising;

a remote terminal transceiver in communication with said customer premises equipment; and

(b) a main controller electrically coupled to said customer premises equipment and determining an equivalent working length (EWL) of said at least one loop in response to said first attenuation signal.

2. A system as in claim 1 wherein said remote terminal transceiver generates a second attenuation signal of said at least one loop and said main controller determines said EWL of said at least one loop in response to said second attenuation signal.

3. A system as in claim 2 further comprising a management information base storing said first attenuation signal and said second attenuation signal.

4. A system as in claim 1 wherein said main controller indicates an error signal when said first attenuation signal is greater than a predetermined attenuation value in response to said EWL.

5. A system as in claim 1 wherein said main controller determines that a loop error exists, a filter is missing or operating inappropriately, or a bridge exists on said at least one loop in response to said first attenuation signal and said EWL.

6. A system as in claim 1 wherein said main controller adjusts a transmission rate between said customer premises equipment and said remote terminal transceiver of said at least one loop in response to said first attenuation signal and said EWL.

7. A system as in claim 1 wherein said main controller determines a desired transmission rate of said at least one loop in response to said first attenuation signal and said EWL.

8. A system as in claim 1 wherein said main controller in determining an equivalent working length, determines an approximately 26-gauge cable representation of said at least one loop.

9. A system as in claim 1 wherein said main controller in determining an equivalent working length, determines an unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cable representation of said at least one loop.

10. A system as in claim 1 wherein said customer premises equipment, in generating a first attenuation signal, monitors approximately 100 KHz attenuation measurements.

18. A system as in claim 1 wherein said customer premises equipment, in generating a first attenuation signal, monitors approximately 100 KHz attenuation measurements.

11. An equivalent working length determinative system for use in a digital subscriber line telecommunication network comprising:

(a) a digital subscriber line circuit comprising;

at least one customer site comprising;

customer premises equipment receiving and transmitting communication signals; and

at least one remote terminal forming at least one loop with said at least one customer site and having a loop length, said at least one remote terminal comprising;

a remote terminal transceiver in communication with said customer premises equipment and generating a second attenuation signal in response to said communication signals; and

(b) a main controller electrically coupled to said remote terminal transceiver and determining an equivalent working length (EWL) of said at least one loop in response to said second attenuation signal.

19. A method of determining equivalent loop length of a digital subscriber line circuit comprising:

generating an attenuation signal in response to transmission of communication signals within the digital subscriber line circuit; and

determining an equivalent loop length of the digital subscriber line circuit in response to said attenuation signal.

20. A method as in claim 19 wherein determining an equivalent loop length comprises utilizing a linear closed form expression relating said attenuation signal to equivalent loop length.