Proactive maintenance application

• US 6,870,900 B1
• Filed: 11/30/2000
• Issued: 03/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Beamon, Elizabeth Ann
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, QUOC DUC
• Application Number:
  US09/726,751
• Time in Patent Office: 1,573 Days
• Field of Search: 379/1.01, 379/9, 379/9.01, 379/9.02, 379/9.04, 379/9.06, 379/10.01, 379/14, 379/15.01, 379/26.01, 379/26.02, 379/27.01, 379/27.04, 379/27.07, 379/29.01, 379/32.01, 379/32.02, 379/32.05
• US Class Current: 379/9.03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/24 Arrangements for testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/051 technician dispatch system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/056 non-invasive testing, i.e. in operation testing without service interruption
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2254 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/247 Knowledge-based maintenance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/30 for subscriber's lines , for the local loop
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0087 Network testing or monitoring arrangements

Abstract

Methods and systems for proactively maintaining a telephone system local loop. One embodiment includes acquiring at least one type of information selected from the group consisting of information from a Dynamic Network Analyzer and information from a Loop Facilities and Control System. This information is stored in memory, and the stored information is combined. This method may also include predicting proactive maintenance based upon the combined information. Another embodiment includes communicating with a communications network and acquiring at least one type of information selected from the group consisting of customer information associated with copper line pairs and service information associated with copper line pairs. The acquired information is stored in memory and combined to predict proactive maintenance of the telephone system local loop. Still another embodiment describes a system including software modules communicating with a communications network. A Dynamic Network Analyzer module communicates with the communications network and acquires Dynamic Network Analyzer information. A Loop Facilities and Control System module communicates with the communications network and acquires Loop Facilities and Control System information. A database interfaces with the Dynamic Network Analyzer module and with the Loop Facilities and Control System module, with the database storing the Dynamic Network Analyzer information and the Loop Facilities and Control System information. A processor is also included, and the processor is capable of processing information stored in the database and of generating proactive maintenance.

Claims

1. A method for proactively maintaining a telephone system local loop, the method comprising:

acquiring at least one type of information selected from the group consisting of information from a Dynamic Network Analyzer, information from a Loop Facilities and Control System, and information from a Loop Engineering Information System;

storing the acquired information;

combining the stored information;

predicting proactive maintenance based upon the combined information;

receiving a pending service order information;

merging the pending service order information into the predicted proactive maintenance;

generating work order information describing the predicted proactive maintenance and the merged pending service order information; and

dispatching the work order information to a field technician;

wherein the technician automatically and remotely updates the work order information with completed service order information.

2. A method for proactively maintaining a telephone system local loop according to claim 1, wherein the step of combining the stored information further includes weighting the information from the Dynamic Network Analyzer.

3. A method for proactively maintaining a telephone system local loop according to claim 1, wherein the step of combining the stored information further includes weighting the information from the Loop Facilities and Control System.

4. A method for proactively maintaining a telephone system local loop according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises interfacing with a technician dispatch system to dispatch the work order information to the field technician.

5. A method for proactively maintaining a telephone system local loop according claim 1, wherein the method further comprises interfacing with a TELCORDIA Tech Access System to dispatch the work order information to the field technician.

6. A method for proactively maintaining a telephone system local loop according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises interfacing with a Loop Maintenance Operating System to dispatch the work order information to the field technician.

7. A method for proactively maintaining a telephone system local loop according to claim 1, whether the method further comprises acquiring update information from a Loop Maintenance Operating System.

8. A method for proactively maintaining a telephone system local loop according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises acquiring the work order information from a Loop Maintenance Operating System.

9. A method for proactively maintaining a telephone system local loop according to claim 1, wherein the predicted proactive maintenance is weighted with a first set of weights and the stored information is weighted with a second set of weights different than the first set of weights.

10. A method for proactively maintaining a telephone system local loop, the method comprising:

communicating with a communications network and acquiring at least one of customer information associated with copper line pairs, service information associated with the copper line pairs, and information associated with cross-connects;

storing the acquired information;

combining the stored information;

predicting proactive maintenance based upon the combined information;

receiving a pending service order information;

merging the pending service order information into the predicted proactive maintenance;

generating work order information describing the predicted proactive maintenance and the merged pending service order information; and

dispatching the work order information to a field technician;

wherein the technician automatically and remotely updates the work order information with completed service order information.

11. A method for proactively maintaining a telephone system local loop according to claim 10, wherein the step of combining the stored information further includes weighting the customer information.

12. A method for proactively maintaining a telephone system local loop according to claim 10, wherein the step of combining the stored information further includes weighting the service information.

13. A system for predicting proactive maintenance of a telephone system local loop, the system comprising:

a Dynamic Network Analyzer module communicating with a communications network and acquiring Dynamic Network Analyzer information;

a Loop Facilities and Control System module communicating with the communications network and acquiring Loop Facilities and Control System information;

a Loop Engineering Information System module communicating with the communications network and acquiring loop engineering information;

a database stored in memory, the database storing the acquired information; and

a processor capable of processing information stored in the database and of generating proactive maintenance, the processor further merging a pending service order information into the generated proactive maintenance;

wherein work order information describing the proactive maintenance and the merged pending service order information is dispatched to a field technician, and the technician automatically and remotely updates the work order information with completed service order information.

14. A system according to claim 13, further comprising a technician dispatch module communicating with the communications network and dispatching the work order information to the technician.

15. A computer program product for proactively maintaining a telephone system, comprising:

a computer-readable medium; and

a Dynamic Network Analyzer module stored on the medium, the Dynamic Network Analyzer module coupled to a Dynamic Network Analyzer over a communications network, the Dynamic Network Analyzer module acquiring information concerning the Dynamic Network Analyzer,

wherein the acquired information is used to predict proactive maintenance, and the predicted proactive maintenance is merged with a pending service order information to generate work order information describing the predicted proactive maintenance and the merged pending service order information; and

wherein the work order information is dispatched to a field technician, and the technician automatically and remotely updates the work order information with completed service order information.

16. A computer program product for proactively maintaining a telephone system, comprising:

a computer-readable medium; and

a Loop Facilities and Control System module stored on the medium, the Loop Facilities and Control System module coupled to a Loop Facilities and Control System over a communications network, the Loop Facilities and Control System module acquiring information concerning the Loop Facilities and Control System,

wherein the acquired information is used to predict a proactive maintenance, and the predicted proactive maintenance is merged with a pending service order information to generate work order information describing the predicted proactive maintenance and the merged pending service order information; and

wherein the work order information is dispatched to a field technician, and the technician automatically and remotely updates the work order information with completed service order information.

17. A computer program product for proactively maintaining a telephone system, comprising:

a computer-readable medium; and

a Loop Engineering Information System module stored on the medium, the Loop Engineering Information System module coupled to a Loop Engineering Information System over a communications network, the Loop Engineering Information System module acquiring information concerning the Loop Engineering Information System,

wherein the acquired information is used to predict a proactive maintenance, and the predicted proactive maintenance is merged with a pending service order information to generate work order information describing the predicted proactive maintenance and the merged pending service order information; and

wherein the work order information is dispatched to a field technician, and the technician automatically and remotely updates the work order information with completed service order information.