Full duplex digital transmission facility loop-back test, diagnostics and maintenance system

Claims

Accordingly, we claim:

1. A full duplex digital transmission facility loop-back test, diagnostics and maintenance system, said system capable of initiating a facility loop-back test and predetermined diagnostics for a predetermined digital transmission span and customer premises equipment at the location of the network interface for a specified end-user, said system comprising in combination:

(A) a digital transmission facility and transmission medium comprising in combination:

(i) means for originating a high-capacity digital signal of at least 1.544 Mbps from a predetermined location over a plurality of digital communications channels, the digital signal having multiple predetermined performance characteristics inherent thereto, said digital transmission facility having an originating first end and a terminating second end, said first end and said second end being operatively coupled by a plurality of digital transmission spans of predetermined lengths;

(ii) means for transmitting said high-capacity digital signal over said digital communications channel including any predetermined digital transmission span to a single end-user location selected from a plurality of end-user locations;

(iii) means for receiving said high-capacity digital signal from said digital communications channel by a predetermined single end-user location selected from a plurality of end-user locations; and

(B) at least one microprocessor-based facility loop-back diagnostics interface, said interface having a performance monitoring mode of operation and a maintenance mode of operation, said facility loop-back diagnostics interface comprising:

(i) means for operatively locating the interface at any predetermined location selected from a plurality of available end-user locations;

(ii) means for continuous and nonintrusive monitoring of a plurality of predetermined performance characteristics relating to a digital DS1 communications channel, thereafter producing an output signal corresponding to each of said multiple performance characteristics, said output signal having associated binary content in response to the performance characteristics;

(iii) means for storing the binary content of each of said output signals for a predetermined period of time;

(iv) means responsive to adapting predetermined protocols pertaining to said digital DS1 communications channel and to the transmission and reception of digital signals within said digital DS1 communications channel, said protocol being selected from a plurality of available protocols;

(v) means responsive to adapting a particular syntax pertaining to a first and a second set of predetermined command codes for the particular protocol utilized;

(vi) means for receiving said first set of predetermined command codes from any predetermined location of a digital DS1 communications channel to place said interface into a predetermined mode of operation, said interface thereafter responding by initiating a facility loop-back test from any predetermined location within the DS1 communications channel to the location of the network interface;

(vii) means for receiving said second set of predetermined command codes from any predetermined location of said digital DS1 communications channel; and

(viii) means responsive to said second set of predetermined command codes for down-loading said stored binary content to a predetermined location within the digital DS1 communications channel.

2. The full duplex digital transmission facility loop-back test, diagnostics and maintenance system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the means responsive to adapting a predetermined protocol pertaining to said digital DS1 communications channel is responsive to LAP-B Protocol.

3. The full duplex digital transmission facility loop-back test, diagnostics and maintenance system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the means responsive to adapting a particular syntax pertaining to said first set of predetermined command codes is responsive to Superframe format.

4. The full duplex digital transmission facility loop-back test, diagnostics and maintenance system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the means responsive to adapting a particular syntax pertaining to said second set of predetermined command codes is responsive to Transaction Language One syntax.

5. The full duplex digital transmission facility loop-back test, diagnostics and maintenance system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the means responsive to adapting a particular syntax pertaining to said first and said second sets of predetermined command codes is responsive to Extended Superframe format.

6. The full duplex digital transmission facility loop-back test, diagnostics and maintenance system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the means responsive to adapting a particular syntax pertaining to said second set of predetermined command codes is further responsive to a data stream of Transaction Language One syntax within a Extended Superframe data stream utilizing LAP-B Protocol.

7. The full duplex digital transmission facility loop-back test, diagnostics and maintenance system in accordance with claim 6, wherein the means responsive to adapting a particular syntax pertaining to said first and said second sets of predetermined command codes is further responsive to a data stream of Transaction Language One syntax within a Extended Superframe data stream utilizing LAP-B Protocol and further facilitates queries and responses that utilize Transaction Language One commands which are transmitted and received in Extended Superframe format within the 4 Kbps facility data link embedded operations channel associated with the digital DS1 communications channel.

8. A full duplex digital transmission facility loop-back test, diagnostics and maintenance system, said system capable of initiating a facility loop-back test and predetermined diagnostics for a predetermined digital transmission span and customer premises equipment at the location of the network interface for a specified end-user, said system comprising in combination:

(A) a digital transmission facility and transmission medium comprising in combination:

(i) means for originating a high-capacity digital signal of at least 1.544 Mbps from a predetermined location over a plurality of digital communications channels, the digital signal having multiple predetermined performance characteristics inherent thereto, said digital transmission facility having an originating first end and a terminating second end, said first end and said second end being operatively coupled by a plurality of digital transmission spans of predetermined lengths;

(ii) means for transmitting said high-capacity digital signal over said digital communications channel including any predetermined digital transmission span to a single end-user location selected from a plurality of end-user locations;

(iii) means for receiving said high-capacity digital signal from said digital communications channel by a predetermined single end-user location selected from a plurality of end-user locations; and

(B) at least one microprocessor-based facility loop-back diagnostics interface, said interface having a performance monitoring mode of operation and a maintenance mode of operation, said facility loop-back diagnostics interface comprising:

(i) means for operatively locating the interface at any predetermined location selected from a plurality of available end-user locations;

(ii) means for continuous and nonintrusive monitoring of a plurality of predetermined performance characteristics relating to a digital DS1 communications channel, thereafter producing an output signal corresponding to each of said multiple performance characteristics, said output signal having associated binary content in response to the performance characteristics;

(iii) means for storing the binary content of each of said output signals for a predetermined period of time;

(iv) means for deriving certain predetermined performance information relative to said binary content and thereafter storing said performance information for a predetermined period of time;

(v) means responsive to adapting predetermined protocols pertaining to said digital DS1 communications channel and to the transmission and reception of digital signals within said digital DS1 communications channel, said protocol being selected from a plurality of available protocols;

(vi) means responsive to adapting a particular syntax pertaining to a first and a second set of predetermined command codes for the particular protocol utilized;

(vii) means for receiving said first set of predetermined command codes from any predetermined location of a digital DS1 communications channel to place said interface into a predetermined mode of operation, said interface thereafter responding by initiating a facility loop-back test from any predetermined location within the DS1 communications channel to the location of the network interface;

(viii) means for receiving said second set of predetermined command codes from any predetermined location of said digital DS1 communications channel; and

(ix) means responsive to said second set of predetermined command codes for down-loading said stored binary content and said performance information to a predetermined location within the digital DS1 communications channel.

9. The full duplex digital transmission facility loop-back test, diagnostics and maintenance system in accordance with claim 8, wherein the means responsive to adapting a predetermined protocol pertaining to said digital DS1 communications channel is responsive to LAP-B Protocol.

10. The full duplex digital transmission facility loop-back test, diagnostics and maintenance system in accordance with claim 8, wherein the means responsive to adapting a particular syntax pertaining to said first set of predetermined command codes is responsive to Superframe format.

11. The full duplex digital transmission facility loop-back test, diagnostics and maintenance system in accordance with claim 8, wherein the means responsive to adapting a particular syntax pertaining to said second set of predetermined command codes is responsive to Transaction Language One syntax.

12. The full duplex digital transmission facility loop-back test, diagnostics and maintenance system in accordance with claim 8, wherein the means responsive to adapting a particular syntax pertaining to said first and said second sets of predetermined command codes is responsive to Extended Superframe format.

13. The full duplex digital transmission facility loop-back test, diagnostics and maintenance system in accordance with claim 8, wherein the means responsive to adapting a particular syntax pertaining to said second set of predetermined command codes is further responsive to a data stream of Transaction Language One syntax within a Extended Superframe data stream utilizing LAP-B Protocol.

14. The full duplex digital transmission facility loop-back test, diagnostics and maintenance system in accordance with claim 13, wherein the means responsive to adapting a particular syntax pertaining to said first and said second sets of predetermined command codes is further responsive to a data stream of Transaction Language One syntax within a Extended Superframe data stream utilizing LAP-B Protocol and further facilitates queries and responses that utilize Transaction Language One commands which are transmitted and received in Extended Superframe format within the 4 Kbps facility data link embedded operations channel associated with the digital DS1 communications channel.

15. A full duplex digital transmission facility loop-back test, diagnostics and maintenance system, said system capable of initiating a facility loop-back test and predetermined diagnostics for a predetermined digital transmission span and customer premises equipment at the location of the network interface for a specified end-user, said system comprising in combination:

(A) a digital transmission facility and transmission medium comprising in combination:

(i) means for originating a high-capacity digital signal of at least 1.544 Mbps from a predetermined location over a plurality of digital communications channels, the digital signal having multiple predetermined performance characteristics inherent thereto, said digital transmission facility having an originating first end and a terminating second end, said first end and said second end being operatively coupled by a plurality of digital transmission spans of predetermined lengths;

(ii) means for transmitting said high-capacity digital signal over said digital communications channel including any predetermined digital transmission span to a single end-user location selected from a plurality of end-user locations;

(iii) means for receiving said high-capacity digital signal from said digital communications channel by a predetermined single end-user location selected from a plurality of end-user locations; and

(B) at least one microprocessor-based facility loop-back diagnostics interface, said interface having a performance monitoring mode of operation and a maintenance mode of operation, said facility loop-back diagnostics interface comprising:

(i) means for operatively locating the interface at any predetermined location selected from a plurality of available end-user locations;

(ii) means for continuous and nonintrusive monitoring in real-time of a plurality of multiple predetermined performance characteristics relating to a digital DS1 communications channel, thereafter producing an output signal corresponding to each of said multiple performance characteristics, said output signal having associated binary content in response to the performance characteristics;

(iii) means for storing the binary content of each of said output signals in associated nonvolatile memory means for a predetermined period of time;

(iv) means responsive to adapting predetermined protocols pertaining to said digital DS1 communications channel and to the transmission and reception of digital signals within said digital DS1 communications channel, said protocol being selected from a plurality of available protocols;

(v) means responsive to adapting a particular syntax pertaining to a first and a second set of predetermined command codes for the particular protocol utilized;

(vi) means for receiving said first set of predetermined command codes from any predetermined location of a digital DS1 communications channel to place said interface into a predetermined mode of operation, said interface thereafter responding by initiating a facility loop-back test from any predetermined location within the DS1 communications channel to the location of the network interface;

(vii) means for receiving said second set of predetermined command codes from any predetermined location of said digital DS1 communications channel; and

(viii) means responsive to said second set of predetermined command codes for down-loading said stored binary content to a predetermined location within the digital DS1 communications channel.

16. The full duplex digital transmission facility loop-back test, diagnostics and maintenance system in accordance with claim 15, wherein the means responsive to adapting a predetermined protocol pertaining to said digital DS1 communications channel is responsive to LAP-B Protocol.

17. The full duplex digital transmission facility loop-back test, diagnostics and maintenance system in accordance with claim 15, wherein the means responsive to adapting a particular syntax pertaining to said first set of predetermined command codes is responsive to Superframe format.

18. The full duplex digital transmission facility loop-back test, diagnostics and maintenance system in accordance with claim 15, wherein the means responsive to adapting a particular syntax pertaining to said second set of predetermined command codes is responsive to Transaction Language One syntax.

19. The full duplex digital transmission facility loop-back test, diagnostics and maintenance system in accordance with claim 15, wherein the means responsive to adapting a particular syntax pertaining to said first and said second sets of predetermined command codes is responsive to Extended Superframe format.

20. The full duplex digital transmission facility loop-back test, diagnostics and maintenance system in accordance with claim 15, wherein the means responsive to adapting a particular syntax pertaining to said second set of predetermined command codes is further responsive to a data stream of Transaction Language One syntax within a Extended Superframe data stream utilizing LAP-B Protocol.

21. The full duplex digital transmission facility loop-back test, diagnostics and maintenance system in accordance with claim 20, wherein the means responsive to adapting a particular syntax pertaining to said first and said second sets of predetermined command codes is further responsive to a data stream of Transaction Language One syntax within a Extended Superframe data stream utilizing LAP-B Protocol and further facilitates queries and responses that utilize Transaction Language One commands which are transmitted and received in Extended Superframe format within the 4 Kbps facility data link embedded operations channel associated with the digital DS1 communications channel.

22. A full duplex digital transmission facility loop-back test, diagnostics and maintenance system, said system capable of initiating a facility loop-back test and predetermined diagnostics for a predetermined digital transmission span and customer premises equipment at the location of the network interface for a specified end-user, said system comprising in combination:

(A) a digital transmission facility and transmission medium comprising in combination:

(i) means for originating a high-capacity digital signal of at least 1.544 Mbps from a predetermined location over a plurality of digital communications channels, the digital signal having multiple predetermined performance characteristics inherent thereto, said digital transmission facility having an originating first end and a terminating second end, said first end and said second end being operatively coupled by a plurality of digital transmission spans of predetermined lengths;

(ii) means for transmitting said high-capacity digital signal over said digital communications channel including any predetermined digital transmission span to a single end-user location selected from a plurality of end-user locations;

(iii) means for receiving said high-capacity digital signal from said digital communications channel by a predetermined single end-user location selected from a plurality of end-user locations; and

(B) at least one microprocessor-based facility loop-back diagnostics interface, said interface having a performance monitoring mode of operation and a maintenance mode of operation, said facility loop-back diagnostics interface comprising:

(i) means for operatively locating the interface at any predetermined location selected from a plurality of available end-user locations;

(ii) means for continuous and nonintrusive monitoring in real-time of a plurality of multiple predetermined performance characteristics relating to a digital DS1 communications channel, thereafter producing an output signal corresponding to each of said multiple performance characteristics, said output signal having associated binary content in response to the performance characteristics;

(iii) means for storing the binary content of each of said output signals in associated nonvolatile memory means for a predetermined period of time;

(iv) means for deriving certain predetermined performance information relative to said binary content and thereafter storing said performance information in associated nonvolatile memory means for a predetermined period of time;

(v) means responsive to adapting predetermined protocols pertaining to said digital DS1 communications channel and to the transmission and reception of digital signals within said digital DS1 communications channel, said protocol being selected from a plurality of available protocols;

(vi) means responsive to adapting a particular syntax pertaining to a first and a second set of predetermined command codes for the particular protocol utilized;

(vii) means for receiving said first set of predetermined command codes from any predetermined location of a digital DS1 communications channel to place said interface into a predetermined mode of operation, said interface thereafter responding by initiating a facility loop-back test from any predetermined location within the DS1 communications channel to the location of the network interface;

(viii) means for receiving said second set of predetermined command codes from any predetermined location of said digital DS1 communications channel; and

(ix) responsive to said second set of predetermined command codes for down-loading said stored binary content and said performance information to a predetermined location within the digital DS1 communications channel.

23. The full duplex digital transmission facility loop-back test, diagnostics and maintenance system in accordance with claim 22, wherein the means responsive to adapting a predetermined protocol pertaining to said digital DS1 communications channel is responsive to LAP-B Protocol.

24. The full duplex digital transmission facility loop-back test, diagnostics and maintenance system in accordance with claim 22, wherein the means responsive to adapting a particular syntax pertaining to said first set of predetermined command codes is responsive to Superframe format.

25. The full duplex digital transmission facility loop-back test, diagnostics and maintenance system in accordance with claim 22, wherein the means responsive to adapting a particular syntax pertaining to said second set of predetermined command codes is responsive to Transaction Language One syntax.

26. The full duplex digital transmission facility loop-back test, diagnostics and maintenance system in accordance with claim 22, wherein the means responsive to adapting a particular syntax pertaining to said first and said second sets of predetermined command codes is responsive to Extended Superframe format.

27. The full duplex digital transmission facility loop-back test, diagnostics and maintenance system in accordance with claim 22, wherein the means responsive to adapting a particular syntax pertaining to said second set of predetermined command codes is further responsive to a data stream of Transaction Language One syntax within a Extended Superframe data stream utilizing LAP-B Protocol.

28. The full duplex digital transmission facility loop-back test, diagnostics and maintenance system in accordance with claim 27, wherein the means responsive to adapting a particular syntax pertaining to said first and said second sets of predetermined command codes is further responsive to a data stream of Transaction Language One syntax within a Extended Superframe data stream utilizing LAP-B Protocol and further facilitates queries and responses that utilize Transaction Language One commands which are transmitted and received in Extended Superframe format within the 4 Kbps facility data link embedded operations channel associated with the digital DS1 communications channel.

APPENDIX I

Available as a microfiche reproduction on one microfiche with 19 pages.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an apparatus for a full duplex facility loop-back test, diagnostics and maintenance system having an intelligent diagnostics interface which is used in conjunction with high-capacity digital telephone service (standard 4-wire, T1 service) for completely testing the operability, as well as conducting performance monitoring and diagnostics, of a specified DS1 transmission span and the remotely situated customer premises equipment , and more particularly, to a full duplex facility loop-back test, diagnostics and maintenance system having a microprocessor-based diagnostics interface having separate performance monitoring and diagnostics capabilities, which can be activated remotely, or at location of the network interface for the end-user (or "subscriber") , and which is capable of supporting a specified protocol , particularly LAP-B protocol , and having integral maintenance capabilities for the continuous nonintrusive performance on-line monitoring of multiple predetermined critical performance criteria (or characteristics associated with the DS1 telephone service) , and diagnostic testing, for either the DS1 transmission span facilities, or for a specified DS1 transmission span facility, or for the customer premises equipment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It has been the long-felt need of the independent local telephone company (hereafter "telephone company" or "operating company") or telephone service provider (hereafter "service provider") to maximize the utilization of a subscriber's high-capacity telephone line (that is, at least 1.544 Mbps or DS1) by being able to have the capability of providing automated diagnostics of the high-capacity digital transmission path through customer premises equipment of the end-user (or "subscriber" used interchangeably hereinafter) from either a remote location, or the location of the end-user, as well as be able to conduct a facility loop-back test from a remote location, or location of the end-user, that would be able to test the portion of the transmission circuit that is situated between the particular central office and the customer premises equipment of the end-user. This is accomplished by allowing the network control center to be able to initiate facility loop-back tests by the sending of in-band or out-of-band command codes (depending on the associated framing) to remote customer premises equipment over the packet switched network, the codes being compatible with the specific protocol associated with high-capacity digital transmission presentations. Additionally, it has always been a need of the telephone company or service provider to have the technical capability to conduct continuous nonintrusive diagnostics performance monitoring with respect to multiple key variables or characteristics, thereafter store the relevant historical performance data (in associated memory or otherwise) with respect to the digital circuit for a period of time, and then be able to recall this historical performance data whenever a service disruption has been reported by the end-user, in order to determine (i) what the specific problem was that the end-user experienced, (ii) where in the transmission path was the problem fault located, and (iii) what could be done in the form of preventive maintenance in order not to re-experience or repeat the problem again in the future.

From the end-user's viewpoint, following divestiture, in as much as there may be more than a single telephone service provider in a given geographic area or market (for example, an independent local telephone company providing local telephone service and the independent long-distance carrier providing long-distance telephone service), there has resulted an increased need to be able to actually define where a given equipment problem or circuit fault or out-of-service problem is physically located, as end-users have generally assumed more of the responsibility for the maintenance of customer premises equipment that is located at the location of the end-user. This has resulted in a need for automated diagnostics that are capable of testing the portion of the telephone service for which the service provider or telephone company is responsible, as well as being able to pinpoint the particular problem fault or disruption in service that the end-user had experienced which has resulted in the customer premises equipment being out of service. If the service provider or telephone company can find the trouble and localize the fault or problem circuit to reside physically within the customer premises equipment at the location of the end-user (and hence beyond the perpetual warranty of the service provider or telephone company), the end-user will have to decide whether or not to invest the necessary funds to acquire customer premises equipment of greater reliability and improved quality with respect to obtaining the benefit of continuous and reliable performance of its customer premises equipment with an appropriate duty or life cycle.

Specifically, high-capacity digital services (HCDS), with associated transmission rates of at least 1.544 Mbps, represent a major revenue opportunity for the telephone company or service providers, and consequently, have grown rapidly in recent years. To realize the full potential of these service offerings, the service provider or telephone company must provide a quality of service that is sufficient to dissuade end-users or customers from selecting the bypass-type private commercial networks, or other alternatives, to the available data services provided by the service provider or telephone company. Digital transmission errors occurring in short bursts are a common complaint of end-users who use any type of high-capacity digital services and are the type of transmission errors that are difficult to localize with after-the-fact, the out-of-service type of portable test equipment or methods that are usually used by maintenance personnel who travel to the location of the end-user location where the HCDS-facility troubleshooting is then conducted (by taking the specific digital circuit out-of-service for purposes of diagnostics testing). It would be advantageous to be able to test and evaluate the overall digital circuit integrity to determine if the problem fault resides in the DS1 facility side of the circuit or the side of the circuit that has the customer premises equipment connected thereto without the need to dispatch maintenance technicians to the location of the end-user, or without the need to take the specific digital circuit out-of-service.

Preventative maintenance in the form of performance diagnostic testing and circuit monitoring has become a standard part of the preventative maintenance and circuit trouble-shooting procedures for determining or assessing continuity of the DS1 communications path between the central office and the customer premises equipment at the site of the end-user. Since equipment of the prior art design and construction does not provide any information or knowledge with respect to how bad the HCDS service has degraded at the network interface, this has usually required a technician to take a portable test unit to a designated service area, or number of designated service areas in the DS1 transmission span, in order to be able to conduct suitable testing and maintenance of the DS1 transmission spans by conducting a loop-back test to analyze and test the specific suspect digital circuit. Once the DS1 circuit is looped-up, the overall circuit integrity can be evaluated to determine if the problem fault resides in the DS1 facility or in the customer premises equipment without the need to dispatch technicians to the location of the end-user.

Furthermore, with the present facility loop-back equipment of the prior art design and construction, there was no capability to retrieve historical information relative to performance of the HCDS circuit. Specifically, the facility loop-back equipment of the prior art design and construction utilized the embedded maintenance channel of the 4 Kbps facility data link to communicate only in-band loop-up or loop-down command codes (thereby either looping-up or looping-down the facility loop-back interface for purposes of conducting a facility loop-back test). It would be advantageous to be able to use the embedded maintenance channel of the 4 Kbps facility data link to additionally communicate with the facility loop-back interface to download performance data that has been stored relative to a specific digital communications path, without interfering with the ability of the facility loop-back interface to receive its respect loop-up or loop-dow