Multiplex communications – Diagnostic testing
Reexamination Certificate
1997-12-03
2001-11-06
Ton, Dang (Department: 2663)
Multiplex communications
Diagnostic testing
C370S242000, C379S021000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06314086
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to telecommunication systems, and is particularly directed to a contextual-based assistance mechanism, that is incorporated within a craftsperson's ISDN test set having an architecture of the type described in the above-referenced '117 application, for facilitating the operation of the test set and thereby the testing and troubleshooting of an ISDN communication circuit.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As described in the above-referenced '117 application, a variety of telecommunication test units have been proposed for testing various types of digital signalling circuits. Such circuits may include, but are not limited to, those transporting high bit rate digital subscriber line (HDSL) signals, asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) signals, digital data service (DDS) signals and integrated services digital network (ISDN) signals. Unfortunately, such conventional test units are relatively cumbersome and hardware-intensive devices, typically resident in a telcom service office or other fixed system installation, that affords only a single point of access to the circuit of interest.
A non-limiting example of such a conventional test unit is described in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,208,846, to Hammond et al, entitled: “Subscriber Loop Tester for Telephone Switching Systems.” In order to be connectable with various types of telecommunication circuits, the Hammond et al test unit contains different types of line interfaces/jacks. Determining which jack is to be used requires that the test system operator have a prior knowledge of the communication link to which the test set is to be coupled. Without this knowledge, the user does not know to which jack the line should be connected, and cannot readily configure the test unit to support a particular user interface and associated termination hardware.
As noted above, conventional test units are relatively large and fixed pieces of equipment, so that they are not readily suited for use in the field (i.e., they are not portable), so that they cannot be readily interfaced with any accessible location along a communication link. This relatively poor facility of transport and ready connection to any location along a link to be tested also limits the practicality and effectiveness of such test units.
These shortcomings have become a particular concern to telecommunication service providers, especially with the continuing expansion and demand for integrated services digital network (ISDN) services. Not only is there currently a need for a practical, portable test set that is capable of testing already installed ISDN circuits, but one which can perform ‘dry loop’ line testing, prior to its use for ISDN service; namely, there is a need for an ISDN test device that will permit a circuit to be ‘prequalified’ (as ISDN-capable), before ISDN equipment is purchased and connected to the line to be used for ISDN service.
Advantageously, the portable test set described in the above-referenced '117 application contains a communication architecture that is readily interfaced with virtually any location along a line/circuit to be tested, so as to allow testing of the line, irrespective of its configuration (e.g., two-wire vs. four-wire), or the type of signals that may be conveyed over the line (analog or digital). In addition to circuitry for testing the operation of a standard analog (POTS) line, the portable test set described in the '117 application contains a digital communications controller and associated digital signalling interface circuits, including both ‘U’ interface and ‘S/T’ interface circuits.
Thus, the test set can be interfaced with either a two-wire network link or a four-wire customer premises link, and may transmit and receive ISDN bearer channel messages over whatever line to which it is connected. The contents of such bearer channel messages may be defined to evoke prescribed responses from a companion test set coupled to another portion (relatively far end) of the communication circuit of interest, so that the line linking the two test sets may be tested. When two such test sets are interfaced with spaced apart locations of the circuit/line under test, they may operate in respective master and slave modes, allowing a craftsperson using the master test set to initiate a bit error rate test (BERT) from one end of the circuit, and derive a measure of the operational performance characteristic of the in-between segment of the circuit.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an enhancement of the ISDN communication and testing functionality of the test set described in the '117 application, that is not only capable of performing line prequalification and post installation testing, but does so in a manner that simplifies the interaction between the user/craftsperson and the test set, thereby minimizing line testing inaccuracies (which often depend upon the skill and familiarity of the technician with ISDN communications) and improving performance.
In particular, the present invention is directed to a contextual-based assistance enhancement to the operational control software that is executed by the test set's supervisory processor, and which is accessed by the operation of an ASSIST key on the test set keypad. When this interactive user-assistance program is so accessed, it causes a test set user interface, such as a display panel, to generate one or more alpha-numeric messages, through which a craftsperson, regardless of training or experience, is provided with information necessary to competently operate the test set and successfully test an ISDN line.
The contextual-based assistance mechanism of the invention comprises a referential help database of alpha numeric terms/topics and their functional descriptions, which may be either associated with the architecture and operation of the test set, or associated with conditions that may be encountered by the craftsperson when using the test set to troubleshoot or test an ISDN line. This provides access to a library of terms/topics and their associated definitions, which may be employed as a tutorial guide in the course of troubleshooting a line. Auspiciously, operation of the ASSIST key when the test set's display screen contains a message that has been transmitted to the test set from another piece of telecommunication equipment, such as a central office switch, in association with the progress of a call/test, will cause the display of a clarifying definition of the message.
This clarifying message display not only serves to educate the user as to what the message means, but provides a guide to expediting the current operational use of the test set for the call or test, which caused the remotely sourced message. Namely, for any state of the test set, depressing the ASSIST key, one time, causes the execution of a contextual-based assistance routine that is operative to search, retrieve and output (e.g., display) additional explanatory information, associated with the alpha-numeric contents of whatever is currently supplied by way of a test set user interface (display screen). Depressing the ASSIST key a second time calls up a referential help database search subroutine.
When the referential help database search subroutine is called up, it causes the generation of an informational message that instructs the user to either begin scrolling through an alphabetized listing of topic/term definitions, or to press one of the alpha numeric keys on the keypad, that contains the letter which begins with the topic or term of interest. In response to the operation of a selected alpha-numeric key on the keypad
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one or more times (to step through the letters for that key), a first alphabetical listing in a group of terms, each of which begins with the selected letter, is supplied. In addition, the user is instructed to depress a prescribed key (e.g., the “*” key) to view.a definition of the term.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4105995 (1978-08-01), Bothof et al.
patent: 4922516 (1990-05-01), Butler et al.
Hathorn Linda L.
Katz Paul H.
Soto Roy L.
Allen Dyer Doppelt Milbrath & Gilchrist, P.A.
Harris Corporation
Nguyen Toan
Ton Dang
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