Telephonic communications – Diagnostic testing – malfunction indication – or electrical... – Testing of subscriber loop or terminal
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-09
2001-11-20
Kuntz, Curtis (Department: 2643)
Telephonic communications
Diagnostic testing, malfunction indication, or electrical...
Testing of subscriber loop or terminal
C379S001010, C379S027030, C379S029010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06320939
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to telephone equipment and more specifically to test apparatus for remotely testing telephone equipment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of fiber optics in telephone networks continues to evolve due to, among other things, its inherent high reliability to superimpose a large number of telephone communication on a single fiber and its inherent lack of susceptibility to electromagnetic noise. It is believed that fiber optics will eventually replace conductive wires that heretofore have been utilized to connect telephone equipment of one or more subscribers to the telephone network. Until that time, however, there remains a need to utilize the conductive wires and the telephone equipment adapted to work with signals transmitted over such wires.
Prior to the evolution of fiber optics in telephone networks, testing of telephone equipment of one or more subscribers could be conducted remotely from a switching network. However, as the use of fiber optics in telephone networks evolved, the ability to perform remote testing has been affected because of the mixed use of fiber optics and conductive wires.
Until fiber optics replace the conductive wires and the telephone equipment of one or more subscribers it will be necessary and/or desirable to maintain or improve the testability of the conductive wires and the telephone equipment connected thereto. Preferably, the existing conductive wires could be utilized thus protecting the investment in existing testing infrastructure.
Heretofore, measurements of the conductive wire network, including telephone equipment, of a subscriber was enabled by a remote testing device placed adjacent the telephone equipment of the subscriber for measuring a number of parameters concerning the condition of the conductive wires and the telephone equipment. The problem with these prior art measurement systems is the absence of relays and switches necessary for the test equipment to gain unimpeded access to the conductive wires and telephone equipment of the subscriber. Another problem with these prior art systems is they require a separate communications channel to transmit the results of the test back to a central location for analysis. For example, previous systems have utilized a public switched telephone network voice channel for communication using dial-up modem technology. This of course diminishes revenue generating capacity by using up one of the voice channels.
In another methodology, test equipment is embedded in a maintenance and operations channel of the fiber optic system. This, however, requires additional equipment at a central location to extract the information from the maintenance and operations channel. Moreover, many of these fiber optic systems cannot present the information to existing test equipment, thus requiring a stand alone computer terminal to view the results.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for testing the conductive wires and telephone equipment of a remote subscriber utilizing existing test equipment. It is object of the present invention to utilize the available communications channels to transmit test signals to the remote testing devices and to receive test results back therefrom. It is an object of the present invention to provide test capability for remote multiplexer systems that do not have access relays installed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, we have invented a testing apparatus for testing telephone equipment of a subscriber which is communicably connected to a switching machine. The testing apparatus includes a controller, a test circuit for testing the telephone equipment, a receiver and a relay means. In response to the receiver receiving a test signal the controller causes the relay means to disconnect the telephone equipment from communication with the switching machine and to connect the test circuit into communication with telephone equipment. The testing apparatus further includes a transmitter and may include a test termination. The controller causes the relay means to connect the transmitter and the test termination into communication with the switching machine in response to the receiver receiving the test signal.
In another embodiment, a testing apparatus for testing telephone equipment of a subscriber includes a first relay having telephone equipment connected to one side thereof, a controller, a receiver connected between the controller and the side of the first relay opposite the telephone equipment, a second relay and a test circuit. The second relay and the test circuit are connected in series between the controller and the telephone equipment side of the first relay. The controller, in response to receiving a test signal via the receiver, causes the first relay to open, thereby disconnecting the receiver side of the first relay from the telephone equipment side thereof and causes a second relay to close, thereby connecting the test circuit to the telephone equipment. A transmitter and a third relay are connected in series between the controller and the receiver side of the first relay. In response to receiving the test signal, the controller causes the third relay to close, thereby connecting the transmitter to the receiver side of the first relay. A test termination and a fourth relay are connected in series between the controller and the receiver side of the first relay. The controller, in response to receiving the test command signal, causes the fourth relay to close, thereby connecting the test termination to the receiver side of the first relay. A relay controller controls the opening and closing of the first relay, the second relay, the third relay and the fourth relay in response to receiving a command signal from the controller. A fifth relay is connected in series between the receiver side of the first relay and at least one of the transmitter and the test termination. The controller, in response to receiving the test signal, causes the fifth relay to close, thereby connecting the at least one of the transmitter and the test termination to the receiver side of the first relay.
In another embodiment, a telephone network for communicatively connecting two or more subscribers includes a switching apparatus adapted to communicatively connect telephone equipment of a plurality of subscribers and a testing apparatus connected between the switching apparatus and the telephone equipment of at least one of the subscribers. The testing apparatus includes a test circuit for testing the telephone equipment, a receiver, a transmitter and a plurality of relays. In response to the receiver receiving a test signal from the switching apparatus the plurality of relays (i) communicatively disconnecting the telephone equipment of the at least one subscriber from the switching network and (ii) communicatively connecting the test circuit to the telephone equipment of the at least one subscriber. The test circuit test the telephone equipment of the at least one subscriber and the transmitter communicates to the switching apparatus a result of the test circuits test of the telephone equipment of the at least one subscriber. A first multiplexer is connected between the switching apparatus and the telephone equipment of the at least one subscriber. The first multiplexer converts signals received thereby between a first communication medium and a second communication medium and vice versa. A second multiplexer is connected between the first multiplexer and the telephone equipment of the at least one subscriber. The second multiplexer converts signals received thereby between the second communication medium and a third communication medium and vice versa. The third communication medium may be one of the first or second communication mediums. A test head is connected to the switching apparatus for controlling the operation of the testing apparatus via the switching apparatus. A test termination having a desired impedance is provided. In response to the receiver receiving a
Mortimer Larry
Nulty Gregory M.
Barnie Rexford N.
Kuntz Curtis
Tollgrade Communications, Inc.
Webb Ziesenheim & Logsdon Orkin & Hanson, P.C.
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