# US 10,771,990 B2 · Network testing for telecommunications

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- Number: US 10,771,990 B2
- Document ID: US10771990B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/518,101
- Filed: 2015-10-09
- Published: 2017-08-24
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2014-10-10
- Assignees: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
- Applicants: Truphone Limited
- Inventors: James Peter Tagg; Alistair James Campbell; Igor Borisoglebski; Miguel Deus; Edward Thomas Guy
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10771990B2

## CPC

- H04W 24/06: Testing, {supervising or monitoring} using simulated traffic
- H04W 24/08: Testing, {supervising or monitoring} using real traffic
- H04W 88/02: Terminal devices
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

According to aspects of the invention there is provided a remote unit comprising a processor and one or more terminal interfaces, the processor being connected to the one or more terminal interfaces, the terminal interfaces configured for coupling with a set of terminals, wherein the processor is configured to perform quality of service network testing using one or more of the set of terminals over one or more communication networks.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A remote unit comprising a processor and one or more terminal interfaces, the processor being connected to the one or more terminal interfaces, the terminal interfaces configured for coupling with a set of terminals, wherein the processor is configured to perform quality of service network testing over a first and a second communication network using a first and second terminal of the set of terminals, the first terminal associated with the first network and the second terminal associated with the second network; wherein the quality of service network testing is to verify if the traffic is being treated in a differentiated manner as between the first and second communication network; wherein the remote unit is located in a first geographic region; wherein the processor of the remote unit is further configured to conduct quality of service testing with a second remote unit, located in a second geographic region and comprising interfaces for connecting to a second set of terminals, using one or more of the set of terminals and one or more of the second set of terminals over the first and second communication networks; wherein the processor is further configured to perform end-to-end quality of service testing over one or more communication networks using the first terminal of the set of terminals in communication with a second terminal of the second set of terminals.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The remote unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to perform end-to-end quality of service testing over the first and second communication networks using at least two terminals of the set of terminals.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The remote unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to perform an outgoing or incoming call quality of service testing over the first and the second communication network using the first and second terminal of the set of terminals.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The remote unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to perform an outgoing or incoming text message and/or data message quality of service testing over the first and the second communication network using the first and the second terminal of the set of terminals.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The remote unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to perform two or more quality of service testing substantially concurrently over the first and the second communication network using a first and second terminal of the set of terminals.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The remote unit as claimed in claim 5, wherein the substantially concurrent testing includes testing an outgoing or incoming call and a data message or session substantially concurrently.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The remote unit as claimed in claim 6, wherein a data session includes uploading, downloading, messaging, browsing, accessing the internet streaming.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The remote unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second remote unit is a virtual remote unit, wherein the processor of the remote unit is further configured to conduct quality of service testing with the virtual remote unit using one or more of the set of terminals over the first and second communication networks.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The remote unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the set of terminals include at least one terminal from the group of:
a handset;
a mobile device;
a mobile phone;
a mobile station;
a smartphone;
a user equipment;
original equipment manufacturer terminal;
machine to machine embedded terminal;
a tablet configured to communicate over the first and second communication networks; and a laptop configured to communicate over the first and second communication networks.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The remote unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the set of terminals are off-the-shelf or non-custom made, standardized terminals provided by one or more network operators for use by consumers or subscribers of the first and second communication networks.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The remote unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the remote unit is configured to receive one or more network tests associated with quality of service testing of the first and second communication networks.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The remote unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the quality of service testing includes any one or more of call set up delay, connect/disconnect delay, transmission delay, total failures, call drops, failure to progress, voice quality, video quality, conversation latency, echo, bit rate, error rate, bandwidth, jitter, delay, latency, packet loss, signal strength.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The remote unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the remote unit is configured to send test results from the one or more terminals associated with the quality of service testing to one or more control units for comparing the quality of service performance of the first and second communication networks or one or more terminals associated with said quality of service testing.

### Claim 14

A computer-implemented method for controlling a network testing system that verifies if the traffic is being treated in a differentiated manner, the network testing system comprising one or more control units and a plurality of remote units, each remote unit comprising one or more terminals, wherein the one or more terminals are configured to communicate over one or more communication networks, wherein a first remote unit located in a first geographic region is configured to conduct quality of service testing with a second remote unit located in a second geographic region, the method, performed by the control unit, comprising:
receiving an input to perform one or more network tests associated with one or more of the communication networks;
generating a list of tests based on the input network tests;
sending the list of tests to one or more of the remote units for use in configuring a first and a second terminal to perform the corresponding network tests and generate test results associated with the corresponding network tests; wherein the corresponding network tests perform end-to-end quality of service testing over the one or more communication networks using a first terminal associated with the first remote unit in communication with a second terminal associated with the second remote unit receiving test results associated with the one or more network tests from one or more of the remote units; and
analysing the test results associated with the one or more network tests for determining the quality of service performance to verify if the traffic is being treated in a differentiated manner as between one or more of the communication networks or one or more terminals associated with said network tests.

### Claim 15

A computer implemented method for performing network testing in a network testing system that verifies if the traffic is being treated in a differentiated manner, the network testing system comprising a control unit and a plurality of remote units, each remote unit comprising one or more terminals, wherein the one or more terminals are configured to communicate over one or more communication networks, wherein a first remote unit located in a first geographic region is configured to conduct quality of service testing with a second remote unit located in a second geographic region, the method, performed by a remote unit, comprising:
receiving a list of tests based on one or more network tests associated with one or more of the communication networks;
configuring a first and second terminal of the terminals of the remote unit to operate in the one or more communication networks in accordance with the list or tests, wherein the first and second terminals are further configured to generate test results associated with the list of tests; wherein the corresponding network tests perform end-to-end quality of service testing over the one or more communication networks using a first terminal associated with the first remote unit in communication with a second terminal associated with the second remote unit;
receiving test results from the first and second terminals of the remote unit;
sending test results associated with the one or more network tests towards the control unit for determining the quality of service performance to verify if the traffic is being treated in a differentiated manner as between the communication networks associated with said network tests.

### Claim 16

A computer implemented method for performing network testing in a network testing system that verifies if the traffic is being treated in a differentiated manner, the network testing system comprising a control unit and a plurality of remote units, each remote unit comprising a first and second terminal, wherein the first and second terminals are configured to communicate over one or more communication networks wherein a first remote unit located in a first geographic region is configured to conduct quality of service testing with a second remote unit located in a second geographic region, the method, performed by the first and second terminal, comprising:
receiving configuration data representative of a list of tests based on one or more network tests associated with one or more of the communication networks; wherein the network tests perform end-to-end quality of service testing over the one or more communication networks using a first terminal associated with the first remote unit in communication with a second terminal associated with the second remote unit configuring the terminal to operate in the one or more communication networks in accordance with the configuration data;
generating test results associated with the list of tests based on operating the first and second terminal in the one or more communication networks in accordance with the configuration data; and sending the test results towards the control unit for determining the quality of service performance to verify if the traffic is being treated in a differentiated manner as between the communication networks or the first and second terminals associated with said network tests.
