Method and apparatus for detecting and locating loop impairments
AssigneeIkanos Communications, Inc.
InventorRaghunath KALAVAI
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
According to certain aspects, the present invention relates to methods and apparatuses to identify and locate a line-cuts in a loop that may or may not also contain bridgetaps. In embodiments, different bands of SELT signal data are analyzed separately using a TDR method, to effectively detect any potential bridgetaps. In these and other embodiments, by combining information from the separate bands, bridgetap locations and lengths are determined. Methodology is also established to distinguish legitimate line cut or bridgetap signal data from spurious data. According to certain aspects, embodiments of the invention also incorporate baselining, which includes tests to make sure that there are no inconsistencies or imperfections that can corrupt the SELT data.
Claims20
A method for examining a line coupled to a modem in a communications system, comprising:
- receiving test signal data from the line for two or more separate frequency bands;
- separately converting the test signal data to at least first and second different sets of time domain data corresponding to first and second ones of the separate frequency bands;
- and
- analyzing the first and second sets of time domain data to identify impairments in the line.
An apparatus for examining a line coupled to a modem in a communications system, comprising:
- a capture block that receives test signal data from the line for two or more separate frequency bands;
- first and second IFFTs that respectively convert the test signal data to at least first and second different sets of time domain data corresponding to first and second ones of the separate frequency bands;
- and
- a TDR analysis engine that analyzes the first and second time domain data to identify impairments in the line.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.