Method and apparatus for testing of extended ISDN BRI service

Abstract

An enhanced ISDN-DP transmission device of the present invention allows for testing of ISDN-protocol communication paths using an existing DDS-protocol test infrastructure. The ISDN-DP unit receives a DDS test command and determines whether the command was intended for the immediate receiving unit or a tandem unit. If the command is intended for the immediate ISDN-DP unit, the unit processes the command. If the command is intended for another ISDN device in the transmission path, the ISDN-DP converts the DDS-protocol command to an ISDN-protocol command and transmits the converted ISDN command to an adjacent tandem ISDN device in the communication path in an upstream or downstream direction. After the test path is enabled, loopback testing is available on all available ISDN bandwidth, including the B1, B2 and D+ channels, from a DDS-protocol test set. DDS-protocol test access is available from a plurality of locations including: multiplexed bit stream access at a digital crossconnect switch; metallic access at a DS0 interface; faceplate access at the ISDN-DP unit.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.