US 5,857,011 A · Multi-port caller ID-based telephone ringback test device

Abstract

A multi-ported, caller ID-based test unit is installable in the central office of a public switched telephone network. The test unit is capable of determining the telephone number, subscriber name and various other information associated with the subscriber line used to access to the test device, and is operative to conduct various tests of a telephone circuit from which a call to the test device is placed. These tests include exercising a caller identification, call waiting class of service, testing the ability of the telephone circuit to receive incoming calls, and testing the operation of a message-waiting indicator of a telephone unit coupled to the telephone circuit, as well as the ability to conduct a data session with a remote terminal using the test unit's data port.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A method of controllably confirming the operability of a message waiting indicator, that is usable in conjunction with a telecommunications device coupled to a communications link of a telecommunications network, to indicate whether or not a message is waiting for access by a user of said telecommunications device, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) coupling to said telecommunications network, a communications unit, that is exclusive of a network facility customarily employed to controllably operate said message waiting indicator;
(b) prompting said user of said telecommunications device to block coupling of signals to said communications link, so as to prevent potential corruption by said signals of the transmission of a first message to said device from said communications unit;
and
(c) transmitting said first message from said communications unit over said communications link to said telecommunications device, said first message containing information representative of a prescribed modification of the state of said message waiting indicator, which is effective to modify the state of said message waiting indicator.

1 more element

A control routine resident in the supervisory microcontroller of a telephone test set and being operative to controllably confirm whether a message waiting indicator is operating properly, said message waiting indicator being usable in conjunction with a telecommunications device coupled to a communications link of a telecommunications network for indicating whether or not a voice mail message is waiting for access by a user of said telecommunications device, said control routine performing the steps of:

(a) prompting said user of said telecommunications device to block coupling of audio signals that may be input into a telecommunications device employed by said user onto said communications link, and thereby prevent potential corruption by said audio signals of the transmission of a first message to said device from said telephone test set;
and
(b) transmitting said first message from said telephone test set over said communications link to said telecommunications device, said first message containing information requesting a change in state of said message waiting indicator, in response to which said message waiting indicator is turned on or off.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Multi-port caller ID-based telephone ringback test device

Life of this patent

Multi-port caller ID-based telephone ringback test device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16