Testing of ISDN line via auxiliary channel signaling
AssigneeHarris Corporation
InventorMichael David Dipperstein
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A portable ISDN test set is configured to be interfaced with any location of an ISDN link, and is operative to test the link, irrespective of the hardware configuration of the circuit, (e.g., two-wire vs. four-wire). The ISDN test set contains a digital communications controller and associated digital signalling interface circuits, including both ‘U’ interface and ‘S/T’ interfaces. The ISDN test set and a remote device, such as another test set, exchange digital communication messages over an auxiliary ISDN channel, such as an embedded operations channel or a Q channel, that are effective to cause the device to provide a loopback path over at least one ISDN bearer channel to the test set and test a prescribed operational characteristic of the link.
Claims18
A method of testing the operation of a communication link for transporting ISDN signals, comprising the steps of:
- (a) interfacing a first location of said communication link with an ISDN test set containing test circuitry that is controllably operative to test ISDN communication capability of said communication link;
- (b) interfacing a second location of said communication link with a device capable of conducting auxiliary ISDN channel signalling over an auxiliary ISDN channel that is exclusive of an embedded operations channel, and providing a loopback path over at least one ISDN bearer channel to said first location of said communication link;
- (c) causing said ISDN test set and said device to exchange digital communication messages over said auxiliary ISDN channel that are effective to cause said device to provide said loopback path over at said least one ISDN bearer channel to said ISDN test set at said first location and test a prescribed operational characteristic of said communication link.
A portable ISDN test set for testing the operation of a communication link for transporting ISDN signals, said portable ISDN test set comprising diverse types of digital communication interfaces for connection with multiple communication link configurations, and a supervisory control processor which controls the operation of said diverse types of digital communication interfaces for interfacing digital communication signals with said multiple communication link configurations, said supervisory control processor being operative to cause said portable ISDN test set, when coupled to a first location of said communication link by way of one of said diverse types of digital communication interfaces, to exchange with a device coupled to a second location of said communication link, digital communication messages, over an auxiliary ISDN channel exclusive of an embedded operations channel, that are effective to cause said device to provide a loopback path over at least one ISDN bearer channel to said craftsperson's portable ISDN test set at said first location and test a prescribed operational characteristic of said communication link.
A method of testing the operation of a communication link for transporting ISDN signals, comprising the steps of:
- (a) interfacing a first location of said communication link with an ISDN test set containing test circuitry that is controllably operative to test ISDN communication capability of said communication link;
- (b) interfacing a second location of said communication link with a device capable of conducting auxiliary ISDN channel signalling with said ISDN test set over an auxiliary ISDN channel that is exclusive of an embedded operations channel;
- and
- (c) causing said ISDN test set and said device to exchange digital communication messages over said auxiliary ISDN channel that are effective to test the ability of said communication link to support ISDN communications.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.