Network testing
AssigneeBritish Telecommunications public limited company
InventorsStephen C Beaumont, Christopher B Hatch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a method of testing a transmission line from a copper access network. The transmission line is tested to generate values for a plurality of network parameters. Using previously determined test results, it is possible to calculate an estimate of the length of the transmission line based on the values of each of the measured parameters. These estimates of the transmission line length can then be used to compute a weighted average of the transmission line length. An inference of the condition of the transmission line can be made by comparing the estimates of the length of the transmission line with the weighted average length.
Claims20
A method of testing a transmission line in a communications network, the communications network comprising a local exchange and a plurality of transmission lines connected to the local exchange, the method comprising the steps of:
- i) measuring a value for each of a plurality of transmission line parameters;
- ii) determining an estimate for the length of the transmission line for each of the plurality of transmission line parameters based on the associated value measured in step i) and a pre-determined further value associated with each of the plurality of transmission line parameters;
- iii) determining a weighted average transmission line length based on the plurality of transmission line length estimates determined in step ii);
- and
- iv) inferring the condition of the transmission line based on the weighted average determined in step iii) and the plurality of transmission line length estimates determined in step ii).
A non-transitory data carrier for use in a computing device, the data carrier comprising computer executable code which upon execution by the computing device provides steps for testing a transmission line in a communications network, the communications network comprising a local exchange and a plurality of transmission lines connected to the local exchange, the steps comprising:
- i) measuring a value for each of a plurality of transmission line parameters;
- ii) determining an estimate for the length of the transmission line for each of the plurality of transmission line parameters based on the associated value measured in step i) and a pre-determined further value associated with each of the plurality of transmission line parameters;
- iii) determining a weighted average transmission line length based on the plurality of transmission line length estimates determined in step ii);
- and
- iv) inferring the condition of the transmission line based on the weighted average determined in step iii) and the plurality of transmission line length estimates determined in step ii).
An apparatus for testing a transmission line in a communications network, the communications network comprising a local exchange and a plurality of transmission lines connected to the local exchange, the apparatus comprising:
- a computer processor and a data storage medium, the apparatus being at least configured to:
- i) measure a value for each of a plurality of transmission line parameters;
- ii) determine an estimate for the length of the transmission line for each of the plurality of transmission line parameters based on the associated measured value and a pre-determined further value associated with each of the plurality of transmission line parameters;
- iii) determine a weighted average transmission line length based on the determined plurality of transmission line length estimates;
- and
- iv) infer the condition of the transmission line based on the determined weighted average and the determined plurality of transmission line length estimates.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.