Endpoint device configured to permit user reporting of quality problems in a communication network
An IP telephone or other endpoint device in a network is configured to support a reporting mode of operation that may be entered, for example, responsive to user entry of a report command via a user interface of the endpoint device. In one aspect, the endpoint device stores call information in one or more buffers. Responsive to an instruction to enter a reporting mode, the endpoint device sends contents of the buffer(s) to a report server over the network. The endpoint device may reinitialize the buffer(s) responsive to an instruction to leave the reporting mode.
1. A method comprising:
storing call information in a first buffer and a second buffer of an endpoint device that participates in a call over a network, wherein:
(i) a user of the endpoint device is a party on the call, and
(ii) the first buffer stores at least some of the voice packets of the call;
transmitting, during the call, the contents of the first buffer and the second buffer to a report server when and only when the endpoint device receives an instruction from the user to enter a reporting mode;
reinitializing the first buffer and the second buffer;
entering a non-reporting mode by the endpoint device; and
wherein the call is between the endpoint device and a second device, automatically entering, in response to the endpoint device entering the reporting mode, the reporting mode and transmitting to the report server contents of at least one buffer that comprises call information.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first buffer and the second buffer each comprises a plurality of per-session circular buffers that each is associated with a particular call session involving the endpoint device.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein a call controller on the network commands the endpoint device to enter the non-reporting mode.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein based at least in part on the call information received from the endpoint device, the call controller alters an allocation of resources in the network that are associated with the call.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein storing call information in the first buffer and the second buffer of the endpoint device further comprises storing an association between at least one portion of the call information and a timestamp that indicates an arrival time at the endpoint device of the respective at least one portion of the call information.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the report server processes the information received from the endpoint device to determine a root cause of a quality problem experienced at the endpoint device.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the report server determines the root cause of the quality problem based on (i) the call information received from the endpoint device and (ii) additional information received from at least one other device involved in the call.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the endpoint device comprises one of an Internet Protocol telephone, a gateway and a bridge.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein:
(iii) the second buffer stores at least one user interface event that is associated with the call.
10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
in response to a value of a measurement of the network that exceeds a threshold, the transmitting excludes the contents of the first buffer.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the endpoint device enters the non-reporting mode after a pre-defined period of time that is independent of the duration of the call.
12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
when the endpoint enters the reporting mode, issuing a prompt for the user at the endpoint device to supply comments about the call; and
storing the comments about the call in a third buffer in the endpoint device, wherein the comments about the call are associated with the call.
13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
calculating, by the endpoint device, an estimated mean opinion score based on the contents of the first buffer; and
transmitting the estimated mean opinion score to the report server.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein the report server determines the root cause of a quality problem experienced at the endpoint device based at least in part on the estimated mean opinion score received from the endpoint device.
15. An apparatus comprising:
an endpoint device in a network comprising a processor coupled to a memory that is tangible and non-volatile, wherein the endpoint device participates in a call over the network, and wherein a user of the endpoint device is a party on the call;
the memory implementing a first buffer and a second buffer;
the endpoint device being configured under control of the processor to store call information in the first buffer and the second buffer, wherein the first buffer stores at least some of the voice packets of the call;
wherein in response to an instruction from the user during the call to enter a reporting mode, the endpoint device is configured under control of the processor to transmit, during the call, the contents of the first buffer and the second buffer to a report server;
wherein the endpoint device is configured under control of the processor to reinitialize the first buffer and the second buffer and to enter a non-reporting mode; and
wherein the call is between the endpoint device and a second device, automatically entering, in response to the endpoint device entering the reporting mode, the reporting mode and transmitting to the report server contents of at least one buffer that comprises call information.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the endpoint device comprises one of an Internet Protocol telephone, a gateway and a bridge.
17. A system comprising:
at least one endpoint device in a network, wherein a first endpoint device participates in a call over the network, and wherein a user of the first endpoint device is a party on the call;
at least one report server coupled to the network; and
a call controller coupled to the network;
wherein the first endpoint device is configured to store call information in a first buffer and a second buffer, and wherein the first buffer stores at least some of the voice packets of the call;
wherein in response to an instruction from the user during the call to enter a reporting mode, the first endpoint device transmits, during the call, the contents of the first buffer and the second buffer to the report server;
wherein the first endpoint device reinitializes the first buffer and the second buffer and enters a non-reporting mode; and
wherein the call is between the endpoint device and a second device, automatically entering, in response to the endpoint device entering the reporting mode, the reporting mode and transmitting to the report server contents of at least one buffer that comprises call information.
18. A method comprising:
storing, during a call, at least some of the payload of the call in a first circular buffer that is associated with an endpoint device that participates in the call, wherein a user is a party on the call, and wherein the first circular buffer stores exclusively payload-related information;
storing, during the call, at least some of the signaling information of the call in a second circular buffer that is associated with the endpoint device;
transmitting, during the call, the contents of the first circular buffer and the second circular buffer to a report server when and only when the endpoint device receives an instruction from the user to enter a reporting mode;
reinitializing the first circular buffer and the second circular buffer;
entering a non-reporting mode by the endpoint device; and
wherein the call is between the endpoint device and a second device, automatically entering, in response to the endpoint device entering the reporting mode, the reporting mode and transmitting to the report server contents of at least one buffer that comprises call information.