Methods, systems, and computer readable media for remotely evaluating and controlling voice over IP (VoIP) subscriber terminal equipment
View Patent ↗Methods, systems, and computer readable media for remotely evaluating and controlling VoIP subscriber terminal equipment using test calls, status queries, and usage statistics are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes initiating test calls with VoIP subscriber terminal equipment and obtaining test call results. The method further includes analyzing usage information regarding the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment and determining subscriber terminal device usage results. The method also includes remotely querying the VoIP subscriber terminal device and determining subscriber terminal equipment state information. The method further includes determining, based on the subscriber terminal equipment test call results, the subscriber terminal equipment usage results, and the subscriber terminal equipment state information, whether to initiate a remote control action for the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment and in response to determining to initiate a remote control action, initiating the remote control action to effect a change in state of the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment.
1. A method for remotely evaluating and controlling voice over IP (VoIP) subscriber terminal equipment, the method comprising:
using a remote test and control system comprising at least one computer:
initiating test calls with the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment and obtaining test call results, wherein initiating the test calls includes initiating loopback calls with the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment and wherein obtaining test call results includes obtaining results from a test that evaluates speech quality of the loopback calls;
analyzing usage information regarding the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment and determining subscriber terminal equipment usage results;
remotely querying the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment and determining subscriber terminal equipment state information;
determining, based on the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment test call results, the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment usage results, and the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment state information, whether to initiate a remote control action for the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment; and
in response to determining to initiate a remote control action, initiating the remote control action to effect a change in state of the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment, wherein initiating the remote control action to effect a change in state of the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment includes sending a simple network management protocol (SNMP) reset command to the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment.
2. The method of claim 1 comprising testing the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment after performing the remote control action to determine whether the remote control action was successful in changing the state of the VoIP subscriber equipment to a desired state.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining whether to initiate the remote control action includes determining whether the subscriber terminal equipment is remotely controllable.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the remote control action includes a reset of the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein analyzing the usage information includes analyzing call detail records (CDRs).
6. The method of claim 1 wherein analyzing the usage information includes analyzing Internet protocol (IP) connection data statistics.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein remotely querying the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment includes sending a simple network management protocol (SNMP) query to the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment includes one of: a cable modem, an analog telephony adapter (ATA) device, a multimedia terminal adapter (MTA) device, and a mobile phone with an integrated ATA or MTA device.
9. A remote control system for remotely evaluating and controlling voice over IP (VoIP) subscriber terminal equipment, the system comprising:
a caller application for initiating test calls with the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment and obtaining test call results, wherein the caller application is configured to initiate loopback calls with the subscriber terminal equipment and to evaluate speech quality over the loopback calls;
a usage information collector for obtaining usage information regarding the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment;
a management application for remotely querying the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment and obtaining VoIP subscriber terminal equipment state information; and
a VoIP subscriber terminal equipment remote controller for determining, based on the test call results, the usage information and the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment state information whether to initiate a remote control action, and, in response to determining to initiate the remote control action, initiating the remote control action to effect a change in state of the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment, wherein the remote control action to effect a change in state of the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment includes sending of a simple network management protocol (SNMP) reset command to the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment.
10. The system of claim 9 wherein the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment remote controller receives information that the remote control action has been performed on the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment, in response to the remote control action being performed on the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment, determines whether the subscriber device is currently operating normally, and if the subscriber device is not currently operating normally, notifies a network operator.
11. The system of claim 9 wherein the remote control action includes a reset of the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment.
12. The system of claim 9 wherein the usage information analyzed by the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment remote controller includes call detail records (CDRs).
13. The system of claim 9 wherein the usage information analyzed by the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment remote controller includes Internet protocol (IP) connection data statistics.
14. The system of claim 9 wherein the management application is configured to send simple network management protocol (SNMP) queries to the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment.
15. The system of claim 9 wherein the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment includes one of: a cable modem, an analog telephony adapter (ATA) device, a multimedia terminal adapter (MTA) device, and a mobile phone with an integrated ATA or MTA device.
16. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions that when executed by a processor of a computer control the computer to perform steps comprising:
initiating test calls with VoIP subscriber terminal equipment and obtaining test call results, wherein initiating the test calls includes initiating loopback calls with the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment and wherein obtaining test call results includes obtaining results from a test that evaluates speech quality of the loopback calls;
analyzing usage information regarding the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment and determining subscriber terminal equipment usage results;
remotely querying the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment and determining subscriber terminal equipment state information;
determining, based on the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment test call results, the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment usage results, and the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment state information, whether to initiate a remote control action for the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment; and
in response to determining to initiate a remote control action, initiating the remote control action to effect a change in state of the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment, wherein initiating the remote control action to effect a change in state of the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment includes sending a simple network management protocol (SNMP) reset command to the VoIP subscriber terminal equipment.