IP Library Granted Patent US 8,594,278
Granted Patent B2
US 8,594,278 · App. 12/952,897 · Granted Nov 26, 2013

Test system for voice communications systems

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,594,278
App. No.
12/952,897
Granted
Nov 26, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for testing a voice communication system. A job instruction is transmitted from an application server to a turret via a communications network. The application server causes the turret to execute at least one diagnostic test based on the job instruction. The application server receives, from the turret via the communications network, a message including a result of the at least one diagnostic test.

Claims (51)

1. A system for testing a voice communication system, the system comprising:

a first turret including a first turret memory coupled to a first turret processor;

a second turret including a second turret memory coupled to a second turret processor,

wherein at least one of the first turret or the second turret includes a target component, a message bus, and an automation daemon, the automation daemon being configured to (i) receive, from an application server via a communications network, a job instruction associated with the target component and (ii) transmit the job instruction to the target component via the message bus, and

wherein at least one of the first turret processor or the second turret processor is configured to (i) execute at least one diagnostic test associated with the target component in response to receiving the job instruction via the message bus and (ii) determine one or more results of the at least one diagnostic test; and

the application server including an application memory coupled to an application processor, wherein the application processor is configured to:

pair the first turret and the second turret for testing,

establish a call session between the first turret and the second turret,

transmit, to the automation daemon of at least one of the first turret or the second turret via the communications network, the job instruction,

cause at least one of the first turret processor or the second turret processor to (i) execute, during the call session, the at least one diagnostic test associated with the target component in response to receiving the job instruction and (ii) determine one or more results of the at least one diagnostic test, and

receive, from at least one of the first turret or the second turret via the communications network, a message including the one or more results of the at least one diagnostic test.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one diagnostic test includes at least one of an audio test, a speech power test, a noise power test, an anomaly detection test, a loopback test, a peak frequency test, an echo return loss test, a round-trip delay test, a DTMF test, a volume test, an intercom test, a conference test, or a voice recorder test.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the application server further includes a plugin that translates a message into a communication protocol based on a table, stored in a database, that matches communication protocols to components.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first turret or the second turret further includes a diagnostics execution agent that executes the at least one diagnostic test based on the job instruction.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the application server further includes a diagnostics controller that receives diagnostic job configuration data from an administrator computer, and stores the job configuration data in a database.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the job instruction includes a time identifier, and wherein at least one of the first turret or the second turret executes the at least one diagnostic test based on the time identifier.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the application processor is further configured to:

determine whether the job instruction corresponds to a job that is service-affecting; and

if the job instruction corresponds to a job that is service-affecting then transmitting a warning message to an administrator computer.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the target component includes at least one of an analog-to-digital converter, an audio service application, a telephony application, an audio processor, a button driver, or a light emitting diode (LED) driver.

9. A method for testing a voice communication system, the method comprising the steps of:

pairing, by an application server, a first turret and a second turret for testing, the first turret including a first turret processor and the second turret including a second turret processor, wherein at least one of the first turret or the second turret includes a target component, a message bus, and an automation daemon;

establishing, by the application server, a call session between the first turret and the second turret;

transmitting, from the application server to the automation daemon of at least one of the first turret or the second turret via the communications network, a job instruction associated with the target component;

transmitting, by the automation daemon, the job instruction to the target component via the message bus;

causing at least one of the first turret processor or the second turret processor to (i) execute, during the call session, at least one diagnostic test associated with the target component in response to receiving the job instruction via the message bus, and (ii) determining one or more results of the at least one diagnostic test; and

receiving, at the application server from at least one of the first turret or the second turret via the communications network, a message including the one or more results of the at least one diagnostic test.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one diagnostic test includes at least one of an audio test, a speech power test, a noise power test, an anomaly detection test, a loopback test, a peak frequency test, an echo return loss test, a round-trip delay test, a DTMF test, a volume test, an intercom test, a conference test, or a voice recorder test.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the application server further includes a plugin that translates a message into a communication protocol based on a table, stored in a database, that matches communication protocols to components.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the first turret or the second turret further includes a diagnostics execution agent that executes the at least one diagnostic test based on the job instruction.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the application server further includes a diagnostics controller that receives diagnostic job configuration data from an administrator computer, and stores the job configuration data in a database.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the job instruction includes a time identifier, and wherein at least one of the first turret or the second turret executes the at least one diagnostic test based on the time identifier.

15. The method of claim 9 , further including:

determining whether the job instruction corresponds to a job that is service-affecting; and

transmitting, if the job instruction corresponds to a job that is service-affecting, a warning message to an administrator computer.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the target component includes at least one of an analog-to-digital converter, an audio service application, a telephony application, an audio processor, a button driver, or a light emitting diode (LED) driver.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions, the sequences of instructions including instructions, which, when executed by a computer system, cause the computer system to:

pair, by an application server, a first turret and a second turret for testing, the first turret including a first turret processor and the second turret including a second turret processor, wherein at least one of the first turret or the second turret includes a target component, a message bus, and an automation daemon;

establish, by the application server, a call session between the first turret and the second turret;

transmit, from the application server to the automation daemon of at least one of the first turret or the second turret via the communications network, a job instruction associated with the target component;

transmit, by the automation daemon, the job instruction to the target component via the message bus;

cause at least one of the first turret processor or the second turret processor to (i) execute, during the call session, at least one diagnostic test associated with the target component in response to receiving the job instruction via the message bus, and (ii) determine one or more results of the at least one diagnostic test; and

receive, at the application server from at least one of the first turret or the second turret via the communications network, a message including the one or more test results of the at least one diagnostic test.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the at least one diagnostic test includes at least one of an audio test, a speech power test, a noise power test, an anomaly detection test, a loopback test, a peak frequency test, an echo return loss test, a round-trip delay test, a DTMF test, a volume test, an intercom test, a conference test, or a voice recorder test.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the application server further includes a plugin that translates a message into a communication protocol based on a table, stored in a database, that matches communication protocols to components.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein at least one of the first turret or the second turret further includes a diagnostics execution agent that executes the at least one diagnostic test based on the job instruction.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the application server further includes a diagnostics controller that receives diagnostic job configuration data from an administrator computer, and stores the job configuration data in a database.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the sequences of instructions further include instructions, which, when executed by a computer system, cause the computer system to:

determine whether the job instruction corresponds to a job that is service-affecting; and

transmit, if the job instruction corresponds to a job that is service-affecting, a warning message to an administrator computer.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the target component includes at least one of an analog-to-digital converter, an audio service application, a telephony application, an audio processor, a button driver, or a light emitting diode (LED) driver.

Assignments (20)
FIRST LIEN SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2026
From: IPC SYSTEMS, INC.
To: HPS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 075090/0164 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 22, 2021
From: IPC SYSTEMS, INC.
To: HPS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, LLC
Reel/Frame 057884/0381 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 4, 2021
From: CORTLAND CAPITAL MARKET SERVICES LLC
To: IPC SYSTEMS INC.
Reel/Frame 057693/0660 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 4, 2021
From: BARCLAYS BANK PLC
To: IPC SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 057691/0813 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 4, 2021
From: MIDCAP FINANCIAL TRUST
To: IPC SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 057693/0276 →
SECURITY INTEREST ASSIGNMENT Recorded Jul 20, 2020
From: BARCLAYS BANK PLC AS THE EXISTING AGENT
To: CORTLAND CAPITAL MARKET SERVICES LLC AS SUCCESSOR AGENT
Reel/Frame 053258/0776 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 30, 2018
From: HPS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, LLC (F/K/A HIGHBRIDGE PRINCIPAL STRATEGIES, LLC), AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: IPC SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 045665/0078 →
FIRST LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 26, 2018
From: IPC SYSTEMS, INC.
To: MIDCAP FINANCIAL TRUST, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 046022/0281 →
FIRST LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 26, 2016
From: IPC SYSTEMS, INC.
To: HIGHBRIDGE PRINCIPAL STRATEGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 037595/0135 →
SECOND LIEN SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 11, 2015
From: IPC SYSTEMS, INC.
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 034954/0604 →
FIRST LIEN SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 10, 2015
From: IPC SYSTEMS, INC.
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 034933/0927 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 9, 2015
From: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA
To: IPC SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 034916/0927 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 9, 2015
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: IPC SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 034916/0883 →
FIRST LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 22, 2014
From: IPC SYSTEMS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 033004/0802 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS-SECOND LIEN Recorded May 22, 2014
From: GOLDMAN SACHS CREDIT PARTNERS L.P.
To: IPC SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 033004/0563 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS-FIRST LIEN Recorded May 22, 2014
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: IPC SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 033004/0722 →
SECOND LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 22, 2014
From: IPC SYSTEMS, INC.
To: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 033004/0842 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 5, 2013
From: IPC SYSTEMS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 031581/0681 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 4, 2013
From: IPC SYSTEMS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 031579/0426 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 23, 2010
From: PAPPAS, ANDREW GEORGE; SAWERS, MARK
To: IPC SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025399/0735 →