Detecting faults affecting communications links
View Patent ↗A modem or associated computing or testing device is configured to detect the presence of one or more faults that affect DSL communications, and upon their detection, generate, for example, an indication, communication or message that recommends corrective action. In this context, a fault is generally caused by one or more unfiltered devices, impulsive noises, malfunctioning modems, or other factor that does not affect measured attenuation or measured noise, but does affect the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the link. In addition to being able to generate a message guiding a user through corrective action, the system can estimate the rate impact of the detected fault.
1. A method to detect one or more faults affecting a communication channel comprising:
receiving, via a management interface, one or more of per-subchannel SNR's (Signal-to-Noise Ratio), per-subchannel attenuation analysis (HLOG) and per-subchannel quiet line noise (QLN), transmit power spectral density (PSD) and knowledge about behavior of a modem that can be characterized in advance;
determining information about the communication channel; and
determining, using a processor, a presence of a fault that impact SNR on the communication channel from the one or more of the per-subchannel SNR's, HLOG, QLN, transmit PSD and modem behavior.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating a report indicating whether the fault has been detected, the fault is known not to be present, or whether a determination cannot be made.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the report is forwarded to one or more of a user, technician and service provider.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a modeled per-subchannel SNR.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the presence of the fault is determined when a difference between the modeled SNR and a measured SNR exceeds a threshold.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining additive noise attributable to one or more faults.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining attenuation attributable to one or more faults.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining noise amplification attributable to one or more faults.
9. A method for detecting a presence of one or more faults comprising:
comparing, using a processor, a modeled signal to noise ratio (SNR) with a measured SNR for a given link, wherein the modeled SNR is derived from measured per-subchannel attenuation analysis (HLOG), measured per-subchannel quiet line noise (OLN), transmit power spectral density (PSD), digital subscriber line (DSL) standard information, link parameters, and knowledge about behavior of a modem that can be characterized in advance; and
receiving, via a management interface, the measured SNR.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein a presence of a fault is determined when a difference between the modeled SNR and the measured SNR exceeds a threshold.
11. A method of detecting a presence of one or more faults comprising:
comparing, using a processor, a modeled data rate with a measured data rate for a given link, wherein the modeled data rate is derived from measured per-subchannel attenuation analysis (HLOG), measured per-subchannel quiet line noise (QLN), transmit power spectral density (PSD), digital subscriber line (DSL) standard information, link parameters, and knowledge about behavior of a modem that can be characterized in advance; and
receiving, via a management interface, the measured data rate.
12. A method of detecting a presence of one or more faults comprising:
determining, at least using a processor, a significance of additive noise attributable to the one or more faults relative to other known noises, wherein the fault noise is derived from measured per-subchannel signal to noise (SNR), measured per-subchannel attenuation analysis (HLOG), measured per-subchannel quiet line noise (QLN), transmit power spectral density (PSD), digital subscriber line (DSL) standard information, link parameters, and knowledge about behavior of a modem that can be characterized in advance.
13. A method of detecting a presence of one or more faults comprising:
determining, at least using a processor, a significance of attenuation attributable to the one or more faults, wherein the fault attenuation is derived from measured per-subchannel signal to noise (SNR), measured per-subchannel attenuation analysis (HLOG), measured per-subchannel quiet line noise (QLN), transmit power spectral density (PSD), digital subscriber line (DSL) standard information, link parameters, and knowledge about behavior of a modem that can be characterized in advance.
14. A method of detecting a presence of one or more faults comprising:
determining, at least using a processor, a significance of noise emphasis attributable to the one or more faults, wherein the fault noise emphasis is derived from measured per-subchannel signal to noise (SNR), measured per-subchannel attenuation analysis (HLOG) HLOG, measured per-subchannel quiet line noise (QLN), transmit power spectral density (PSD), digital subscriber line (DSL) standard information, link parameters, and knowledge about behavior of a modem that can be characterized in advance.
15. One or more means for detecting one or more faults affecting a communication channel comprising:
means for receiving, via a management interface, one or more of per-subchannel SNR's (Signal-to-Noise Ratio), per-subchannel attenuation analysis (HLOG) and per-subchannel quiet line noise (QLN);
means and a processor for determining information about the communication channel; and
means for determining a presence of a fault that impacts SNR on the communication channel from the one or more of the HLOG, QLN, transmit power spectral density (PSD) and knowledge about behavior of a modem that can be characterized in advance.