Bi-directional audio generation device for speech quality assessment of telephony networks and speech codecs

1. A system for bi-directional quality testing of a telephony system or network using an audio generation device, comprising:

a computer comprising a processor, a memory, and a plurality of programming instructions stored in the memory and operable on the processor, wherein the plurality of programming instructions, when operating on the processor, cause the processor to:

monitor an analog audio interface of a communication endpoint for known commands and reference audio originating from a call generation device;

record signals and audio received during a call at the analog audio interface;

compute voice quality for speech audio received at the analog audio interface;

generate reference audio to facilitate calculation of a mean opinion score at the call generation device;

generate, and transmit using the call generation device via the call, signals and audio for use during a testing sequence; and

allow remote access via in-band audio signaling or via an adjunct network.

2. A method for bi-directional quality testing of a telephony system or network operated by a call generation device by using an audio generation device connected to a communication endpoint, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) placing a call from the call generation device to the communication endpoint within the telephony system or network;

(b) answering the call automatically at the communication endpoint;

(c) receiving a confirmed alive tone at the audio generation device;

(d) sending an alive tone from the audio generation device;

(e) playing a specific tone from the call generation device to request the audio generation device to play a specific, prescribed reference audio file;

(f) preparing a local copy of the prescribed reference audio file using the audio generation device, then playing the reference audio file as an utterance;

(g) capturing the utterance on the call generation device and storing the utterance as an audio file;

(h) processing, using the call generation device, the captured utterance to calculate an indicia of voice quality; and

(i) recording the indicia of voice quality by the call generation device, then terminating the call.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the signals and audio are received from the analog audio interface simultaneously with the transmission of signals and audio for use during a testing sequence using the call generation device.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer is further configured to transmit, via the call generation device, the results of a mean opinion score calculation.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the adjunct network is an Internet Protocol-based network.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the signals received comprise at least an alive tone indicating a remote audio generation device is awaiting commands.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the signals transmitted comprise at least an alive tone indicating the call generation device is awaiting commands.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the alive tone is received at regular intervals during a call.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the call is terminated if a predetermined number of intervals pass without receiving an alive tone.

10. The method of claim 2 , wherein the indicia of voice quality is a mean opinion score.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising the step of transmitting, via the call generation device, the mean opinion score.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the signals received comprise at least an alive tone indicating the call generation device is awaiting commands.

13. The method of claim 7 , wherein the signals transmitted comprise at least an alive tone indicating the audio generation device is awaiting commands.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the alive tone is received at regular intervals during a call.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the call is terminated if a predetermined number of intervals pass without receiving an alive tone.