Voice over internet protocol network test device and method

Abstract

The invention includes a device and a method for testing a communication network that includes an Internet Protocol (VoIP) network. The inventive device includes a user interface for communicating results of a test, a transceiver for allowing the test device to communicate with a telecommunications network, and a digital signal processor for reformatting a communication signal to be tested by the device. The digital signal processor may include at least one coder / decoder that uses various compression protocols including wherein the digital signal processor uses at least one of the following data compression techniques: G.711a-law, G711μ-law, G.720, G.723.1, G.726, G.728, G.729, G.729A, and G.729AB2. The transceiver also may be a power line modem. The inventive device may include a processor, random access memory, read only memory, a user interface, and a network interface. The inventive method for testing the VoIP network includes accessing a telecommunications network that includes the VoIP network, conducting tests on the VoIP network using a butt set device, and displaying results of the test on the user interface located on the test device. The present invention may also comprise a power line communication VoIP network telephone.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a divisional of, and claims priority to, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 625,280, filed Jul. 23, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The invention is related to the field of telecommunications and particularly to the field of communications over a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Telecommunications techniques have been limited to carrying communication signals over traditional communications networks, like the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). Recently, however, telecommunications techniques have expanded beyond the PSTN to more sophisticated communication networks, like the Internet. As a result of Internet telephony, different data protocols have been devised to use IP networks for voice communications. One such protocol is Voice Over Internet Protocol. VoIP is a term used in Interne...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The invention is a device and method for testing a communication network that includes a VoIP network. The device includes a user interface for receiving user inputs and communicating results of a test, a transceiver for allowing the test device to communicate with an IP network, and a processor for processing test signals and controlling operation of the device. The device may also include a digital signal processor that uses various compression protocols. The method includes accessing a telecommunications network that includes the VoIP network, conducting tests on the VoIP network using a butt set device, and presenting visual and / or audible results of the test. The tests may include time-frequency mapping, frequency warping, intensity warping, loudness scaling, asymmetric masking, and cognitive modeling. The results of the test may include incorrect Internet Protocol configuration, incorrect gateway address designation, signal echo, and call drop out."

Problems solved by technology

Also, the results of the test may include incorrect Internet Protocol configuration, incorrect gateway address designation, signal echo, and call drop out.

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