Demarcation Point Device for Remote QoE Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Service providers face challenges in isolating issues with Quality of Experience (QoE) for customers, as existing technologies cannot remotely monitor and test QoE within customer networks, leading to costly on-site visits and misattribution of service degradation to the service provider network.
Innovation Solution
A demarcation point device (DPD) is used to measure QoE by acting as a test server and client, transmitting query data packets to test services within the customer network, allowing for remote isolation of issues and providing accurate statistics to facilitate troubleshooting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If service providers use traditional remote testing methods with servers located in back office or Internet, then service provider network variables are introduced, but this prevents accurate isolation of customer network issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a demarcation point device as an intermediary between the service provider network and customer network. This device acts as a neutral testing point that eliminates service provider network variables from QoE measurements, allowing accurate isolation of customer network issues without requiring physical presence at customer premises.
2Measurement precision
If service providers send technicians to customer premises for troubleshooting, then accurate QoE measurement is achieved, but this increases service cost and degrades customer perception
Solution Approach 1:
The demarcation point device enables automated QoE testing and issue isolation without requiring technician intervention. The device autonomously performs measurements, collects statistics, and provides diagnostic information, allowing service providers to resolve issues remotely and efficiently while maintaining measurement accuracy.
3Device complexity
If service providers cannot remotely monitor QoE within customer networks, then customer network complexity is avoided, but this leads to misattribution of service degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The demarcation point device continuously monitors QoE parameters and provides feedback information to service providers. This feedback mechanism enables remote identification of service degradation causes by comparing QoE statistics from different network segments, allowing service providers to accurately attribute issues without complex customer network monitoring.
Data Source
AI summary
A demarcation point device positioned at a customer network to provide the customer network access to a service provider network. The demarcation point device comprises a control unit that transmits one or more service query data packets on the customer network to test at least one service within the customer network. The control unit receives one or more service reply data packets from the customer network in response to transmitting the service query data packets, and determines one or more service statistics based on one or more of the service query data packets and the service reply data packets.