DSL Equipment Quiet Line Noise Measurement

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current DSL equipment primarily measures noise in receive bands, neglecting noise measurements in transmit bands, which limits diagnostic capabilities and makes it difficult to identify and rectify noise issues along transmission lines.

Innovation Solution

Adapting DSL communications equipment to measure quiet line noise in both transmit and receive bands, allowing for noise level and ingress point estimation by comparing measurements from both ends of the line, thereby enhancing diagnostic capabilities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If noise measurements are made only in receive bands, then measurement complexity is reduced and equipment operation is simplified, but diagnostic capability is insufficient and noise source location cannot be determined

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveequipment operation simplicityVSAvoiddiagnostic information

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies inversion by measuring noise in the transmit band (which is normally not measured) at the far end, and using this inverted measurement perspective to locate noise sources. By measuring what was previously not measured (transmit band noise at far end) and comparing it with receive band measurements, the system can determine noise ingress points that were previously undetectable.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Measurement precision

If noise measurements are made in both transmit and receive bands at both ends, then noise source location precision is improved, but measurement complexity and equipment complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenoise source location precisionVSAvoidmeasurement system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements partial action by requiring noise measurements in only one transmit band (at the far end) rather than both ends, combined with receive band measurements. This partial measurement approach provides sufficient information for noise source localization without requiring full dual-ended dual-band measurements, thus balancing precision with complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If comprehensive noise measurements are implemented, then diagnostic capability is improved, but time consumption for measurements and analysis increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvediagnostic capabilityVSAvoidmeasurement and analysis time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing noise measurements in the transmit band at the far end before actual troubleshooting occurs. These pre-collected measurements, when combined with receive band measurements, enable rapid noise source localization without requiring extensive field testing or analysis time during actual troubleshooting operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9246614B2Methods and devices for transmission line analysis

Publication Date: 2016.01.26 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

AI summary

Improved diagnostics of transmission line noise are enabled by adapting DSL equipment to make measurements of quiet line noise also in the transmit bands, so that noise can be measured at both ends for the same frequency or frequency bands.An estimate of the point where noise enters the line, as well as an estimate of the noise power at that point can be made from the relationship between the so measured noise levels at both ends of the line.