Employing customer premises equipment in communications network maintenance

Abstract

The present invention customizes a network connection to customer premises equipment using a calibration signal. A network signal processor emits a tag signal indicating that a signal processing platform is in use. Customer premises equipment (CPE) issues a calibration signal to the network signal processor based on detection of the tag signal. The customer premises equipment outputs the calibration signal to the network signal processor which measures the signal loss, adjusts the gain mapping and issues a calibration signal to the customer premises equipment. The customer premises equipment then estimates spectral shaping based on the calibration signal from the network signal processor and equalizes the receive path so that the signal processing platform is detected and implemented. Embodiments of the present invention are illustrative of a more general concept of the use of CPE as an agent in telephone network maintenance.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for enhancing performance of a network signal processing platform, said method comprising: 
 a) generating and transmitting a tag signal, the tag signal for receipt by customer premises equipment;    b) determining signal loss in a path of a local loop based on a first calibration signal issued by the customer premises equipment to the network signal processor, the first calibration signal representing tag signal loss;    c) adjusting gain mapping in the network signal processor in accordance with the determined signal loss;    d) generating and transmitting a wide-band signal, the wide-band signal for receipt by customer premises equipment;    e) estimating, upon receipt of a second calibration signal from the customer premises equipment, spectral shaping caused by the subscriber loop, the second calibration signal representing wide-band signal loss at a plurality of frequencies; and    f) equalizing the path of the local loop.    
     
     
         2 . A method for enhancing the performance of a telephone network, the method comprising: 
 transmitting a first signal from a telephone network element to customer premises equipment (CPE) via a telephone network path;    receiving from the CPE a second signal representing loss experienced by the first signal due to transmission via the path; and    adjusting gain applied to a speech signal transmitted from the network element to the CPE based on the second signal.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the first signal comprises a tone.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the first signal comprises a wide-band signal  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein loss experienced by the first signal comprises loss at a plurality of frequency components.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the step of adjusting gain comprises adjusting a plurality of gains at plurality of frequencies.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising the steps of: 
 transmitting a third signal to customer premises equipment (CPE) via the telephone network path;  
 receiving from the CPE a fourth signal representing loss experienced by two or more frequency components the third signal due to transmission via the path; and  
 adjusting gain applied to two or more frequency components of the speech signal transmitted from the network element to the CPE based on the fourth signal.  
 
     
     
         8 . A method for enhancing the performance of a telephone network, the method comprising: 
 receiving at customer premises equipment (CPE) a first signal transmitted from a telephone network element via a telephone network path;    determining loss experienced by the first signal due to transmission to the CPE via the path; and    transmitting a second signal representing the determined loss value.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising the step of: 
 receiving at the CPE a speech signal transmitted from the network element, the speech signal exhibiting a signal level which reflects gain applied by the network element in accordance with the second signal.  
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein gain applied by the network element comprises a plurality of gains at plurality of frequencies.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the first signal comprises a wide-band signal and wherein the determined loss comprises loss values at a plurality of frequency components of the wide-band signal.  
     
     
         12 . A method for enhancing the performance of a telephone network, the method comprising: 
 transmitting a first signal from a telephone network element to customer premises equipment (CPE) via a first telephone network path;    receiving from the CPE the first signal as received by the CPE and subsequently transmitted through a second network path;    determining loss experienced by the first signal due to transmission via the first path; and    adjusting gain applied to a speech signal transmitted from the network element to the CPE based on determined loss.    
     
     
         13 . A method for performing maintenance in a telephone network, the method comprising: 
 transmitting a first signal from a telephone network element to customer premises equipment (CPE) via a telephone network path; receiving from the CPE a second signal representing information determined by the CPE in response to receipt of the first signal;    analyzing the second signal to determine a network maintenance action to be performed; and    performing the network maintenance action.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the step of performing network maintenance action comprises adjusting a telephone signal to compensate for the absence of an expected attenuator circuit in the telephone network.  
     
     
         15 . A method of informing a person of the application of telephone network sound enhancement, the method comprising the steps of: 
 detecting at customer premises equipment (CPE) a first signal transmitted from a telephone network element via a telephone network path, the first signal indicating use of network sound enhancement; and    activating a visible indicator at the CPE in response to detecting the first signal    
     
     
         16 . A method of informing a person of the application of telephone network sound enhancement, the method comprising the steps of: 
 detecting at customer premises equipment (CPE) a first signal transmitted from a telephone network element via a telephone network path, the first signal indicating use of network sound enhancement; and    playing an audible indicator at the CPE in response to detecting the first signal    
     
     
         17 . A method for enhancing the performance of a telephone network, the method comprising: 
 receiving at customer premises equipment (CPE) a first signal transmitted from a telephone network element via a telephone network path;    determining loss experienced by the first signal due to transmission to the CPE via the path; and    adjusting telephone signals received via the telephone network path to compensate for the determined loss.