US5933475A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for testing a telecommunications apparatus
Assignee: Interactive Quality Services Inc
•
Filing: 1997-06-04
•
Granted: 1999-08-03
•
Expires: 2017-06-04
Abstract
Abstract A method for testing a telecommunications system. The method includes initializing parameters of a telecommunications tester. A test sequence is executed from instructions stored in the telecommunications tester. The duration of at least one speech audio signal or period of silence produced by the telecommunications system is measured. The result of the measuring step is compared with an expected value to determine whether the appropriate speech audio was produced by the telecommunications system.
Inventors
- 👤 William A. Coleman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 19:57
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/22; H04M3/26; H04M3/28; H04M3/32; H04M3/323; H04B; H04B17/00; H04B17/0082; H04B17/0085; H04B17/30; H04B17/391
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
103 words
A method for testing a telecommunications system, the method comprising: initializing parameters of a telecommunications tester, including initializing a silence timeout parameter; executing a test sequence from instructions stored in the telecommunications tester; measuring the duration of at least one speech audio signal or period of silence produced by the telecommunications system, wherein periods of silence less than the value of the silence timeout parameter are ignored while measuring the duration of at least one speech audio signal; and comparing the result of the measuring step with an expected value to determine whether the appropriate speech audio was produced by the telecommunications system.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
103 words
A method for testing a telecommunications system, the method comprising: initializing parameters of a telecommunications tester, including initializing a silence timeout parameter; executing a test sequence from instructions stored in the telecommunications tester; measuring the duration of at least one speech audio signal or period of silence produced by the telecommunications system, wherein periods of silence less than the value of the silence timeout parameter are ignored while measuring the duration of at least one speech audio signal; and comparing the result of the measuring step with an expected value to determine whether the appropriate speech audio was produced by the telecommunications system.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1, wherein initializing the silence timeout parameter comprises setting the silence timeout parameter to a value between zero and five seconds in increments of one millisecond.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1, wherein executing a test sequence comprises providing signals to the telecommunication system to elicit speech audio signals.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1, wherein measuring the duration of at least one speech audio signal or period of silence comprises measuring the duration with a call progress detection circuit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1, and further comprising storing the measured duration of the speech audio or period of silence.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 1, wherein comparing the result of the measuring step with an expected value includes comparing the result of the measuring step with a set of expected values to determine which of the members of the set of expected values was produced by the telecommunications system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 1, wherein measuring the duration of at least one speech audio signal or period of silence comprises measuring the duration of a plurality of speech audio signals or periods of silence to create a number of values for comparison with expected values.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
73 words
A method for testing a telecommunications system that provides visual information regarding a caller to an operator, the method comprising: launching a telephone call to the telecommunications system which routes the call to an operator and displays visual information for the operator; executing a sequence of interactive queries over the telecommunications system; storing signals that represent non-speech responses to the queries; and evaluating the responses provided by the operator over the telecommunications system.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
73 words
A method for testing a telecommunications system that provides visual information regarding a caller to an operator, the method comprising: launching a telephone call to the telecommunications system which routes the call to an operator and displays visual information for the operator; executing a sequence of interactive queries over the telecommunications system; storing signals that represent non-speech responses to the queries; and evaluating the responses provided by the operator over the telecommunications system.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 8, and further comprising routing the call to the telecommunications system to a voice response system for gathering information about the caller to be displayed to the operator.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 8, and further comprising measuring the time duration of at least one speech audio signal or period of silence generated by the telecommunications system during the sequence of interactive queries.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 8, wherein executing a sequence of interactive queries comprises playing speech audio prompts that ask the operator to identify selected portions of the displayed information.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
109 words
A method for testing automated calling systems, the method comprising: receiving a call from the automated calling system; determining whether to answer the call; when not answering the call, generating a busy signal; and when answering the test call after some period of delay, selectively providing a signal to the telecommunications system from a set of signals expected to be received by the telecommunications system so as to test the ability of the automated calling system to determine the nature of the answering person or device, executing a number of interactive queries with the telecommunications system, receiving and storing the non-speech responses the telecommunications system, and evaluating the responses.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
109 words
A method for testing automated calling systems, the method comprising: receiving a call from the automated calling system; determining whether to answer the call; when not answering the call, generating a busy signal; and when answering the test call after some period of delay, selectively providing a signal to the telecommunications system from a set of signals expected to be received by the telecommunications system so as to test the ability of the automated calling system to determine the nature of the answering person or device, executing a number of interactive queries with the telecommunications system, receiving and storing the non-speech responses the telecommunications system, and evaluating the responses.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 12, wherein executing a number of interactive queries with the telecommunications system includes playing an audio prompt that requests an operator to dial digits to indicate the location at which the call is terminated.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 12, wherein executing a number of interactive queries with the telecommunications system includes playing an audio prompt that requests an operator to dial digits to identify the presence of information displayed to an operator.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 12, wherein executing a number of interactive queries with the telecommunications system includes playing an audio prompt that requests an operator to dial digits to identify the presence of audio information provided to the operator.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 12, wherein receiving and storing responses includes analyzing speech audio by measuring the duration of the speech audio and comparing the measurement with expected values.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 12, and further comprising providing a request to the telecommunications system to place the call to a testing system.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 17, wherein providing a request to the telecommunications system comprises depositing a message with the telecommunications system over a data communication network.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 18, wherein depositing a message with the telecommunications system over a data communication network comprises depositing a message with the telecommunications system over the internet.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 18, and further including initiating a modem communication process for receipt of a facsimile from the telecommunications system.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
130 words
A method for testing the service level of an active telecommunication system, the method comprising: initializing parameters of a telecommunications tester, including initializing a silence timeout parameter; launching a telephone call to the telecommunications system during normal operation of the telecommunications system; executing a test sequence; measuring the duration of at least one speech audio response signal or period of silence generated by the telecommunications system during the test sequence, wherein periods of silence less than the value of the silence timeout parameter are ignored while measuring the duration of at least one speech audio signal; storing the measurements; repeating the launching, executing, measuring and storing to obtain additional measurements on the operation of the telecommunications system; comparing the measurements with expected values; and reporting the results of the comparison.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
130 words
A method for testing the service level of an active telecommunication system, the method comprising: initializing parameters of a telecommunications tester, including initializing a silence timeout parameter; launching a telephone call to the telecommunications system during normal operation of the telecommunications system; executing a test sequence; measuring the duration of at least one speech audio response signal or period of silence generated by the telecommunications system during the test sequence, wherein periods of silence less than the value of the silence timeout parameter are ignored while measuring the duration of at least one speech audio signal; storing the measurements; repeating the launching, executing, measuring and storing to obtain additional measurements on the operation of the telecommunications system; comparing the measurements with expected values; and reporting the results of the comparison.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 21, wherein reporting results comprises launching a telephone call and playing a speech audio message that identifies errors in the operation of the telecommunications system.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 22, and further comprising prompting a recipient of the call to dial digits to acknowledge receipt of the message.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 21, wherein reporting results comprises depositing a message with a data communication system.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 24, wherein depositing a message with a data communication system comprises depositing an e-mail message.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 25, wherein depositing an e-mail message comprises depositing an e-mail message over the internet.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4314110A
Cited
US4405833A
Cited
US4629836A
Cited
US4580016A
Cited
US4953195A
Cited
US5007000A
Cited
US5065422A
Cited
US5365574A
Cited
US5311588A
Cited
US5359646A
Cited
US5579368A
Cited
US5384822A
Cited
US5371787A
Cited
US5428679A
Cited
US5633909A
Cited
US5524139A
Cited
US5553121A
Cited
US5572570A
Cited
WO1998027711A2
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-08-02 | 2003-02-01 | 2003-08-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-08-02 | 2007-02-01 | 2007-08-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-08-02 | 2011-02-01 | 2011-08-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |