Patent ID: 6154447
Filing Date: 2000-11-28
Classification: H04B,H04M

Abstract:
In a switching center serving multiple local access providers of cables connected between the switching center and remote terminals, apparatus for detecting and identifying a cable end and local access provider of a failed cable connected between the switching center and the remote terminals, comprising:a) means for operating each cable at a desired signal for a data signal Ds;b) a signal detector and a signal generator and monitor connected through a switching device at one end of a cable for test purposes;c) means included in the signal detector for recognizing a loss of signal level exceeding a threshold indicative of a cable failure and operating the switching device to connect the signal generator and monitor to the failed cable;d) means, in the signal generator for generating and transmitting a test train as a reference signal Rs to the failed cable; ande) means, in the monitor for comparing in amplitude and phase the Ds and Rs signals on the failed cable to determine (i) if the cable failure occurred at the remote terminal or far end, or (ii) the switching center or near end of the cable, and (iii) the local access provider operating the failed cable.