Patent ID: 7697446
Filing Date: 2010-04-13
Classification: H04L,H04M

Abstract:
1. A method in a communications network of testing a communications link between a first end node and a second end node, said end nodes communicating mutually via an intermediate node, wherein the first end node is connected to the intermediate node via a first transmission medium and the second end node is connected to the intermediate node via a second, different transmission medium, said method comprising the steps of: executing a first loop-back test between the intermediate node and the first end node according to a standard of the first transmission medium; and executing a second loop-back test between the intermediate node and the second end node according to a standard of the second transmission medium; wherein the intermediate node is an Internet Protocol Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (IPDSLAM) and the first transmission medium is Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), and the step of executing a first loop-back test includes initiating the first loop-back test in the IPDSLAM by sending an ATM test signal on a virtual channel from the IPDSLAM to the first end node.