Patent ID: 7388906

Claim:
A method of collecting and processing modem data, the method comprising: during training of a broadband modem, sending a series of tones within a frequency transmission band of the broadband modem, the series of tones having a predetermined transmission power level; receiving the transmitted series of tones at a receiving broadband modem; receiving a measurement value of a power level for each of the received tones in the series of tones transmitted to the receiving broadband modem; determining a transmission loss for each of the series of tones by comparing the predetermined transmission power level and the received measured power level; performing a statistical match comparison between each of the received tone signals and a plurality of computer models of a transmission facility, each computer model representing one or more bridged taps coupled to the transmission facility; determining a best fit between each of the received tone signals and at least one of the plurality of computer models; and communicating bridged tap information related to the computer model having the best fit that includes a probability that the bridged tap from the computer model represents a physical tan.