Patent ID: 8102902

Claim:
A computerized method for detecting an impairment of a communication link, comprising: sending, to a terminal device coupled to the communication link, a first instruction to activate a high power upstream signal on the communication link; receiving from the terminal device, over a first test period of a first specified duration, first values for a downstream performance parameter, the first values indicative of downstream performance of the communication link while the high power upstream signal remains activated; sending a second instruction to the terminal device to activate a low power upstream signal on the communication link; receiving from the terminal device, over a second test period of the specified duration, second values for the downstream performance parameter, the second values indicative of downstream performance of the communication link while the low power upstream signal remains activated; determining a first change in the first values over the first test period; determining a second change in the second values over the second test period; determining a difference between the first change and the second change; and based at least in part on the difference, detecting the impairment of the communication link.