Patent ID: 6879827

Claim:
A method of testing a communication network, the method comprising: in a test system, generating a plurality of independent low data rate test signals with first data rates; in the test system, combining the independent low data rate test signals to generate a high data rate test signal wherein a second data rate of the high data rate test signal is higher than any of the first data rates of the independent low data rate test signals; transmitting the high data rate test signal from the test system to a shared test port in a cross-connect system; in the cross-connect system, transferring the high data rate test signal from the shared test port to a cross-connect matrix that connects the independent low data rate test signals to the communication network; receiving the independent low data rate test signals from the communication network into the shared test port through the cross-connect matrix; transmitting the high data rate test signal that includes the independent low data rate signals from the shared test port to the test system; in the test system, separating the high data rate test signal into the independent low data rate test signals; and in the test system, independently testing the independent low data rate test signals as separate test sessions.