METHOD USING EQUALIZATION DATA TO DETERMINE DEFECTS IN A CABLE PLANT

摘要

A method of estimating a defect location within a network is provided. Information of pre-equalization coefficients of an adaptive pre-equalizer of a terminal network element on the network is received. A total amount of equalization applied by a negative delay portion of the adaptive pre-equalizer relative to a main tap level and a total amount of equalization applied by a positive delay portion of the adaptive pre-equalizer relative to the main tap level is determined. The terminal network element is determined as being affected by a defect if at least one of the total amount of equalization applied by the negative or positive delay portions relative to the main tap level is at an unacceptable level. If a defect is identified, a location of the defect is estimated differently depending upon whether the negative or positive delay portion of the adaptive pre-equalizer applies the greatest amount of equalization.

主权项

1. An automated method of estimating a location of a defect within a network, comprising the steps of:
receiving information of pre-equalization coefficients generated and in use by an adaptive pre-equalizer of a terminal network element on the network; determining from the information a total amount of equalization applied by a negative delay portion of the adaptive pre-equalizer relative to a main tap level of the adaptive pre-equalizer and a total amount of equalization applied by a positive delay portion of the adaptive pre-equalizer relative to the main tap level of the adaptive pre-equalizer; identifying the terminal network element as being affected by a defect if at least one of the total amount of equalization applied by the negative delay portion relative to the main tap level and the total amount of equalization applied by the positive delay portion relative to the main tap level is at an unacceptable level; and if the terminal network element is identified as being affected by a defect, estimating a location of a defect within the network based on the information of pre-equalization coefficients such that the location is estimated differently depending upon which one of the negative delay portion of the adaptive pre-equalizer and the positive delay portion of the adaptive pre-equalizer is being used to apply the greatest amount of equalization.