British Telecommunications Public Limited Company

Richard Gedge

Rory Stewart Turnbull

Ian Neild

Simon Barnett

Mohammad Zoualfaghari

Yousif Humeida

Philip M Bull

Paul Anthony Putland

David R Wisely

David Mark Elliott

Nicola Bull

Patrick Rowan Limb

Chi-Fai Lau

Simeon P Williamson

Tim Stevens

Simeon Paul Williamson

Philip Martin Bull

David Roger Wisely

Paul Putland

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for selecting an encoding specification for encoding audio and/or video data to be streamed between a user-device () and a remote device (), where the user-device is operable to communicate with the remote device via a digital subscriber line (DSL,) for a portion of a path () between the user-device and the remote device, the DSL portion () extending between a user-side DSL modem device () and a DSL aggregation transceiver device (). The method comprises: at the user-side DSL modem device () and/or the DSL aggregation transceiver device (), collecting performance data in respect of data communications on the DSL portion (); in dependence on the performance data collected, determining one or more data communication characteristics in respect of data communications on the DSL portion (); and selecting an encoding specification for encoding the data to be streamed, the selection being made in dependence on the determined data communication characteristics.

Methods and apparatus for the encoding of audio and/or video data

Methods and systems are disclosed for enabling sensor data to be collected from sensor devices (), the sensor devices being configured to sense a condition and to send sensor messages according to a wireless communication protocol to a wireless access point () of a local network (), the sensor messages comprising sensor data indicative of said condition, said sensor messages also comprising a destination indication indicative of a predetermined network location outside the local network ().

Collection of sensor data from sensor devices

This invention relates to a method of determining an optimum point at which to synchronize a digital subscriber line in a telecommunications network, with the aim of maximizing the resulting synchronization rate while maintaining a stable line. For many lines, the signal to noise ratio (SNR) varies over the course of a day, and recurs on a daily basis. The phenomenon is often referred to as the 'diurnal effect'. The SNR history for the line is monitored, and the minimum SNR for the line is determined over a 24 hour period to take into account the diurnal effect. The current target SNR margin imposed by DLM on the line is determined, for example, by interrogating the DLM system or by noting the SNR margin on the line immediately after the most recent line synchronization. The optimum point at which a resynchronization is to be performed is calculated as point when the SNR on the line is equal to the minimum SNR plus the current target SNR margin. Synchronizing when the SNR is at this point should maximize the synchronization rate, while still maintaining a stable line.

Optimised line synchronisation

This invention relates to a method of managing a digital subscriber line, where classification for a potential fault on a line is generated. The invention continuously measures the signal to noise (SNR) margin on the DSL line, and compares the measurements to predetermined conditions based on SNR margin characteristics associated with a population of good lines. Once the SNR margin measurements fail to meet the predetermined conditions, the line is flagged as experiencing a potential fault. Further measurements from weather sensors are gathered, and correlated with the SNR margin characteristics. The resulting correlation is used to generate a classification of a potential fault on the line. This can then be used to more specifically direct diagnosis and further testing.

Line fault classification

The invention relates to a method of managing a digital subscriber line, in particular for identifying the location of weather related faults. The invention continuously measures the signal to noise (SNR) margin on the DSL line as well as measurements from weather related sensors, such as moisture and wind sensors, which each have an associated geographical location. The SNR margin measures are compared to predetermined conditions based on SNR margin characteristics associated with a population of good lines. If the SNR margin measures fail to meet the predetermined conditions, the SNR measures are also compared to the weather sensor measurements over a day or number of days. If there is a correlation between the SNR margin measures and at least one of the sensors, then location of the fault is identified as the location of the sensor having the strongest correlation with the SNR measures.

Line fault localisation

This invention relates to a method of managing a digital subscriber line, where an optimum point at which to trigger a line test on the DSL line is determined. The invention continuously measures the signal to noise (SNR) margin on the DSL line, and compares the measurements to predetermined conditions based on SNR margin characteristics associated with a population of good lines. Once the SNR margin measurements fail to meet the predetermined conditions, an electrical line test is triggered. Thus, monitoring is done in the DSL domain, but the line test triggered is in the electrical domain. In an improved method, moisture level sensors provide a measure of the atmospheric moisture levels experienced by the line. If the SNR margin measurements fail to meet the predetermined conditions, and in addition there is a correlation with atmospheric moisture levels, then a line test is triggered on the line. This improvement picks up faults associated with wet joints that are generally intermittent in nature, and otherwise difficult to identify and properly test.

Optimised broadband line testing

Access between a data terminaland a data networkby way of a first wireless-enabled access pointis restored after a primary connectionbetween the first access point and the data network is lost by having the access pointscan for a further wireless-enabled access pointand establishing a wireless connection between the first access pointand the further access pointsuch that the data terminalsetc can connect to the data network by way of the access pointsand the wireless connection between them.

Network access restoration

The invention describes a method of performing re-synchronizations on a DSL line to optimize the synchronization rate of the line. The line is monitored over a period of time, and a stable SNR margin is determined, below which the line is observed to lose synchronization. Historical synchronization rates and associated SNR margins for the line are recorded, and the highest stable synchronization rate is determined as the historical synchronization rate that does not have any associated SNR margins below the stable SNR margin. The method attempts to optimize the synchronization rate of the line towards this highest stable synchronization rate. To do this, the current target SNR margin imposed by DLM is identified, for example, by interrogating the DLM system or by noting the SNR margin on the line immediately after the most recent synchronizations. Assuming the current synchronization rate on the line is less than the highest stable rate, then the synchronization rate is optimized by triggering a synchronization of the line when the SNR margin is greater than the target SNR margin plus an additional predetermined amount. The result should be an increase in the synchronization rate, and can be repeated until the synchronization rate reaches the highest stable synchronization rate.

Smart dynamic line management

The present invention relates to authenticating a mobile device using logical location information associated with the device which provides an indication of the proximity of the device to other devices. The present invention provides a mechanism for authenticating a mobile device based on location related information or a 'logical location', but without requiring an actual location. The mobile user device identifies or discovers other devices, using direct wireless communication, within its vicinity and forwards this information to the authenticating authority. If this information matches previous or otherwise predetermined information, then the device is authenticated.

Location based authentication

In order to keep a pathway for time critical data packets (for example for VoIP calls) a dummy flow of data packets is established between a home hub router () and a broadband remote access server () being the first gateway to the IP network. Should a call be made from the telephone (), the dummy flow is replaced for the duration of the call by the packets generated for the VoIP call. The dummy flow is adjusted by increasing or decreasing the number of data packets transmitted in order to ensure that a minimum bandwidth having a tolerable delay is available. The dummy flow works by causing non time critical (i.e. P2P data packet flows) to back off and no modification is required to routers and the like incorporated into the network.

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London, United Kingdom

Richard Gedge