An apparatus comprising a receiver coupled to a digital subscriber line (DSL) between an exchange site and a customer premise equipment (CPE) and configured to send a feedback error message to train a precoder coupled to the exchange site, wherein the feedback error message comprises a plurality of error components and an indication of a quantity of bits per error component, a quantization accuracy per error component, or both. Included is a method comprising sending an error feedback message to a DSL crosstalk precoder to train the crosstalk precoder, wherein the error feedback message comprises an error vector and a quantization scaling factor of the error vector.

In accordance with embodiments disclosed herein, there are provided apparatus, systems, and methods for identifying cable-level faults in a copper plant of a DSL system. For example, such means may include identifying a group of Digital Subscriber Lines (DSL lines) within a common cable; determining a baseline of physical line characteristics for each of the DSL lines in the group; collecting current physical line characteristics for each of the DSL lines in the group; determining a physical line characteristics delta for each of the DSL lines in the group by comparing the current physical line characteristics to the baseline of physical line characteristics for each of the respective DSL lines; and indicating a defect in the common cable based on a quantity of the DSL lines in the group for which the respective DSL line's physical line characteristics delta exceeds a threshold. Other related embodiments are disclosed.

A Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) Management Center (DMC) coupled to a DSL network includes a data collection module that receives information regarding the DSL network from a plurality of sources. An analysis module is coupled to the data collection module to analyze the received information and issue a command for one or more of a plurality of DSL performance enhancement devices to optimize their operation. A command signal generation module is coupled to the analysis module to receive the issued command from the analysis module and generate a corresponding command signal for transmission to one or more of the DSL performance enhancement devices.

Regenerator devices (30) for use with Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) connections are disclosed which forward user data received in a modulated signal from one link (L1) of a DSL connection on to another link (L2) of the DSL connection. Such devices comprise a first transceiver module (302) which receives a modulated signal from the first link and demodulates it whereby to obtain user data, and a second transceiver module (306) which receives the user data obtained by the first transceiver module and transmits a modulated signal carrying it on to the other link. The device further comprises a performance analyser (308) which obtains performance information in respect of the second link, and a profile management processor (307) which determines a profile to be applied in respect of the second link in dependence on the performance information obtained in respect thereof. An access net work including one or more such devices and associated methods are also disclosed.

Upon detection of a trigger, such as the exceeding of an error threshold or the direction of a user, a diagnostic link system enters a diagnostic information transmission mode. This diagnostic information transmission mode allows for two modems to exchange diagnostic and/or test information that may not otherwise be exchangeable during normal communication. The diagnostic information transmission mode is initiated by transmitting an initiate diagnostic link mode message to a receiving modem accompanied by a cyclic redundancy check (CRC). The receiving modem determines, based on the CRC, if a robust communications channel is present. If a robust communications channel is present, the two modems can initiate exchange of the diagnostic and/or test information. Otherwise, the transmission power of the transmitting modem is increased and the initiate diagnostic link mode message re-transmitted to the receiving modem until the CRC is determined to be correct.

In accordance with an embodiment, the vectoring controller is configured to iterate through successive crosstalk acquisition cycles and, within respective ones of the crosstalk acquisition cycles, to configure sequences of crosstalk probing symbols for transmission over the respective communication lines, to receive sequences of error samples as successively measured by respective receivers coupled to the respective communication lines while the sequences of crosstalk probing symbols are being transmitted, and to determine crosstalk estimates between the respective communication lines based on the sequences of error samples. The vectoring controller is further configured to randomize the successive sequences of crosstalk probing symbols used during the successive crosstalk acquisition cycles, and to iteratively configure the vectoring processor based on the successive crosstalk estimates.

An alternate communications device is coupled to a broadband CPE in broadband customer premises equipment (CPE). The broadband CPE is coupled to a broadband communication network management device via a primary communication path. The alternate communications device is further coupled to the broadband communication network management device via an alternate communication path. The alternate communications device is to provide diagnostic and configuration information about a broadband connection to the broadband communication network management device via the alternate communication path when the broadband CPE is unable to provide such via the broadband connection. The broadband communication network management device is to perform analysis on this information. The alternate communications device is to receive from the broadband communication network management device, via the alternate communication path, new diagnostic information and new configuration information about the broadband connection responsive to the broadband communication network management device performing the analysis.

Upon detection of a trigger, such as the exceeding of an error threshold or the direction of a user, a diagnostic link system enters a diagnostic information transmission mode. This diagnostic information transmission mode allows for two modems to exchange diagnostic and/or test information that may not otherwise be exchangeable during normal communication. The diagnostic information transmission mode is initiated by transmitting an initiate diagnostic link mode message to a receiving modem accompanied by a cyclic redundancy check (CRC). The receiving modem determines, based on the CRC, if a robust communications channel is present. If a robust communications channel is present, the two modems can initiate exchange of the diagnostic and/or test information. Otherwise, the transmission power of the transmitting modem is increased and the initiate diagnostic link mode message re-transmitted to the receiving modem until the CRC is determined to be correct.

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for operating an access network including data connections (19) between end-user devices (12, 14, 16, 18) and an aggregation transceiver (20) at which connections (19) are aggregated for onward connection through the network. The method comprises, for each connection, obtaining connection data for each of a plurality of monitoring periods, each comprising shorter periods, the connection data comprising performance and user activity indications for each shorter period; monitoring the performance of the connection in order to estimate a measure of its performance during a particular monitoring period that discounts performance indications obtained in respect of shorter periods within that monitoring period when the user was inactive unless activity indications in respect of corresponding shorter periods within other monitoring periods indicate that such user inactivity is anomalous; and applying a profile to the connection that is dependent on the measure of performance of the data connection.

In accordance with embodiments disclosed herein, there are provided apparatus, systems, and methods for identifying cable-level faults in a copper plant of a DSL system. For example, such means may include identifying a group of Digital Subscriber Lines (DSL lines) within a common cable; determining a baseline of physical line characteristics for each of the DSL lines in the group; collecting current physical line characteristics for each of the DSL lines in the group; determining a physical line characteristics delta for each of the DSL lines in the group by comparing the current physical line characteristics to the baseline of physical line characteristics for each of the respective DSL lines; and indicating a defect in the common cable based on a quantity of the DSL lines in the group for which the respective DSL line's physical line characteristics delta exceeds a threshold. Other related embodiments are disclosed.