Extendable call agent simulator

Abstract

A method and associated apparatus for testing telephone system operation. The method comprising connecting a call agent simulator to a network. Call actions or events are applied from the call agent simulator to the network expected to produce expected results in the network. The telephone system operation is verified by comparing the actual results produced to the expected results. In another aspect, an IP network or a consumer premises equipment is verified using the call agent simulator. In another aspect, the telephone system is a Voice over Internet (VoIP) system.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for testing telephone operation, the method comprising: 
 connecting a call agent simulator to a network;    applying call actions or events from the call agent simulator to the network that are expected to produce expected results in the network; and    verifying the actual results produced compared to the expected results.    
     
     
         2 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 disconnecting the call agent simulator from the network; and    connecting a call agent whose features are simular to the call agent simulator to the network.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the call agent simulator includes a plurality of functions performed over the network.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising extending the number of the functions.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the call agent simulator uses a runtime interpretive language.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the call agent simulator uses the PERL language.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the verifying the actual results produced in the network relative to the expected results is performed by the call agent simulator without compiling or linking of the call agent simulator.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the expected results occur in the network.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the expected results occur in a communications gateway (CG) connected to the network.  
     
     
         10 . A method to test or validate the operation of a call agent within a VoIP system, the method comprising: 
 obtaining an original version of the call agent simulator; and    updating the call agent simulator by executing a new version.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the updating the call agent simulator is performed without compiling or linking.  
     
     
         12 . The method set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the new version relates to the operation of a communications gateway (CG).  
     
     
         13 . An apparatus for testing Voice over Internet (VoIP) operations over a network, the apparatus comprising: 
 a call agent simulator attached to the network;    the call agent simulator applying call actions or events to the network that are expected to produce expected results in the network; and    means for verifying the actual results produced in the network relative to the expected results.    
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the call agent simulator further comprises: 
 a manager level application;    a line object for each phone line supported by the call agent, each line object includes the attributes for that phone line; and    a call agent protocol library that is used by each line object to set up attributes.    
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the manager level application is used to set up each line object.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the manager level application dynamically add new line objects.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the manager level application coordinates the line objects when making phone calls.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the line objects encapsulate call agent functions when making phone calls.  
     
     
         19 . A method of adding functionality to an existing call agent implementation comprising: 
 coding a call agent simulator with simulator code to add the functionality;    operating the call agent simulator with the simulator code;    determining whether the code performs acceptably; and    preparing the call agent to operate with agent code that is operatively similar to the simulator code.    
     
     
         20 . An apparatus for testing telephone operation, the apparatus comprising: 
 means for connecting a call agent simulator to a network;    means for applying call actions or events from the call agent simulator to the network that are expected to produce expected results in the network; and    means for verifying the actual results produced compared to the expected results.