Non-intrusive monitoring of quality levels for voice communications over a packet-based network

Abstract

Provided is a method and apparatus for objectively and non-intrusively measuring voice quality on live calls without disrupting the call session or the network. A communication system includes plural communities each including a switch that controls access to a packet-based data network for call sessions. Each of the communities is coupled to the data network by respective packet-based trunks. Quality of service (QoS) monitoring devices are coupled to the respective packet-based trunks to monitor quality levels of routes between any two given communities. Each QoS monitoring device receives packets containing streaming data (which may be actual packets or test packets). From the received packets, the QoS monitoring device can derive QoS parameters, particularly for audio and speech signals on live calls without disrupting the call session.

1 .- 40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . A method of determining a quality of service parameter of a packet-based network, the method comprising:
 receiving incoming streaming data associated with a communication session;   detecting inactivity in the incoming streaming data; and   responsive to detecting inactivity in the incoming streaming data, transmitting outgoing streaming data, the outgoing streaming data comprising at least one test packet from which a test signal can be derived.   
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the incoming streaming data comprises voice data and the outgoing streaming data comprises voice data. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the incoming streaming data comprises audio data and the outgoing streaming data comprises audio data. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 41 , comprising:
 receiving the outgoing streaming data comprising the at least one test packet;   deriving the test signal from the at least one test packet; and   comparing the derived test signal to a reference test signal to determine the quality of service parameter.   
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein deriving the test signal from the at least one test packet comprises decoding the received at least one test packet. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44 , comprising aligning the derived test signal and the reference test signal before comparing the derived test signal to the reference test signal. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 44 , comprising detecting the at least one test packet in the received outgoing streaming data. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein detecting the at least one test packet in the received outgoing streaming data comprises detecting a start of test signal message. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein detecting the at least one test packet in the received outgoing streaming data comprises detecting an end of test signal message. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 44 , comprising controlling operation of the packet-based network responsive to the determined quality of service parameter. 
     
     
         51 . A system for determining a quality of service parameter of a packet-based network, the system comprising:
 an interface to the packet-based network adapted to receive incoming streaming data associated with a communication session; and   a processor coupled to the interface and adapted to detect inactivity in the incoming streaming data;   the processor being responsive to detecting inactivity in the incoming streaming data to transmit outgoing streaming data into the packet-based network via the interface, the outgoing streaming, data comprising at least one test packet from which a test signal can be derived.   
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the incoming streaming data comprises voice data and the outgoing streaming data comprises voice data. 
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the incoming streaming data comprises audio data and the outgoing streaming data comprises audio data. 
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 51 , comprising:
 an interface to the packet-based network adapted to receive the outgoing streaming data comprising the at least one test packet; and   a processor coupled to the interface and adapted to:
 derive the test signal from the at least one test packet, and 
 compare the derived test signal to a reference test signal to determine the quality of service parameter. 
   
     
     
         55 . The system of  claim 54 , wherein the processor is adapted to derive the test signal from the at least one test packet by decoding the received at least one test packet. 
     
     
         56 . The system of  claim 54 , wherein the processor is adapted to align the derived test signal and the reference test signal before comparing the derived test signal to the reference test signal. 
     
     
         57 . The system of  claim 54 , wherein the processor is adapted to detect the at least one test packet in the received outgoing streaming data. 
     
     
         58 . The system of  claim 57 , wherein the processor is adapted to detect the at least one test packet in the received outgoing streaming data by detecting a start of test signal message. 
     
     
         59 . The system of  claim 58 , wherein the processor is adapted to detect the at least one test packet in the received outgoing streaming data by detecting an end of test signal message. 
     
     
         60 . The system of  claim 54 , comprising a processor adapted to control operation of the packet-based network responsive to the determined quality of service parameter.