Method and apparatus for communicating cable modem problem demarcation through a graphical user interface

• US 20020122050A1
• Filed: 12/30/2000
• Published: 09/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maxlinear Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Sandberg, Jabe A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,750,879 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/705
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided in which a cable modem diagnostics application communicates problem demarcation and technical support guidance for customer premises equipment controlled cable modems through a graphical user interface (GUI). The GUI presents problem demarcation hierarchically into a software, hardware, and cable network category so that the overall status is instantly visible with minimal or no user action. Icons, colors, and sounds are used to direct the user to the exact cause of the problem within the relevant category. The user is guided to first correct the problem, and then if necessary is further guided to the correct technical support contact information, thereby reducing the customer support burden in servicing cable modem users.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a cable modem;

a display device;

an input device; and

a cable modem diagnostics application having a demarcation display logic and a graphical fix assistance logic, the demarcation logic displaying a hierarchical presentation of a diagnostic information identifying a problem with the cable modem on the display device, and the graphical fix logic directing a user to enter a command with the input device to automatically fix the problem in accordance with the diagnostic information.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic information and the command to automatically fix the problem is communicated between the cable modem and the cable modem diagnostics application via a Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) abstraction layer (DAL) translation library.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hierarchical presentation is displayed in the form of a property page, the property page having a tab, the tab having a overall status indicator that indicates an overall status of a plurality of components listed on the property page, each of the listed components being associated with at least one of a detailed status button, a fix button and an information button.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the property page is associated with one of a functional area of software, hardware, or cable network, the software page displaying cable modem diagnostic information relating to customer premises equipment (CPE) software, the hardware page displaying cable modem diagnostic information relating to customer premises equipment (CPE) hardware, and the cable network page displaying cable modem diagnostic information relating to a network to which the cable modem is connected.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the property page is further selected from the group containing a summary page and a help page, the summary page containing a summary of the overall status of the plurality of components listed on the software page, the hardware page, and the cable network page, and the help page containing an explanation message and instruction.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the plurality of components listed on the software page are further hierarchically presented in a plurality of software categories, the software categories including program files, library files, driver files, shortcuts, settings, and configurations.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the plurality of components listed on the hardware page are further hierarchically presented in a plurality of hardware categories, the hardware categories including components and information.

8. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the plurality of components listed on the cable network page are further hierarchically presented in a plurality of cable network categories, the cable network categories including network conditions, connection status, addresses, and information.

9. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the overall status indicator is a color.

10. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the overall status indicator is an icon.

11. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the detailed status button contains a detailed status indicator indicating an individual status of the listed component.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the detailed status indicator is an icon.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the detailed status indicator is a color.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the detailed status indicator, when activated, hyperlinks to a dynamic dialog, the dynamic dialog displaying a detailed information about the individual status of the listed component.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein displaying the detailed information comprises at least one of showing an icon, playing a sound, and displaying a message.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the dynamic dialog is a signal strength dialog, the signal strength dialog displaying detailed information further comprising a bar-graph, the bar-graph depicting a current signal strength and a signal power level as specified in an RFI.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the dynamic dialog is displayed in a different window than the hierarchical presentation.

18. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the fix button is enabled when the at least one detailed status button associated with a listed component displays a problem status, and when activated, causes the cable diagnostics application to execute a fix action to fix the problem status, the fix action comprising copying a file or displaying a help file.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the help file is a picture illustrating to a user how to fix the problem status.

20. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein a technical support contact button is further listed on the property page, the technical support contact button only being enabled when the at least one detailed status button associated with a listed component displays a problem status, and which, when activated, causes the cable diagnostics application to display a technical support contact information in a separate window not otherwise visible, the technical support contact information being restricted to technical support related to the property page'"'"'s associated functional area.

21. A method for directing a user to cable modem technical support comprising:

displaying a cable modem problem status in a hierarchical display, the hierarchical display comprising a summary page and a detail page associated with each of a plurality of functional areas related to a cable modem problem;

enabling a technical support button on the each of the detail pages; and

displaying a technical support contact information when the user activates the technical support button, the technical support contact information tailored to the associated functional area, and wherein the technical support contact information is not otherwise visible.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein enabling the technical support button comprises activating the display of the button to respond to an input action entered by the user.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

displaying a detailed cable modem problem status for each of a plurality of cable modem components listed on the detail page; and

tailoring the technical support contact information to the particular cable modem component having the problem.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

enabling a fix button for the cable modem component related to the cable modem problem on the detail page; and

disabling the technical support button until the user has attempted to fix the cable modem problem using the fix button.

26. The article of manufacture of claim 25, wherein machine-executable instructions for performing enabling the technical support button comprises activating the display of the button to respond to an input action entered by the user.

27. The article of manufacture of claim 25, wherein the machine-executable instructions for performing further include:

displaying a detailed cable modem problem status for each of a plurality of cable modem components listed on the detail page; and

tailoring the technical support contact information to the particular cable modem component having the problem.

28. The article of manufacture of claim 27, wherein the machine-executable instructions for performing further include:

enabling a fix button for the cable modem component related to the cable modem problem on the detail page; and

disabling the technical support button until the user has attempted to fix the cable modem problem using the fix button.

25. An article of manufacture comprising:

a machine-accessible medium having machine-executable instructions for performing;

displaying a cable modem problem status in a hierarchical display, the hierarchical display comprising a summary page and a detail page associated with each of a plurality of functional areas related to a cable modem problem;

enabling a technical support button on the each of the detail pages; and

displaying a technical support contact information when the user activates the technical support button, the technical support contact information tailored to the associated functional area, and wherein the technical support contact information is not otherwise visible.