Method and apparatus for use in remote diagnostics

• US 20040122908A1
• Filed: 10/01/2003
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Seki, Masahiko, Konopka, Courtney
• Granted Patent: US 7,308,492 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/208
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2814 Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2825 Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2845 Telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The present invention provides an apparatus, system and method for use in remotely diagnosing electronic devices and/or providing content. The method for use in remotely diagnosing includes the initiating a diagnostic analysis of an electronic device, identifying the electronic device, receiving scripts communicated over a distributed network for diagnosing, remotely initiating diagnostic instructions with the scripts and receiving a response based on the instruction. The method can further determine further diagnostic instructions based on responses, and remotely initiate further instructions with the scripts. Additionally, a system for use in remotely diagnosing electronic devices includes a script generator coupled with a distributed network, and a remote diagnostic controller coupled with the distributed network and with an electronic device. The script generator compiles scripts and forwards them over the distributed network. The diagnostic controller implements the scripts to forward instructions to and to receive replies from the electronic device.

Claims

1. A method for use in remotely diagnosing an electronic device, comprising:

initiating a diagnostic analysis of an electronic device;

identifying the electronic device;

receiving a plurality of scripts for diagnosing the electronic device communicated over a distributed network;

remotely initiating a first diagnostic instruction with at least one of the plurality of scripts;

receiving a response based on the first diagnostic instruction;

determining a second diagnostic instruction based on the response with at least one of the plurality of scripts; and

remotely initiating the second diagnostic instruction with at least one of the plurality of scripts.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the plurality of scripts includes receiving at least one web page having the plurality of scripts.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

decrypting at least a portion of the plurality of scripts prior to the initiating the first diagnostic instruction.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

remotely receiving a diagnostic controller over the distributed network prior to the identifying the electronic device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying the electronic device includes electronically accessing the electronic device and receiving an identity of the electronic device from the electronic device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of identifying the electronic device includes determining if an identity of the electronic device can be directly determined;

and

requesting the identity of the electronic device from a user when the identity cannot be directly determined.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from over the distributed network an initiation for the diagnosis of the electronic device;

receiving from over the distributed network the identification of the electronic device;

determining a plurality of scripts to implement the diagnosis of the electronic device; and

communicating the plurality of scripts over the distributed network.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

incorporating the plurality of scripts into a web page; and

the communicating of the plurality of scripts includes communication the web page over the distributed network.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

generating the plurality of scripts for diagnosing the electronic device based on an identity of the electronic device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of scripts provide polling of the electronic device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of scripts initiate remote maintenance of the electronic device.

12. A system for use in remotely diagnosing electronic devices, comprising:

a script generator coupled with a distributed network, wherein the script generator is configured to compile at least one script and forward that at least one script over the distributed network; and

a remote diagnostic controller coupled with the distributed network and with an electronic device to be diagnosed, wherein the diagnostic controller is configured to receive the at least one script and implement the at least one script such that the remote diagnostic controller forwards a first instruction to the electronic device to be performed by the electronic device, the remote diagnostic controller is further configured to receive a first reply from the electronic device and to forward a second and/or subsequent instructions to the electronic device based on the first reply and/or previous replies.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the diagnostic controller is maintained within a host computer, wherein the host computer provides processing capabilities for the diagnostic controller in determining the second instruction.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the diagnostic controller is maintained within the electronic device, wherein the electronic device provides processing capabilities for the diagnostic controller in determining the second instruction.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the script generator is configured to incorporate the at least one script within a web page, and the web page is forwarded over the distributed network.

16. A system for use in remotely diagnosing an electronic device, comprising:

means for initiating a diagnostic analysis of an electronic device;

means for identifying the electronic device;

means for receiving a plurality of scripts for diagnosing the electronic device communicated over a distributed network;

means for remotely initiating a first diagnostic instruction with at least one of the plurality of scripts;

means for receiving a response based on the first diagnostic instruction;

means for determining a second diagnostic instruction based on the response with at least one of the plurality of scripts; and

means for remotely initiating the second diagnostic instruction with at least one of the plurality of scripts.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the means for receiving the plurality of scripts includes means for receiving at least one web page having the plurality of scripts.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for decrypting at least a portion of the plurality of scripts prior to the initiating the first diagnostic instruction.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein at least one of the plurality of scripts initiates a download over the distributed network to the electronic device.

20. The system of claim 16, further comprising means for remotely receiving a diagnostic controller over the distributed network.