Method and system for remotely diagnosing devices

• US 20050034019A1
• Filed: 08/03/2004
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Deutschland GmbH (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Deutschland GmbH (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Mayer, Matthias, Clanget, Ulrich
• Granted Patent: US 7,519,861 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test

Abstract

A method for diagnosing devices via a remote testing device (2) being connectable to devices to be diagnosed (1) via a communication network (4) is provided. Between the remote testing device (2) and the devices to be diagnosed (1) first diagnostics information is exchanged (S3, S8, S11-S16) to perform said remote diagnosing. The remote diagnosing is done in dependence of second diagnostics information being exchanged between (S6, S7) said remote testing device (2) and controlling devices (3) being connectable to said remote testing device (2) via said communication network (4).

Claims

1. Method for diagnosing devices via a remote testing device (2) being connectable to devices to be diagnosed (1) via a communication network (4), wherein between said remote testing device (2) and said devices to be diagnosed (1) first diagnostics information is exchanged (S3, S8, S11-S16) to perform said remote diagnosing, characterized in that said remote diagnosing is done in dependence of second diagnostics information being exchanged (S6, S7) between said remote testing device (2) and controlling devices (3) being connectable to said remote testing device (2) via said communication network (4).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized by registering a device to be diagnosed (1) at the remote testing device (2) by exchanging (S1) first registration information between said device to be tested (1) and said remote testing device (2).

3. Method according to claim 1, characterized by registering a controlling device (3) at the remote testing device (2) by exchanging (S2) second registration information between said controlling device (3) and said remote testing device (2).

4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that said remote testing device (2) assigns at least one of said registered controlling devices (3) to each registered device (1) to be diagnosed (1), respectively.

5. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said remote testing device (2) processes received second diagnostics information and generates first diagnostics information in dependence of a processing result of said received second diagnostics information, wherein said generated first diagnostics information is sent to said devices to be diagnosed (1).

6. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said remote testing device (2) processes received first diagnostics information and generates second diagnostics information in dependence of a processing result of said received first diagnostics information, wherein said generated second diagnostics information is sent to said controlling device (3).

7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that, in order to initiate a remote diagnosis process, a device to be diagnosed (1), sends first diagnostics information including a remote diagnosis request (S3) to said remote testing device (2), wherein said remote testing device (2) generates second diagnostics information including a notification of said remote diagnosis request and sends said second diagnostics information to a controlling device (3) being assigned to said device to be diagnosed (1), thereby informing said controlling device (3) that a remote diagnosis process has to be executed (S6).

8. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that said controlling device (3) being informed (S6) sends second diagnostics information (S7) including remote diagnosis commands to said remote testing device (2) which generates first diagnostics information including at least one device specific remote diagnosis command and sends said first diagnostics information (S8, S11, S14) to said devices to be diagnosed (1), thereby performing said remote diagnosing procedures, wherein corresponding diagnose results are sent (S13, S16) as first diagnostics information to said remote testing device (3) which generates second diagnostics information including said diagnose results which is sent to said controlling device (3).

9. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the way of communication between the remote testing device (2) and the controlling devices (3) is open, whereas the way of communication between the remote testing device (2) and the devices to be diagnosed (1) is private.

18. Computer program product comprising computer program means adapted to perform the method steps according to claim 1, when it is executed on a computer, a digital signal processor or the like.

19. Computer readable storing means being adapted to store a computer program product according to claim 18.

10. Remote testing device (2) being connectable to devices to be diagnosed (1) via a communication network (4), said remote testing device (2) comprising means for sending/receiving first diagnostics information to/from said devices to be diagnosed in order to perform remote diagnosing, characterized by means for sending/receiving second diagnostics information to/from controlling devices (3) being connectable to said remote testing device (2) via said communication network (4), wherein said remote diagnosing is done in dependence of said second diagnostics information.

11. Remote testing device (2) according to claim 10, characterized by registration means allowing a device to be diagnosed (1) and/or a controlling device (3) to register itself at the remote testing device (2), respectively.

12. Remote testing device (2) according to claim 10, characterized by assigning means for assigning to each registered device to be diagnosed (1) one of said registered controlling devices (3), respectively.

13. Remote testing device (2) according to claim 10, characterized by diagnostics information generating means for generating first/second diagnostics information in dependence of received second/first diagnostics information.

14. Remote testing device (2) according to claim 10, characterized by firewall means for blocking unauthorized remote access to the devices to be diagnosed (1), and for blocking undesired second diagnostics information sent from the controlling devices (3) to the remote testing device (2).

16. System (1, 2, 3, 4) for remotely diagnosing devices, characterized by

a remote testing device (2) according to claim 10,

at least one device to be diagnosed (1),

at least one controlling device (3), wherein said remote testing device (2), said at least one device to be diagnosed (1) and said at least one controlling device (3) are connected with each other via said communication network (4) and wherein said at least one device and said at least one controlling device each comprises communication means for sending/receiving diagnostics information to/from said remote testing device (2), characterized by registering means for registering itself at a remote testing device (2).

17. System (1, 2, 3, 4) according to claim 16, characterized in that at least parts of said communication network (4) are constituted by the Internet.

15. Device (1, 3) being connectable to a remote testing device (2) via a communication network (4), said device (1, 3) comprising communication means for sending/receiving diagnostics information to/from said remote testing device (2), characterized by registering means for registering itself at a remote testing device (2).