Method and system for remotely diagnosing devices

• US 20050066231A1
• Filed: 08/06/2004
• Published: 03/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Deutschland GmbH (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Deutschland GmbH (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Mayer, Matthias, Szucs, Paul, Clanget, Ulrich
• Application Number:
  US10/912,882
• Publication Number:
  US 20050066231A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0273 using web services for network management, e.g. simple object access protocol [SOAP]

Abstract

A method for diagnosing devices via a remote testing device (1) which is connectable to devices to be diagnosed (3) via a communication network (2) is described. The diagnosing is performed by exchanging diagnostic information between the remote testing device (1) and the devices to be tested (3) via the communication network (2). The process of exchanging diagnostics information is coordinated/performed by SOAP modules (6a, 6b) being located in the remote testing device (1) and the devices to be tested (3), respectively.

Claims

1. Method for diagnosing devices via a remote testing device (1) which is connectable to devices (3) to be diagnosed via a communication network (2), wherein said diagnosing is performed by exchanging diagnostics information between said remote testing device (1) and said devices to be tested (3) via said communication network (2),

characterized in

that said process of exchanging diagnostics information is coordinated/performed by SOAP modules (6a, 6b) being located in said remote testing device (1) and in said devices to be tested (3), respectively.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said SOAP modules (6a, 6b) use HTTP/XML transport protocols to exchange SOAP files which include said diagnostics information.

3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that said SOAP files comprise tag structures which respectively contain parts of said diagnostics information.

4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that diagnose read/write/command information is exchanged by using read/write/command tag structures containing said diagnose read/write/command information.

5. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that diagnose response information is exchanged by using response tag structures containing diagnose response information.

6. Method according to claim 2, characterized in said SOAP modules (6a, 6b) in said devices to be diagnosed (3) extract diagnostics information from received SOAP files, interpret said extracted information, and initiate corresponding diagnostics tasks.

7. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that said SOAP modules (6a, 6b) in said devices to be diagnosed (3) encapsulate diagnostics information generated by/stored within said devices to be diagnosed into SOAP files and send them to said remote testing device (1).

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

18. Computer readable storage means adapted to store a computer program product according to claim 17.

8. Remote testing device (1) being connectable to devices to be diagnosed (3) via a communication network (2), said remote testing device comprising communication means (8a) for sending/receiving diagnostics information to/from said devices to be diagnosed (3), characterized in that said communication means (8a) comprises a SOAP client module (6a) which performs/coordinates said sending/receiving of said diagnostics information.

9. Remote testing device (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that said SOAP client module (6a) uses HTTP/XML transport protocols for sending/receiving said diagnostics information as SOAP files.

10. Remote testing device (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that said SOAP client-module (6a) comprises extracting means for extracting said diagnostics information from said SOAP files and/or embedding means for encapsulating said diagnostics information into said SOAP files.

16. System for remotely diagnosing devices,

characterized by

a remote testing device (1) according to claim 8, and

at least one device to be diagnosed (3) comprising communication means (8b) for sending/receiving diagnostics information to/from said remote testing device (1), characterized in that said communication means (8b) comprises a SOAP server module (6b) which performs/coordinates said sending/receiving of said diagnostics information, wherein said remote testing device (1) and said at least one device to be diagnosed (3) are respectively connected via said communication network (2).

11. Device (3) being connectable to a remote testing device (1) via a communication network (2), said device (3) comprising communication means (8b) for sending/receiving diagnostics information to/from said remote testing device (1), characterized in that said communication means (8b) comprises a SOAP server module (6b) which performs/coordinates said sending/receiving of said diagnostics information.

12. Device (3) according to claim 11, characterized in that said SOAP server module (6b) uses HTTP/XML transport protocols for sending/receiving said diagnostics information as SOAP files.

13. Device (3) according to claim 11, characterized by diagnosing means (9, 10, 11) being connected to said communication means (8b) for executing diagnostics tasks in dependence of said diagnostics information.

14. Device (3) according to claim 11, characterized in that said SOAP server module (6b) comprises extracting means for extracting said diagnostics information from said SOAP files and/or embedding means for embedding said diagnostics information into said SOAP files.

15. Device (3) according to claim 11, characterized by communication protocol converting means for transferring said diagnostics information from/to said SOAP files to/from a device-specific diagnose protocol.