Carrier network capable of conducting remote diagnostics in a mobile handset

• US 20050114504A1
• Filed: 07/09/2004
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Marolia, Sunil, Soberano, Vincent P.
• Application Number:
  US10/888,841
• Publication Number:
  US 20050114504A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/24 Arrangements for testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/08 Indicating faults in circuits or apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/24 with provision for checking the normal operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/247 Knowledge-based maintenance systems

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention may be seen in a carrier network, employing the disclosed techniques and system. The network may be capable of conducting remote diagnostics of mobile handsets. The carrier network may have infrastructure to determine when known problems may occur in mobile handsets and determine how often they occur. In an embodiment of the present invention, when a customer reports in problems to a customer care representative, the carrier network may track such problems, install bug fixes or remotely diagnose the problem. The configuration parameters may be retrieved, analyzed and modified. When a customer reports errors or operational problems, the carrier may verify them or determine the nature and characteristics of such problems.

Claims

1. A network that monitors activities of electronic devices in the network, the network comprising:

at least one electronic device having firmware;

at least one server communicatively coupled to the at least one electronic device, the at least one server being capable of executing diagnostic procedures in the at least one electronic device; and

wherein the at least one electronic device communicates diagnostic messages to the at least one server.

5. The network according to claim 1 wherein the at least one server comprises device management software.

6. The network according to claim 5 further comprising diagnostic software that interacts with the at least one electronic device via the device management software.

7. The network according to claim 6 wherein the at least one electronic device reports at least one condition to the device management software that communicates an appropriate message to the diagnostic software.

8. The network according to claim 7 wherein the diagnostic software responds to the at least one reported condition by initiating a diagnostics procedure in the at least one electronic device via the device management software.

9. The network according to claim 8 wherein the at least one electronic device executes the diagnostics procedure in the at least one electronic device and uses a diagnostic report to update the firmware.

10. The network according to claim 6 wherein the at least one electronic device communicates diagnostic information to the diagnostic software.

11. The network according to claim 10 wherein the at least one electronic device receives from the diagnostic software at least one instruction to update the firmware, based on a diagnosis generated by the diagnostic software.

12. The network according to claim 1 wherein the network is wireless.

13. The network according to claim 1 wherein the at least one electronic device is portable.

2. The network according to claim I wherein the at least one server communicates firmware updating information to the at least one electronic device.

3. The network according to claim 2 wherein the at least one electronic device updates the firmware using the updating information.

4. The network according to claim 2 wherein the updating information comprises executable instructions that convert a first firmware version to a second firmware version.

14. An electronic device having firmware and configuration parameters, the electronic device comprising:

an agent that executes diagnostic procedures to generate a diagnostic report;

wherein the electronic device communicates the diagnostic report to a first server to which the electronic device is communicatively coupled; and

wherein the electronic device receives instructions from the first server to update the electronic device, based upon the diagnostic report.

15. The electronic device according to claim 14 wherein the instructions received from the first server to update the electronic device comprise instructions and data that update firmware in the electronic device.

16. The electronic device according to claim 14 wherein the instructions received from the first server to update the electronic device comprise instructions and data that update a system file in the electronic device.

17. The electronic device according to claim 14 wherein the instructions received from the first server to update the electronic device comprise instructions and data that update a device driver in the electronic device.

18. The electronic device according to claim 14 wherein the instructions received from the first server to update the electronic device comprise instructions and data that update at least one of a device settings and a user account in the electronic device.

19. The electronic device according to claim 14 wherein the instructions received from the first server to update the electronic device comprise instructions and data that update at least one of firmware, system files, drivers, applications, software, settings, a configuration file and a flex file.

20. A method of monitoring activities in an electronic device with firmware, the method comprising:

communicating diagnostic messages to at least one server, the electronic device being communicatively coupled to the at least one server; and

executing diagnostic procedures in the electronic device.

21. The method according to claim 20 wherein the at least one server comprises device management software.

22. The method according to claim 21 wherein diagnostic software interacts with the electronic device via the device management software.

23. The method according to claim 22 further comprising reporting at least one condition to the device management software that communicates an appropriate message to the diagnostic software.

24. The method according to claim 23 further comprising initiating a diagnostics procedure in the electronic device in response to the at least one reported condition.

25. The method according to claim 24 further comprising:

executing the diagnostics procedure in the electronic device; and

using a diagnostic report to update the firmware.

26. The method according to claim 22 further comprising:

communicating diagnostic information to the diagnostic software;

receiving from the diagnostic software at least one instruction to update the firmware, based on a diagnosis generated by the diagnosis software.