Maintenance device for remotely accessing and repairing failed computer systems

• US 20060271773A1
• Filed: 05/26/2005
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Incharge Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Incharge Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Marquiz, Joseph D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,454,606 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0748 in a remote unit communicating with a single-box computer node experiencing an error/fault remote testing G06F11/2294
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test

Abstract

A software and hardware driven CRASH REPAIR BOX allows a local computer to be diagnosed and repaired from a remote computer location. The CRASH REPAIR BOX is particularly useful in situations where the local host computer has failed to properly BOOT. Using a memory and memory controller, software for a particular user platform, such as WINDOWS XP™ or WINDOWS 2000™, will be loaded from the remote computer into the CRASH REPAIR BOX and stored in the memory. The BIOS in the local host computer is then reconfigured to BOOT from the memory in the CRASH REPAIR BOX. Thus, utilizing the platform software stored in the memory of the CRASH REPAIR BOX, the local host computer will be able to properly and fully BOOT. Once the local host computer is able to fully BOOT from the software stored in the memory, further diagnostics and repairs can then be conducted.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a local host computer;

a remote computer;

a network coupled between the local host computer and the remote computer for allowing communications between the local host computer and the remote computer;

a device coupled between the local host computer and the network for allowing the remote computer to diagnose and repair the local host computer, wherein said device includes a memory device for storing a BOOT file transmitted from the remote computer to the device, wherein the remote computer will transmit the BOOT file to the device and the local host computer will then be configured to BOOT from the device, using the BOOT file in order to properly BOOT.

2. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the network allows for voice and data communications and further wherein the device further includes voice over Internet capabilities for supporting voice communications between the device and the remote computer.

3. A device for allowing a remote computer to diagnosis and repair a local host computer unable to properly BOOT, the device comprising:

a first communications port for coupling to and communicating with the remote computer;

a second communications port for coupling to and communicating with the local host computer;

a microprocessor coupled between the first and second communications ports for controlling the communications between the device and the remote computer and communications between the device and the local host computer; and

a memory chip for storing a BOOT file transmitted from the remote computer to the device, wherein the remote computer will transmit the BOOT file to the device for storage on the memory chip and the local host computer will then be configured to BOOT from the memory chip of the device, thereby using the BOOT file stored on the memory chip of the device in order to properly BOOT.

4. The device of claim 3, further comprising:

a voice over Internet chip coupled to the first communications port,

a speaker coupled to the voice over Internet chip, and

a microphone coupled to the voice over Internet chip,

wherein the voice over Internet chip, the speaker, and the microphone all support voice communications via the first communications port between the device and the remote computer.

5. A method for diagnosing and repairing a local host computer unable to properly BOOT, the method comprising:

coupling the local host computer to a self-contained stand alone device, said device having a memory;

coupling the device to a remote computer location via a broadband communications port and establishing data communications between the device and the remote computer location;

downloading a BOOT file for storage in the memory of the device;

configuring the local host computer to BOOT from the BOOT file stored in the device; and

restarting the local host computer so that it will BOOT from the BOOT file stored in the device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

including a voice over Internet communications chip within the device, said voice over Internet chip being coupled to the broadband communications port;

coupling a built-in speaker to the voice over Internet communications chip; and

coupling a built-in microphone to the voice over Internet communications chip, such that both data and voice communications maybe established between the device and the remote computer via the broadband communications port.