METHODS, SYSTEMS AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR PROVIDING AN INTERNET PROTOCOL BASED DEVICE HEALTH CHECK

• US 20070260927A1
• Filed: 04/19/2006
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zellner, Samuel, Smith, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,555,675 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test

Abstract

Methods, systems and computer program products provide an IP based device health check. The methods include initiating a health check to be performed at a customer location. The results of the health check are received and stored as an install state. A current state that was created in response to a diagnostic test executed at the customer location is received. The install state is compared to the current state to identify differences between the install state and the current state.

Claims

1. A method of providing an internet protocol (IP) based devicehealth check, the method comprising:

initiating a health check to be performed at a customer location;

receiving the results of the health check;

storing the results of the health check as an install state;

receiving a current state created in response to a diagnostic test executed at the customer location; and

comparing the install state to the current state to identify differences between the install state and the current state.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic test was executed in response to a detected issue at the customer location and the identified differences between the install state and the current state are utilized to resolve the detected issue.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the IP based device is an IP television and the health check includes verifying communication between an IP network and one or more of a set top box (STB), a communication device, and a customer network at the customer location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the health check includes verifying a credit record of a customer at the customer location and testing access from the customer location to an IP based device service requested by the customer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the health check includes verifying that a customer at the customer location has ordered an IP based device service and testing access to the IP based device service from the customer location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the health check includes verifying a quality of service level for an IP based device service and an other service being run simultaneously with the IP based device service at the customer location.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the IP based device service is an IPTV service and the other service includes one or both of voice over internet protocol and broad band internet access.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the install state includes quality of service threshold levels for an IP based device service.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the health check is initiated at the customer location.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising initiating automated problem diagnostics and repair at the customer location in response to differences between the install state and the current state being identified.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the current state includes communication link data and IP based device service data.

12. A system for providing an internet protocol (IP) based device health check, the system comprising:

a storage device for storing a plurality of install states;

a processor in communication with the database and including computer instructions for facilitating;

initiating a health check at a customer location;

receiving the results of the health check;

storing the results of the health check as an install state in the database;

receiving a current state created in response to a diagnostic test executed at the customer location; and

comparing the install state to the current state to identify differences between the install state and the current state.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the diagnostic test was executed in response to a detected issue at the customer location and the identified differences between the install state and the current state are utilized to resolve the detected issue.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the IP based device is an IP television and the health check includes verifying communication between an IP network and one or more of a set top box (STB), a communication device, and a customer network at the customer location.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the health check includes one or more of:

verifying a credit record of a customer at the customer location and testing access from the customer location to an IPTV service requested by the customer;

verifying that a customer at the customer location has ordered the IPTV service and testing access to the IPTV service from the customer location; and

verifying a quality of service level for the IPTV service and an other service being run simultaneously with the IPTV service at the customer location.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the health check is initiated at the customer location.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the health check is initiated from a geographic location that is remote from the customer location.

18. A computer program product for providing an internet protocol (IP) based device health check, the computer program product comprising:

a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for facilitating a method comprising;

initiating a health check at a customer location;

receiving the results of the health check;

storing the results of the health check as an install state;

receiving a current state created in response to a diagnostic test executed at the customer location; and

comparing the install state to the current state to identify differences between the install state and the current state.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the IP based device is an IP television and the IPTV health check includes verifying communication between an IP network and one or more of a set top box (STB), a modem, and a customer network at the customer location.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the IP based device is an IP television and the IPTV health check includes one or more of:

verifying a credit record of a customer at the customer location and testing access from the customer location to an IPTV service requested by the customer;

verifying that a customer at the customer location has ordered the IPTV service and testing access to the IPTV service from the customer location; and

verifying a quality of service level for the IPTV service and an other service being run simultaneously with the IPTV service at the customer location.