Methods, Systems, and Computer-Readable Media for Assisting in Troubleshooting

• US 20080195897A1
• Filed: 12/12/2006
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Roseland, Shawn, Amos, Richard, Alaniz, David
• Application Number:
  US11/609,640
• Publication Number:
  US 20080195897A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5064 Customer relationship management

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for troubleshooting a problem associated with a communication system are provided. First information regarding the communication system is retrieved, and a determination is made whether the first information indicates a probable cause of the problem associated with the communication system. If the first information does indicate a probable cause of the problem, then a probable solution is provided based on the indicated probable cause. If, on the other hand, the first information does not indicate a probable cause of the problem, then information regarding the problem is retrieved. The retrieved information regarding the problem is used to determine a probable cause of the problem and a probable solution to the problem.

Claims

1. A method for assisting in troubleshooting a problem associated with a communication system, the method comprising:

retrieving first information regarding the communication system;

determining whether the first information indicates a probable cause of the problem associated with the communication system;

if the first information indicates a probable cause of the problem, then providing a probable solution to the problem based on the probable cause; and

if the first information does not indicate a probable cause of the problem, then;

receiving information regarding the problem, and

based on the received information regarding the problem,

identifying a probable cause of the problem and a probable solution to the problem.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving information regarding the problem comprises:

providing a first inquiry about the problem;

receiving a response to the first inquiry;

based on the response to the first inquiry, providing a second inquiry about the problem; and

receiving a response to the second inquiry.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising based on the response to the second inquiry, initiating a test of the communication system to determine a probable cause of the problem.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising based on the response to the second inquiry, retrieving second information about the communication system.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein retrieving second information about the communication system comprises:

retrieving at least one of a username associated with the communication system, a password associated with the communication system, and an Internet Protocol (“

IP”

) address associated with the communication system; and

providing results of a ping test performed on the communication system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first information regarding the communication system includes at least one of outage information associated with the communication system, status of a service request associated with the communication system, a type of the service request associated with the communication system, identification information regarding a path over which data is transported through the communication system, or customer account information associated with the communication system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the first information indicates a probable cause of the problem associated with the communication system comprises:

analyzing the first information against a set of business rules to determine whether to associate the first information with a pass indication, a fail indication, or a warning indication;

if the first information is associated with a pass indication or a warning indication, then determining that the first information does not indicate a probable cause of the problem; and

if the first information is associated with a fail indication, then determining that the first information indicates a probable cause of the problem.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining that the first information indicates a probable cause of the problem comprises:

determining whether the business rules provide an exception to the first information associated with the fail indication;

if the business rules provide an exception to the first information associated with the fail indication, then determining that the first information does not indicate a probable cause of the problem; and

if the business rules do not provide an exception to the first information associated with the fail indication, then determining that the first information does indicate a probable cause of the problem.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising implementing the probable solution to solve the problem associated with the communication system.

10. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

receive a request to troubleshoot a problem associated with a communication system;

provide a first inquiry about the problem in response to the request;

receive a response to the first inquiry;

based on the response to the first inquiry, provide a second inquiry about the problem;

receive a response to the second inquiry;

based on the response to the second inquiry, determine a probable cause of the problem and a probable solution to the problem; and

implement the probable solution to solve the problem associated with the communication system.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, comprising further computer-readable instructions which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to:

retrieve first information regarding the communication system prior to providing the first inquiry about the problem;

determine whether the first information indicates a probable cause of the problem associated with the communication system;

if the first information indicates a probable cause of the problem, then provide a probable solution to the problem based on the probable cause; and

if the first information does not indicate a probable cause of the problem, then receive information regarding the problem via inquiries about the problem.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the first information regarding the communication system includes at least one of outage information associated with the communication system, status of a service request associated with the communication system, a type of the service request associated with the communication system, identification information regarding a path over which data is transported through the communication system, or customer account information associated with the communication system.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein determining whether the first information indicates a probable cause of the problem associated with the communication system comprises:

analyzing the first information against a set of business rules to determine whether to associate the information with a pass indication, a fail indication, or a warning indication;

if the first information is associated with a pass indication or a warning indication, then determining that the first information does not indicate a probable cause of the problem; and

if the first information is associated with a fail indication, then determining that the first information indicates a probable cause of the problem.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein determining that the first information indicates a probable cause of the problem comprises:

determining whether the business rules provide an exception to the first information associated with the fail indication;

if the business rules provide an exception to the first information associated with the fail indication, then determining that the first information does not indicate a probable cause of the problem; and

if the business rules do not provide an exception to the first information associated with the fail indication, then determining that the first information does indicate a probable cause of the problem.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein determining a probable cause of the problem and a probable solution to the problem comprises:

initiating a test of the communication system based on the response to the second inquiry; and

determining the probable cause of the problem and the probable solution to the problem based on results from the test of the communication system.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein determining a probable cause of the problem and a probable solution to the problem comprises:

retrieving second information about the communication system based on the response to the second inquiry; and

determining the probable cause of the problem and the probable solution to the problem based on the retrieved second information about the communication system.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein retrieving information about the communication system comprises:

retrieving at least one of a username associated with the communication system, a password associated with the communication system, and an Internet Protocol (“

IP”

) address associated with the communication system; and

providing results of a ping test performed on the communication system.

18. A system for assisting in troubleshooting a problem associated with a communication system, the system comprising:

a memory device for storing a program for assisting in troubleshooting a problem associated with a communication system; and

a processor, functionally coupled to the memory device, the processor being responsive to computer-executable instructions contained in the program and operative to;

retrieve first information regarding the communication system from a first database,

determine whether the first information indicates a probable cause of the problem associated with the communication system;

if the first information indicates a probable cause of the problem, then provide a probable solution to the problem based on the probable cause, and

if the first information does not indicate a probable cause of the problem, then;

receive information regarding the problem, and

based on the received information regarding the problem, identify a probable cause of the problem and a probable solution to the problem.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the processor is further operative to:

provide a first inquiry about the problem associated with the communication system to receive information regarding the problem;

receive a response to the first inquiry;

determine, based on the response to the first inquiry, a second inquiry to provide;

provide the second inquiry; and

receive a response to the second inquiry.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is further operative to:

determine, based on the response to the second inquiry, whether to initiate a test of the communication system or to retrieve second information about the communication system;

if a determination is made to initiate a test of the communication system, then send a request to a testing device to test the communication system to determine a probable cause of the problem; and

if a determination is made to retrieve second information about the communication system, then send a request to a second database to retrieve the second information about the communication system.