Device, System and Method for Predictive Failure Analysis
First Claim
1. A server for improving predictive failure attributes of distributed devices, comprising:
- a receiver for receiving, via a network, failure analysis data from individual ones of a plurality of distributed devices,where each device of said plurality of distributed devices comprises failure analysis software comprising a predictive failure analysis algorithm arranged for collecting failure analysis data of said distributed device and a communications device arranged for transmitting said failure analysis data to said network;
wherein said server is arranged for analyzing said failure analysis data and for providing, in response to the analysis, an updated predictive failure analysis algorithm to the plurality of distributed devices;
wherein each of said plurality of distributed devices is coupled to said network;
wherein the updated predictive failure analysis algorithm is provided to the plurality of distributed devices in the form of a first microcode that is provided from the server to be used instead of a second microcode previously used by the plurality of distributed devices; and
wherein execution of the first microcode results in the updated predictive failure analysis algorithm using different tolerances of certain error events when estimating an impending failure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A large population of mass-produced devices (80) such as a particular model of computer hard disk drive, are distributed around the world. Each device (80) includes an arrangement for collecting failure analysis data of the device (50). Each device (80) is arranged to transmit this data to the device manufacturers server (10) via the internet (20). The server (10) analyses the data in order to determine trends in failure performance of the population of devices in order to improve future designs and to provide updated software for distribution to the devices (80) via the internet (20).
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A server for improving predictive failure attributes of distributed devices, comprising:
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a receiver for receiving, via a network, failure analysis data from individual ones of a plurality of distributed devices, where each device of said plurality of distributed devices comprises failure analysis software comprising a predictive failure analysis algorithm arranged for collecting failure analysis data of said distributed device and a communications device arranged for transmitting said failure analysis data to said network; wherein said server is arranged for analyzing said failure analysis data and for providing, in response to the analysis, an updated predictive failure analysis algorithm to the plurality of distributed devices; wherein each of said plurality of distributed devices is coupled to said network; wherein the updated predictive failure analysis algorithm is provided to the plurality of distributed devices in the form of a first microcode that is provided from the server to be used instead of a second microcode previously used by the plurality of distributed devices; and wherein execution of the first microcode results in the updated predictive failure analysis algorithm using different tolerances of certain error events when estimating an impending failure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 25, 26, 27)
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9. A device comprising:
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a predictive failure analysis algorithm arranged for collecting failure analysis data of said device; and a communications device coupled to said predictive failure analysis algorithm arranged for transmitting said failure analysis data to a remote server via a network, wherein said remote server is arranged for analyzing said failure analysis data received from said device and from other devices and for providing an updated predictive failure analysis algorithm to the device and the other devices, wherein the updated predictive failure analysis algorithm is provided to the device in the form of a first microcode that is provided from the remote server to be used instead of a second microcode previously used by the device and the other devices, wherein execution of the first microcode results in the updated predictive failure analysis algorithm using different tolerances of certain error events when estimating an impending failure. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17-24. -24. (canceled)
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28. A computer program comprising computer readable program code stored on a computer readable medium for performing failure analysis of a plurality of disk drives that comprise a part of at least one data storage system, comprising:
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first program code for collecting failure analysis data from individual ones of said disk drives and for transmitting said collected failure analysis data to a central server via a network and second program code, executed at said central server, for analyzing said failure analysis data and deriving an updated predictive failure analysis algorithm therefrom, where said updated predictive failure analysis algorithm is downloaded to said plurality of disk drives via the network, wherein the updated predictive failure analysis algorithm is provided to the plurality of disk drives in the form of a first microcode from the central server to be used instead of a second microcode previously used by the plurality of disk drives, wherein execution of the first microcode results in the updated predictive failure analysis algorithm using different tolerances of certain error events when estimating an impending failure. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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32. A computer program comprising computer readable program code stored on a computer readable medium for performing failure analysis of a plurality of disk drives that comprise a part of at least one data storage system, comprising
first program code, executed by a central server, for receiving, via a network, failure analysis data from said at least one data storage system for analyzing said failure analysis data and for deriving an updated predictive failure analysis algorithm therefrom, where said updated predictive failure analysis algorithm is downloaded to said plurality of disk drives via said network, wherein the updated predictive failure analysis algorithm is provided to the plurality of disk drives in the form of a first microcode to be used instead of a second microcode previously used by the plurality of disk drives, wherein execution of the first microcode results in the updated predictive failure analysis algorithm using different tolerances of certain error events when estimating an impending failure.
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37. A system for monitoring performance of a plurality of distributed devices via a network, comprising:
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a network; a central server having a monitoring capability, the central server being coupled to the network; a plurality of distributed devices which are coupled to the network and which are monitored by the central server via the network, each of the plurality of distributed devices having a failure data analysis capability provided by a predictive failure analysis algorithm of the corresponding distributed device, each of the plurality of distributed devices providing predictive failure data to the central server via the network, wherein the central server modifies the predictive failure analysis algorithm in the form of a first microcode based on the predictive failure data to provide an updated predictive failure analysis algorithm in the form of a second microcode previously used by the plurality of distributed devices, wherein execution of the first microcode results in the updated predictive failure analysis algorithm using different tolerances of certain error events when estimating an impending failure. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
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Specification