Arrangement and method for managing testing and repair of set-top boxes

• US 20090089854A1
• Filed: 09/27/2007
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Contec LLC (Contec LLC /Management/)
• Original Assignee: Contec LLC (Contec LLC /Management/)
• Inventors: Albrecht, Mark, Miranda, Vincente, Le, Rong, Aguilar, Luis
• Granted Patent: US 8,209,732 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/139
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/00 Diagnosis, testing or measuring for television systems or their details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/04 for receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25833 involving client hardware characteristics, e.g. manufacturer, processing or storage capabilities allocation of resources considering hardware capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5044; allocation of resources considering software capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5055
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4424 Monitoring of the internal components or processes of the client device, e.g. CPU or memory load, processing speed, timer, counter or percentage of the hard disk space used error monitoring in general G06F11/30; arrangements for monitoring conditions of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/32; diagnosis, testing or measuring for television receivers H04N17/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38

Abstract

Arrangement and method for managing set-top boxes used by customers of a content service provider includes at least one automated tester each arranged to couple to set-top boxes and subject each set-top box to a series of automated tests to determine whether each set-top box is functioning properly or requires subsequent repair, and a processor unit coupled to each automated tester for receiving test results therefrom and monitoring testing of set-top boxes via the automated tester(s). Each automated tester is located at a testing facility maintained by the content service provider. A database stores the test results from the automated tester(s) and enables generation of customized reports about the set-top boxes tested by the automated tester(s). A billing system is coupled to each automated tester and to the processor unit and coordinates invoicing for testing performed by the automated tester(s) and repair of set-top boxes at a repair facility.

Claims

1. An arrangement for managing set-top boxes used by customers of a content service provider, comprising:

at least one automated tester each arranged to couple to at least one set-top box and subject each set-top box to a series of automated tests to determine whether each set-top box is functioning properly or requires subsequent repair; and

a processor unit coupled to said at least one automated tester for receiving test results from said at least one automated tester and monitoring testing of set-top boxes via said at least one automated tester,

whereby said at least one automated tester is located at a testing facility maintained by the content service provider.

2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said at least one automated tester comprises a plurality of automated testers, said processor unit being coupled to said plurality of automated testers.

3. The arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a database coupled to said processor unit for storing the test results from said at least one automated tester.

4. The arrangement of claim 3, further comprising interface means for enabling access to said database and generation of customized reports about the set-top boxes tested by said at least one automated tester.

5. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said at least one automated tester is arranged to categorize each tested set-top box as one in acceptable working order, one having a problem that can be resolved at the testing facility or one having a problem that requires subsequent shipment to a repair facility, whereby each set-top box categorized as being in acceptable working order being redeployable, each set-top box categorized as having a problem that can be resolved at the testing facility is corrected at the site of said at least one automated tester, each set-top box categorized as having a problem requiring subsequent shipment to a repair facility is shipped to the repair facility.

6. The arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a billing system coupled to said at least one automated tester and to said processor unit and arranged to coordinate invoicing for testing performed by said at least one automated tester and repair of set-top boxes.

7. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said processor unit is arranged to coordinate return of set-top boxes determined to require repair to a repair facility, repair of these set-top boxes at the repair facility and return of repaired set-top boxes to the testing facility.

8. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said processor unit includes computer programs for performing a plurality of diagnostic tests on each set-top box and providing an indication of failure of a specific one of the diagnostic tests.

9. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said at least one automated tester includes at least one optical scanner for scanning a screen of a video output device, and a computer program for recognizing optical characters on the screen and analyzing the recognized optical characters.

10. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said processor unit is arranged to keep each set-top box determined to be functioning properly at the testing facility for redeployment to customers.

11. An arrangement for managing set-top boxes used by customers of a content service provider, comprising:

testing means for testing set-top boxes, said testing means being arranged to subject each set-top box to a series of automated tests to determine whether each set-top box is functioning properly or requires repair; and

processor means coupled to said testing means for receiving test results about set-top boxes from said testing means and coordinating subsequent repair of set-top boxes determined to require repair,

whereby said testing means is located at a testing facility maintained by the content service provider.

12. The arrangement of claim 11, further comprising billing means coupled to said processor means for coordinating invoicing for testing performed by said testing means and repair of set-top boxes.

13. The arrangement of claim 11, further comprising data storage means for storing test results from said testing means, said data storage means being accessible to enable generation of customized reports about operability of the set-top boxes.

14. A method for managing set-top boxes used by customers of a content service provider, comprising:

receiving set-top boxes at a testing facility including any set-top boxes indicated by customers as malfunctioning;

coupling each set-top box to an automated tester located at the testing facility;

subjecting each set-top box to a series of automated tests by means of the automated tester to identify whether each set-top box is in acceptable working order, has a problem that can be resolved at the testing facility or has a problem that requires subsequent shipment to a repair facility;

redeploying each set-top box identified as being in acceptable working order without shipping the set-top box to the repair facility;

resolving the problem with each set-top box identified as having a problem that can be resolved at the testing facility without shipping the set-top box to the repair facility; and

coordinating return of each set-top box that has a problem requiring shipment to a repair facility for repair.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the testing facility at which the set-top boxes indicated by customers as malfunctioning are received is a warehouse maintained by the content service provider, further comprising storing each set-top box identified as being in acceptable working order at the warehouse for subsequent redeployment.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the automated tests include a test for checking a Security ID and serial number of the set-top box, a problem with correspondence between a Security ID or serial number obtained from the set-top box and a Security ID or serial number provided to the automated tester being a problem resolvable at the testing facility.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising notifying the repair facility when a set-top box is identified as having a problem requiring shipment to the repair facility to enable the repair facility to order parts for repairing the set-top box in advance of receipt of said failed set-top box by the repair facility.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising coordinating delivery of parts for repairing the set-top box to delivery of the set-top box at the repair facility.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

storing information derived from the automated tests; and

providing means to access and analyze the stored information and enable generation of customized reports about the operability of set-top boxes.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising linking the repair facility and the testing facility via at least one network.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of subjecting each set-top box to a series of automated tests by means of the automated tester comprising identifying the model and make of the set-top box, and running a set of automated diagnostic tests specific to the determined model and make of the set-top box.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

monitoring the testing to which the set-top boxes are subjected;

monitoring the repair of the set-top boxes; and

coordinating billing for testing and repair of the set-top boxes via a billing system linked to the testing facility and the repair facility.

23. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

providing a plurality of automated testers at the testing facility; and

coupling the plurality of automated testers to a single control processor which receives test results from all of the automated testers.