SECURE REMOTE MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORT SYSTEM, METHOD, NETWORK ENTITY AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT

• US 20100174812A1
• Filed: 01/07/2009
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Turner, David, Fortuna, James, Thomas, Erika, Alderson, Benjamin, Henriksen, Jason, Davidson, Donald, Hughes, Jeff
• Granted Patent: US 9,992,227 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/305 by remotely controlling device operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2115 Third party
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227

Abstract

A remote, secure maintenance and support system, method, network entity and computer program product are provided. The system can include site terminal(s) and/or a site server (collectively “site device(s)”), a data center in communication with the site device(s) over a first secure tunnel, and at least one client terminal in communication with the data center over a second secure tunnel. The site device(s) can be configured to periodically transmit to the data center one or more error messages over the first secure tunnel. The data center can, in turn, be configured to make the error messages accessible to at least one authorized technician operating one of the client terminals. The client terminal can be configured to retrieve at least one of the error messages over the second secure tunnel and to take an action associated with resolving the error message.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a computing device configured to periodically transmit one or more error messages over a first secure tunnel;

a network entity in communication with the computing device over the first secure tunnel, said network entity configured to receive the one or more error messages and to make the one or more error messages accessible to at least one authorized technician; and

at least one client terminal associated with the at least one authorized technician and in communication with the network entity over a second secure tunnel, said at least one client terminal configured to retrieve at least one of the one or more error messages over the second secure tunnel and to take an action associated with resolving the at least one error message, wherein the client terminal is not in direct communication with the computing device.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

one or more site terminals in communication with the computing device, respective site terminals configured to;

periodically, and automatically, monitor one or more error conditions associated with the site terminal;

generate one or more error messages based at least in part on the monitored error conditions; and

transmit the one or more error messages to the computing device, wherein the one or more error messages transmitted by the computing device comprise the one or more error messages generated and transmitted by respective site terminals.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein in order to periodically monitor one or more error conditions, respective site terminals are further configured to monitor for a change in a security setting associated with the site terminal.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein respective site terminals are further configured to:

periodically, and automatically, retrieve data associated with the site terminal; and

transmit the retrieved data to the computing device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the retrieved data comprises a serial number associated with the site terminal, an inventory associated with the site terminal, one or more addresses and one or more phone numbers associated with customers completing transactions using the site terminal, an amount of available memory associated with the site terminal, or a version of software running on the site terminal, or a combination thereof.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the computing device is configured to transmit the retrieved data to the network entity.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the network entity is configured to store the retrieved data in association with at least one of the computing device or the corresponding site terminal.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the network entity is further configured to generate one or more audit reports based at least in part on the retrieved and stored data.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the retrieved data further comprises one or more actions taken using the site terminal, an operator associated with respective one or more actions taken using the site terminal, and a time associated with respective one or more actions taken using the site terminal.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the network entity is further configured to generate an electronic journal based at least on part on the retrieved and stored data, said electronic journal comprising a list of one or more actions taken by respective ones of a plurality of operators and a time associated with respective actions.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the network entity is further configured to:

authenticate a technician; and

determine whether the technician has access to view one or more error messages associated with at least one of a plurality of site terminals.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

a database operably connected to the network entity, said database storing authentication and permission information associated with respective ones of a plurality of technicians, wherein in order to authenticate the technician and determine whether the technician has access to view one or more error messages associated with at least one of the plurality of site terminals, the network entity is further configured to access the database.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the authentication information comprises a username and a password associated with respective technicians, and the permission information comprises a list of one or more site terminals to which respective technicians have access and a list of one or more actions respective technicians are permitted to take in associated with the one or more site terminals.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein in order to authenticate the technician, the network entity is further configured to authenticate a rolling password associated with the technician.

15. The system of claim 2, wherein in order to take an action associated with resolving the at least one error message, the client terminal is further configured to:

generate an action request, said action request requesting that an action be taken by the site terminal associated with the at least one error message;

transmit the action request to the network entity.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the computing device is further configured to:

generate a message request, said message request requesting one or more messages intended for one of the one or more site terminals in communication with the computing device;

transmit the message request to the network entity;

receive, in response to the message request, the action request transmitted by the client terminal; and

transmit the action request to the corresponding site terminal.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the corresponding site terminal is further configured to:

receive the action request; and

perform the requested action.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the action comprises providing a list of one or more services currently running on the site terminal, one or more tasks being performed by the site terminal, or one or more programs operating on the site terminal.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the action comprises starting, stopping or restarting a service, task or program associated with the site terminal.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the action comprises providing a copy of what is currently displayed on a screen of the site terminal.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the action comprises providing a video of current activity displayed on a screen of the site terminal.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the action request cannot be transmitted to the computing device without the computing device first transmitting the message request requesting one or more messages.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device comprises one or more standard ports.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second secure tunnels comprise Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) tunnels.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second secure tunnels comprise Secure Shell (SSH) tunnels.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein all communication associated with the computing device is outbound-initiated.

27. The system of claim 2, wherein the client terminal does not communicate any identifying criteria associated with any of the one or more site terminals.

28. A method comprising:

receiving, from a computing device over a first secure tunnel, one or more error messages;

receiving, from a client terminal over a second secure tunnel, an authentication request associated with a technician;

authenticating the technician;

determining whether the technician has permission to access at least one of the one or more error messages received; and

providing the client terminal with access to the at least one of the one or more error messages over the second secure tunnel, if it is determined that the technician has permission.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising:

receiving, from the computing device over the first secure tunnel, data associated with one or more site terminals associated with the computing device; and

storing the data received in association with at least one of the computing device or the corresponding site terminal.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

generating one or more audit reports based at least in part on the received and stored data.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the data comprises one or more actions taken using the corresponding site terminal, an operator associated with respective one or more actions taken using the corresponding site terminal, and a time associated with respective one or more actions taken using the site terminal, and wherein the method further comprises:

generating an electronic journal based at least in part on the received and stored data, said electronic journal comprising a list of one or more actions taken by respective ones of a plurality of operators and a time associated with respective actions.

32. The method of claim 28 further comprising:

receiving, from the client terminal over the second secure tunnel, an action request requesting that an action be taken by a site terminal associated with at least one of the one or more error messages.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising:

receiving, from the computing device over the first secure tunnel, a message request requesting one or more messages intended for one of one or more site terminals associated with the computing device; and

transmitting to the computing device over the first secure tunnel, in response to the message request, the action request received from the client terminal.

34. A network entity comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive, from a computing device over a first secure tunnel, one or more error messages;

receive, from a client terminal over a second secure tunnel, an authentication request associated with a technician;

authenticate the technician;

determine whether the technician has permission to access at least one of the one or more error messages received; and

provide the client terminal with access to the at least one of the one or more error messages over the second secure tunnel, if it is determined that the technician has permission.

35. The network entity of claim 34, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive, from the computing device over the first secure tunnel, data associated with one or more site terminals associated with the computing device; and

store the data received in association with at least one of the computing device or the corresponding site terminal.

36. The network entity of claim 35, wherein the processor is further configured to:

generate one or more audit reports based at least in part on the received and stored data.

37. The network entity of claim 35, wherein the data comprises one or more actions taken using the corresponding site terminal, an operator associated with respective one or more actions taken using the corresponding site terminal, and a time associated with respective one or more actions taken using the site terminal, and wherein the processor is further configured to:

generate an electronic journal based at least in part on the received and stored data, said electronic journal comprising a list of one or more actions taken by respective ones of a plurality of operators and a time associated with respective actions.

38. The network entity of claim 34, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive, from the client terminal over the second secure tunnel, an action request requesting that an action be taken by a site terminal associated with at least one of the one or more error messages.

39. The network entity of claim 38, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive, from the computing device over the first secure tunnel, a message request requesting one or more messages intended for one of one or more site terminals associated with the computing device; and

transmit to the computing device over the first secure tunnel, in response to the message request, the action request received from the client terminal.

40. A computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, said computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion for periodically, and automatically, monitoring for one or more error conditions;

a second executable portion for generating one or more error messages based at least in part on the monitored error conditions; and

a third executable portion for transmitting the one or more error messages to a network entity over a secure tunnel.

41. The computer program product of claim 40, wherein the first executable portion is further configured to monitor for a change in a security setting associated with a site terminal.

42. The computer program product of Claim of claim 40, wherein the computer-readable program code portions further comprise:

a fourth executable portion for periodically, and automatically, retrieving data associated with a site terminal; and

a fifth executable portion for transmitting the retrieved data to the network entity over the secure network.