Signal Degradation Detection
First Claim
1. A method for providing maintenance to a receiver, comprising:
- determining a time series of test quantities for a receiver, the test quantities based on signal strength measurements collected at the receiver at plurality of time instances;
receiving a figure of merit for the receiver, the figure of merit indicating an expected signal quality for the receiver;
determining a failure prediction for the receiver based on the time series of test quantities and the figure of merit; and
identifying the receiver for maintenance if the failure prediction indicates a future unacceptable signal strength for the receiver.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Implementations are directed to predicting signal degradation at receivers used to display a programming service. The receivers capture signal strength data that is then transmitted to a processing location, which may be associated with a provider of the programming service. A signal degradation detector at the provider operates to predict whether or not a future unacceptable signal quality will occur within a time interval. The prediction may be based on a test quantity calculated from signals captured at the receiver and based on a figure of merit for the geographic locale in which the receiver is located. A maintenance call may be initiated for those receivers that have such a poor signal quality.
5 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for providing maintenance to a receiver, comprising:
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determining a time series of test quantities for a receiver, the test quantities based on signal strength measurements collected at the receiver at plurality of time instances; receiving a figure of merit for the receiver, the figure of merit indicating an expected signal quality for the receiver; determining a failure prediction for the receiver based on the time series of test quantities and the figure of merit; and identifying the receiver for maintenance if the failure prediction indicates a future unacceptable signal strength for the receiver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for providing maintenance to a plurality of receivers, comprising:
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receiving signal histories for a first group of receivers; identifying a second group of receivers from the first group of receivers, the second group of receivers having a downward trending signal strength and a signal strength below a predetermined level for at least one time instance; creating a linear signal strength function for each of the second group of receivers, the linear signal strength function based on the signal history for the receiver and the predetermined level; identifying a third group of receivers by selecting, from the second group of receivers, those receivers whose linear function has a slope and an intercept that indicate a future unacceptable signal strength; and flagging the third group of receivers for maintenance. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for providing maintenance to a receiver, comprising:
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a test quantity module operable to determine a time series of test quantities for a receiver based on signal strength measurements collected at the receiver at plurality of time instances; a figure of merit module operable to receive a figure of merit for the receiver, the figure of merit indicating an expected signal quality for the receiver; and a prediction module operable to determine a failure prediction for the receiver based on a linear function computed from the time series of test quantities and the figure of merit. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification