REMOTE DEVICE DIAGNOSTIC AND REPAIR APPARATUS AND METHODS

• US 20120254345A1
• Filed: 07/30/2010
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flextronics America LLC (Flextronics International Limited)
• Original Assignee: Flextronics America LLC (Flextronics International Limited)
• Inventors: Montoya, Adam
• Granted Patent: US 8,769,038 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for servicing a target device with a remote access device. The target device has a target-device input/output interface and the remote access device has a remote-access-device input/output interface that are operatively coupled at the hardware level. A wireless communication link is established between the remote access device and a communications network to establish a communication link between a computer remote from the target device and from the remote access device. Service instructions are received from the computer at the remote access device over the communication link The received service instructions are transmitted through the coupled input/output interfaces to service the target device.

Claims

1. A method for remotely servicing a target device having a target-device input/output interface with a remote access device having a remote-access-device input/output interface, the method comprising:

operatively coupling the target-device input/output interface with the remote-access-device input/output interface at a hardware level;

establishing a wireless communication link between the remote access device and a communications network to establish a communication link between a computer remote from the target device and from the remote access device;

receiving service instructions from the computer at the remote access device over the communication link;

transmitting the received service instructions through the coupled input/output interfaces to service the target device.

2. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the target device lacks a functioning operating system.

3. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the target device lacks a functioning network connection.

4. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the remote access device further has a data store and the service instructions comprise instructions to install data from the data store onto the target device, the method further comprising installing data from the data store onto the target device in accordance with the instructions.

5. The method recited in claim 4 wherein the data comprise an operating system image.

6. The method recited in claim 4 wherein the data comprise a diagnostic tool.

7. The method recited in claim 4 wherein the data comprise a software application.

8. The method recited in claim 1 wherein each of the target-device input/output interface and the remote-access-device input/output interface comprises a KVM/USB interface.

9. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the wireless communication link comprises a wireless wide-area-network communication link.

10. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the remote-access-device input/output interface comprises a single-node interface.

11. The method recited in claim 10 wherein the remote access device is comprised by a self-service kiosk.

12. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the remote-access-device input/output interface comprises a multinode interface to which a second target device is operatively coupled at the hardware level.

13. A remote access device comprising:

an input/output interface adapted for operative coupling with a target device at a hardware level;

a wireless interface adapted for communicative coupling with a network to establish a communication link between a computer remote from the target device and from the remote access device; and

a logic module comprising;

program code for receiving service instructions from the computer at the remote access device over the communication link; and

program code for transmitting the received instructions through the input/output interface to the target device.

14. The remote access device recited in claim 13 wherein the target device lacks a functioning operating system.

15. The remote access device recited in claim 13 wherein the target device lacks a functioning network connection.

16. The remote access device recited in claim 13 further comprising a data store, wherein:

the service instructions comprise instructions to install data from the data store onto the target device; and

the logic module further comprises program code for installing data from the data store onto the target device in accordance with the instructions.

17. The remote access device recited in claim 16 wherein the data comprise an operating system image.

18. The remote access device recited in claim 16 wherein the data comprise a diagnostic tool.

19. The remote access device recited in claim 16 wherein the data comprise a software application.

20. The remote access device recited in claim 13 wherein the input/output interface comprises a KVM/USB interface.

21. The remote access device recited in claim 13 wherein the wireless interface comprises a wireless wide-area-network interface.

22. The remote access device recited in claim 13 wherein the input/output interface comprises a single-node interface.

23. The remote access device recited in claim 13 wherein the input/output interface comprises a multinode interface adapted for operative coupling with a plurality of target devices.