COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20140201089A1
• Filed: 01/16/2014
• Published: 07/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Maxlinear Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Maxlinear Incorporated
• Inventors: Ling, Curtis
• Application Number:
  US14/157,249
• Publication Number:
  US 20140201089A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/305
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance

Abstract

Various aspects of a method and system for electronics lifetime wear monitoring are provided. Various aspects of a method and system for scheduling various maintenance-related activities based, at least in part, on circuit monitoring are also provided.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a plurality of remote monitoring circuits operable to monitor a plurality of remote monitored circuits, where each of said plurality of remote monitoring circuits is operable to, at least;

monitor operating conditions of a respective one of the plurality of remote monitored circuits;

log data corresponding to the monitored operating conditions; and

communicate the logged data to a central computing device via a communication network; and

a central computing device operable to, at least;

electronically receive, via the communication network, the logged data from the plurality of remote monitoring circuits;

determine respective life expectancies of the plurality of monitored circuits based, at least in part, on the received logged data; and

automatically schedule maintenance-related activities based, at least in part, on the determined respective life expectancies.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication network comprises a hybrid fiber coax (HFC) network, and the remote monitored circuits comprise cable modem circuits.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitored operating conditions comprise power supply characteristics.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the power supply characteristics comprise amount of current drawn.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the power supply characteristics comprise amount of power drawn.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitored operating conditions comprise temperature.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitored operating conditions comprise operating time.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the central computing device is operable to determine respective life expectancies of the plurality of monitored circuit by, at least in part, correlating failures of monitored circuits with the received logged data.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the scheduled maintenance-related activities comprise a service schedule.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the scheduled maintenance-related activities comprise a product ordering schedule.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the central computing device is operable to poll the remote monitoring circuits for the logged data.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote monitoring circuits autonomously determine when to communicate the logged data to the central computing device.

13. A system comprising:

a central computing device operable to, at least;

electronically receive, via a communication network, logged data from a plurality of remote monitoring circuits, where the logged data corresponds to operating conditions experienced by a plurality of monitored circuits;

determine respective life expectancies of the plurality of monitored circuits based, at least in part, on the received logged data; and

automatically schedule maintenance-related activities based, at least in part, on the determined respective life expectancies.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the monitored operating conditions comprise power supply characteristics.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the monitored operating conditions comprise temperature.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the monitored operating conditions comprise operating time.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the central computing device is operable to determine respective life expectancies of the plurality of monitored circuit by, at least in part, correlating failures of monitored circuits with the received logged data.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the scheduled maintenance-related activities comprise a service schedule.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the central computing device is operable to poll the remote monitoring circuits for the logged data.

20. A monitoring circuit operable to, at least:

monitor operating conditions of a respective one of the plurality of remote monitored circuits;

log data corresponding to the monitored operating conditions; and

communicate the logged data to a central computing device via a communication network.

21. The monitoring circuit of claim 20, wherein the monitored operating conditions comprise power supply characteristics.

22. The monitoring circuit of claim 20, wherein the monitored operating conditions comprise temperature.

23. The monitoring circuit of claim 20, wherein the monitored operating conditions comprise operating time.

24. The monitoring circuit of claim 20, wherein the monitoring circuit is operable to determine to communicate the logged data to the central computing device via the communication network in response to a poll signal received from the central computing device.

25. The monitoring circuit of claim 20, wherein the monitoring circuit is operable to autonomously determine to communicate the logged data to the central computing device via the communication network.