METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR REMOTE DIAGNOSTICS

• US 20140218542A1
• Filed: 03/24/2014
• Published: 08/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital CE Patent Holdings SAS (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Blair, Ronald Lynn, Hoskins, Stephen Dale
• Granted Patent: US 9,369,701 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/182
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/004 for digital television systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/02 for colour television signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/04 for receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• 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 21/6332 directed to client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/654 Transmission by server directed to the client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8166 involving executable data, e.g. software arrangements for executing specific programs G06F9/44; broadcasting computer programmes in broadcast systems H04H20/91; involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

The present invention is directed towards a method and system for remote diagnostics in a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) set-top box network having a head-end unit and a set-top box having diagnostics software. The diagnostics software stored in the set-top box enables the head-end unit to remotely query the set-top box about the current condition of the set-top box and, as a result, reduces the necessity of service calls and/or shipping charges that would otherwise be required. The diagnostics software generates data is response to a set-top box identification request, a software version request, a check television connections request, a check I/O ports request, a check HPNA networking request, a check USB request, a check system ICs request, a check DSL connection request, a check error codes request, a read warranty clock request, a read hours of operation request, and a perform default test request received from the head-end. Execution of the diagnostics software may be initiated as part of a periodical diagnostic test of the set-top box, at the request of a customer having difficulties with the set-top box, or in response to an alarm or alert message generated by the set-top box.

Claims

1. A method for remote diagnostics in a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) network having a head-end unit and a device having diagnostics software, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a data request from the head-end unit to the device in response to a request from a user;

determining if the received data request requires the device to execute an internal diagnostics program;

transmitting a first response from the device to the head end unit in response to the reception of the data request if data request does not require the device to execute the internal diagnostics program;

placing the device in a service mode in response to the reception of the data request if the data request requires the device to execute the internal diagnostics program; and

transmitting a second response containing the requested data from the device to the head-end unit, the requested data in the second response including at least one of an error code, instrument identification, software revision, bit-rate, and bit-error rate and wherein the device resides at a customer'"'"'s residence.

2. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the step of placing the device in a service mode further includes the step of executing the diagnostics software of the device in response to the reception of the data request and the step of transmitting the response occurs upon completion of the execution of the diagnostics software.

3. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the step of transmitting the data request includes transmitting the data request in response to an alert message received from the device.

4. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the data request is one of a device identification request, a software version request, a check television connections request, a check I/O ports request, a check HPNA networking request, a check USB request, a check system ICs request, a check DSL connection request, a check error codes request, a read warranty clock request, a read hours of operation request, and a perform default test request.

5. In a Digital Subscriber Line system having a head-end unit and a plurality of devices, a device comprising:

a first interface for communicating with the head-end unit;

a storage medium for storing diagnostics software; and

a processor for executing the stored diagnostics software and placing the device in a service mode in response to a data request received from the head-end unit the processor transmitting a response to the requested data after placing the device in the service mode, the response including at least one of an error code, instrument identification, software revision, bit-rate, and bit-error rate,

wherein the device resides at a customer'"'"'s residence and wherein the data request is received from the head-end unit in response to a request from a user.

6. The device of claim 5, characterized in that the processor transmits a response to the head-end unit via the first interface upon completion of the execution of the diagnostics software.

7. The device of claim 5, characterized in that the storage medium also stores a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) trap in the storage medium and initiates communication with the head end unit via the first interface when the trap is tripped.

8. The device of claim 5, further comprising:

a second interface for passing video and audio data to a television.

9. The device of claim 8, characterized in that the executed diagnostics software instructs the processor to pass audio data and video data to the television via the second interface.

10. The device of claim 9, characterized in that the audio data causes the television to generate an audible tone and the video data causes the television to display a set of color bars.

11. A method for remote diagnostics in a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) network having a head-end unit and a device having diagnostics software, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a data request from the head-end unit to the device in response to a request from a user;

determining if the received data request requires the device to execute an internal diagnostics program;

transmitting a first response from the device to the head end unit in response to the reception of the data request if data request does not require the device to execute the internal diagnostics program, the internal diagnostics program residing in the device;

executing the internal diagnostics program in response to the reception of the data request if the data request requires the device to execute the internal diagnostics program; and

transmitting a second response containing the requested data from the device to the head-end unit, the requested data in the second response including at least one of an error code, instrument identification, software revision, bit-rate, and bit-error rate and wherein the device resides at a customer'"'"'s residence.

12. The method of claim 11, further includes the step of placing the device in a service mode for executing the diagnostics software of the device in response to the reception of the data request and wherein the step of transmitting the response occurs upon completion of the execution of the diagnostics software.

13. The method of claim 11, characterized in that the step of transmitting the data request includes transmitting the data request in response to an alert message received from the device.

14. The method of claim 11, characterized in that the data request is one of a device identification request, a software version request, a check television connections request, a check I/O ports request, a check HPNA networking request, a check USB request, a check system ICs request, a check DSL connection request, a check error codes request, a read warranty clock request, a read hours of operation request, and a perform default test request.

15. In a Digital Subscriber Line system having a head-end unit and a plurality of devices, a device comprising:

a first interface for communicating with the head-end unit;

a storage medium for storing diagnostics software, the diagnostics software residing in the device; and

a processor for executing the stored diagnostics software in response to a data request received from the head-end unit, the processor transmitting a first response to the requested data through the first interface if the data request does not require the processor to execute the internal diagnostics program and transmitting a second response to the requested data through the first interface after executing the diagnostics software if the data request requires the processor to execute the internal diagnostics program, the response including at least one of an error code, instrument identification, software revision, bit-rate, and bit-error rate,

wherein the device resides at a customer'"'"'s residence and wherein the data request is received from the head-end unit in response to a request from the device.

16. The device of claim 15, characterized in that the processor further places the device in a service mode to execute the diagnostics software and transmits a response to the head-end unit via the first interface upon completion of the execution of the diagnostics software.

17. The device of claim 15, characterized in that the storage medium also stores a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) trap in the storage medium and initiates communication with the head end unit via the first interface when the trap is tripped.

18. The device of claim 15, further comprising:

a second interface for passing video and audio data to a television.

19. The device of claim 18, characterized in that the executed diagnostics software instructs the processor to pass audio data and video data to the television via the second interface.

20. The device of claim 19, characterized in that the audio data causes the television to generate an audible tone and the video data causes the television to display a set of color bars.