Network-based remote diagnostic facility

• US 6,516,427 B1
• Filed: 11/05/1999
• Issued: 02/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Obert, James E., Keyes, Charles K., Cox, William A., Sangroniz, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wilson, Yolanda L
• Application Number:
  US09/435,252
• Time in Patent Office: 1,187 Days
• Field of Search: 714/25, 714/44, 714/5, 714/46, 709/227
• US Class Current: 714/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0709 in a distributed system consisting of a plurality of standalone computer nodes, e.g. clusters, client-server systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0748 in a remote unit communicating with a single-box computer node experiencing an error/fault remote testing G06F11/2294
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/026 using e-messaging for transporting management information, e.g. email, instant messaging or chat
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/069 using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/029 Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 above the transport layer

Abstract

The invention is utilized in the context of a peripheral device that is coupled to a network via a firewall which blocks unwanted incoming message traffic, except for incoming message traffic that is responding to a message dispatched from the peripheral device. A remotely located diagnostic device, which includes code for diagnosis of causes of peripheral device malfunctions, is connected to communicate via the network. The peripheral device includes a memory for storing a diagnostic application that is adapted to execute one or more diagnostic subroutines for diagnosing a cause of a device malfunction. The peripheral device is enabled to dispatch an event message to the remote diagnostic device and to receive a response message from the remote diagnostic device (all via the firewall and the network). The response message causes a diagnostic application to execute a subroutine on the peripheral device in an attempt to determine the cause of the event. In the case where the remote diagnostic device is adapted to download an executable diagnostic subroutine, the peripheral device executes the diagnostic subroutine.

Claims

1. A peripheral device coupled to a network via firewall means which blocks unwanted incoming message traffic but allows incoming message traffic that is in response to a message dispatched from said peripheral device, said network further coupled to a remote device including code for diagnosing causes of peripheral device problems, said peripheral device comprising:

a processor for controlling operations of said peripheral device;

storage means for storing a diagnostic application that, in combination with said processor, is adapted to execute a diagnostic subroutine for diagnosing a cause of a malfunction; and

communication means for (i) dispatching an event message to said remote device, via said firewall means and said network, and for (ii) receiving a response message thereto, via said firewall means, from said remote device, said response message causing said diagnostic application to execute a subroutine in an attempt to determine a cause of said event in said peripheral device.

2. The peripheral device as recited in claim 1, wherein said response message from said remote device includes an executable diagnostic subroutine that is caused to execute by said diagnostic application.

3. The peripheral device as recited in claim 2, wherein said remote device is configured to respond to response messages from said peripheral device with diagnostic results, to dispatch additional subroutines in accordance with said diagnostic results to enable further diagnostic actions to be executed in said peripheral device.

4. The peripheral device as recited in claim 1, wherein said network is the Internet and said event message is formatted as an HTTP messages.

5. The peripheral device as recited in claim 4, wherein said communication means comprises a subroutine that is adapted to dispatch HTTP-formatted messages and to receive responses thereto.

6. The peripheral device as recited in claim 1, wherein said peripheral device is a printer.

7. The peripheral device as recited in claim 1, wherein said diagnostic application is configured in the JAVA language.

8. The peripheral device as recited in claim 1, wherein said processor is integral to said peripheral device.

9. The peripheral device as recited in claim 1, wherein said processor comprises a host processor for operating said peripheral device.

10. The peripheral device as recited in claim 1, wherein said communication means comprises means for communicating results from said execution of said subroutine to said remote device, and for receiving another subroutine from said remote device responsive to said communicating results, and wherein said diagnostic application, in combination with said processor, is configured to execute said another subroutine in another attempt to determine said cause of said event in said peripheral device.

11. The peripheral device as recited in claim 10, wherein said communication means comprises means for communicating results from said execution of said another subroutine to said remote device.

12. A memory media for controlling a peripheral device that is coupled to a network via firewall means, said peripheral device including a processor associated with storage means for storing a diagnostic application that, in combination with said processor, is adapted to execute said diagnostic application to diagnose a cause of a malfunction, said firewall means configured to block unwanted incoming message traffic but to allow incoming message traffic that is in response to a message dispatched from said peripheral device, said network further coupled to a remote device including code for diagnosing causes of peripheral device problems, said memory media including code comprising:

a) means for causing said processor to dispatch an event message to said remote device, via said firewall means and said network;

b) means for causing said processor to receive a response message, via said firewall means, from said remote device; and

c) means for causing said processor to respond to said response message by causing said diagnostic application to execute a subroutine in an attempt to determine a cause of said event in said peripheral device.

13. The memory media as recited in claim 12, wherein said response message from said remote device includes an executable diagnostic subroutine that is caused to execute by said diagnostic application.

14. The memory media as recited in claim 13, wherein said remote device is configured to respond to response messages from said peripheral device with diagnostic results, to dispatch additional subroutines in accordance with said diagnostic results to enable further diagnostic actions to be executed in said peripheral device.

15. The memory media as recited in claim 12, wherein means c) comprises a subroutine that is adapted to dispatch HTTP-formatted messages and to receive responses thereto.

16. The memory media as recited in claim 15, wherein said diagnostic application is configured in the JAVA language.

17. The memory media as recited in claim 12, wherein said memory media comprises code comprising:

d) means for causing said processor to communicate results from said execution of said subroutine to said remote device;

e) means for causing said processor to receive another responsive message comprising another subroutine responsive to said communication of said results; and

f) means for causing said processor to respond to said another response message by causing said diagnostic application to execute said another subroutine in another attempt to determine said cause of said event in said peripheral device.

18. The memory media as recited in claim 17, wherein said memory media comprises code comprising:

g) means for causing said processor to communicate results from said execution of said another subroutine to said remote device.

19. A peripheral diagnostic method comprising:

providing a peripheral device comprising a diagnostic application;

communicating an event message to a remote device responsive to a malfunction;

receiving a response message responsive to said communicating said event message;

executing a subroutine using said diagnostic application in an attempt to determine a cause of said malfunction responsive to said receiving said response message;

communicating results of said executing of said subroutine to said remote device;

receiving another subroutine from said remote device responsive to said communicating said results; and

executing said another subroutine using said diagnostic application in another attempt to determine said cause of said malfunction responsive to said receiving said another subroutine.

20. The method according to claim 19 further comprising communicating results of said executing said another subroutine to said remote device.