Method and system for communications connectivity failure diagnosis

• US 6,665,820 B1
• Filed: 12/22/1999
• Issued: 12/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GE Medical Technology Services, Inc. (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: GE Medical Technology Services, Inc. (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Frowein, Richard L., Hertel, Sarah, Gesior, George Peter, Krisberg, Lew, Reinke, Todd, Janz, Joel, Thome, Don
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): McCarthy, Christopher S.
• Application Number:
  US09/470,478
• Time in Patent Office: 1,455 Days
• Field of Search: 714/43, 714/4, 714/27, 709/227, 709/228, 709/229, 379/33, 379/100.05
• US Class Current: 714/43
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0659 by isolating or reconfiguring faulty entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements

Abstract

A system and method is disclosed for communications connectivity failure diagnosis that includes receiving a connectivity failure notice at an on-line center indicative of a communications failure between the on-line center and an in-field product, such as a medical diagnostic device. A software-based non-connect test is manually initiated to confirm a communications failure between the on-line center and the in-field product. Once the communications failure is confirmed, the communications failure is diagnosed by isolating the communications failure through use of the non-connect test and identifying a failure type which indicates what portion of the system failed. The method includes reporting the communications failure for repair, and once repaired, the system conducts a series of tests to confirm proper connectivity and logs the results therefrom. Optionally, the system includes an entitlement check which automatically ensures that a particular customer, or in-field product, is entitled, or under contract, for the diagnostic service. Also, if the fault is not found timely, there are provisions in which the service is escalated to increased levels of support to ensure customer satisfaction.

Claims

1. A method of communications connectivity failure diagnosis comprising the steps of:

receiving a connectivity failure notice at an on-line center indicating a communications failure between the on-line center and an in-field product;

manually initiating a software-based non-connect test to confirm a communications failure between the on-line center and the in-field product by connecting the on-line center to the in-field product and confirming whether the connection was successful, and if so, automatically instructing the in-field product to initiate and complete another connection from the in-field product to the on-line center;

diagnosing the communications failure by isolating the communications failure and identifying a failure type; and

reporting the communications failure for repair.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of reporting a failure if either connection is not successful and logging the failure in a computerized database.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of checking a computerized database as to whether the in-field product is entitled to communications connectivity failure diagnosis.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of automatically checking is further defined as electronically checking the computerized database to ensure an owner of the in-field product entered into a service contract for the communications connectivity failure diagnosis.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of creating a computerized database case and placing the computerized database case in a computer queue for retrieval by an on-line engineer.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of checking a status of the computerized database case, and if the status is not normal, then escalating the communications connectivity failure diagnosis to a further level of support.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of escalating further comprising the step of sending an electronic page to service personnel to escalate service diagnosis.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of isolating the communications failure is further defined as differentiating between an on-line center communications failure, a subscribing station communications failure, and an external communications failure.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of redundantly confirming communications connectivity and logging results of the communications connectivity failure diagnosis.

10. A communications connectivity failure diagnosis system comprising:

a subscribing station having at least one in-field product and at least one computer programed to control the in-field product;

an on-line center capable of receiving a connectivity failure notice indicative of a communications failure between the on-line center and the subscribing station and to create a database case in response thereto;

a communications network to relay data from the on-line center to the subscribing station, the communications network including a communications portion in the on-line center and a communications portion in the subscribing station, and further includes an ability to connect the on-line center to the subscribing station through an external communications network;

wherein a service person at the on-line center initiates an interactive non-connect test in response to the on-line center receiving a connectivity failure notice, and based on a result of the non-connect test, the on-line center automatically isolates the communications failure to at least one of the online center, the subscribing station, and the external communications network.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising a computer within the on-line center programmed to:

receive the connectivity failure notice by one of a computerized automatic connectivity failure notice and a non-computerized connectivity failure notice as the indication of the communications failure; and

perform the interactive non-connect test to validate the communications failure.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the computer is further programmed to receive a user input to initiate the performance of the interactive non-connect test and further allow the user to monitor the interactive non-connect test and modify the interactive non-connect test on an as needed basis.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the computer is further programmed to ensure that a status of the communications failure does not become past due.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the computer is further programmed to lag a communications failure after a predetermined period of standard service diagnosis for escalated service diagnosis to accomplish such ensurance.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the computer is further programmed to check a database to verify that the subscribing station is entitled to communications connectivity failure diagnosis, and only perform failure diagnosis for entitled subscribing stations.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the interactive non-connect test performed by the on-line center computer attempts a first connection between the on-line center and the subscribing station, and if successful, and after a disconnection, causes the subscribing station to make a second connection from the subscribing station to the on-line center.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the computer is further programmed to report a communications failure if either the first or second connections are unsuccessful, and to report a communications success if both the first and second connections are successful.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the computer is further programmed to report the communications failure to initiate repair of the isolated communications failure.

19. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program which, when executed by one or more computers, will cause the one or more computers to:

create and queue a reported case for communications connectivity diagnosis;

receive input to initiate a non-connect test;

execute the non-connect test to validate a communications failure, the non-connect test comprising initiating communications connectivity and validating whether communications connectivity is successful, and if not;

isolate the communications failure;

report the isolated communications failure for repair;

execute the non-connect test after receiving input that repair has been complete to ensure proper communications connectivity;

if communications connectivity is successful, log results to complete communications connectivity; and

ensure that a status of the communications failure does not become past due.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 wherein the computer program further causes the one or more computers to:

receive the connectivity failure notice by one of a computerized automatic connectivity failure notice and a non-computerized connectivity failure notice as the indication of the communications failure.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 wherein the computer program further causes the one or more computers to:

receive a user input to initiate the performance of the interactive non-connect test and further allow the user to monitor the interactive non-connect test and modify the interactive non-connect test on an as needed basis.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 wherein the computer program further causes the one or more computers to:

flag a communications failure after a predetermined period of standard service diagnosis for escalated service diagnosis to accomplish such ensurance.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 wherein the computer program further causes the one or more computers to:

check a database to verify that a subscribing station is entitled to communications connectivity failure diagnosis, and only perform failure diagnosis for entitled subscribing stations.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 wherein the computer program further causes the one or more computers to:

attempt a first connection between an on-line center and a subscribing station, and if successful, and after a disconnection, causes the subscribing station to make a second connection from the subscribing station to the online center; and

report a communications failure if either the first or second connections are unsuccessful, and to report a communications success if both the first and second connections are successful.

25. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program which, when executed by one or more computers, will cause the one or more computers to:

create and queue a reported case for communications connectivity diagnosis;

receive input to initiate a non-connect test;

execute the non-connect test to validate a communications failure, the non-connect test comprising causing communications connectivity and validating whether communications connectivity is successful, and if not;

isolate the communications failure;

report the isolated communications failure for repair;

execute the non-connect test after receiving input that repair has been complete to ensure proper communications connectivity;

if communications connectivity is successful, log results to complete communications connectivity;

attempt a first connection between an on-line center and a subscribing station, and if successful, and after a disconnection, cause the subscribing station to make a second connection from the subscribing station to the on-line center; and

report a communications failure if either the first or second connections are unsuccessful, and to report a communications success if both the first and second connections are successful.