Method and apparatus for software failure diagnosis and repair

• US 6,757,837 B1
• Filed: 08/17/2000
• Issued: 06/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TiVo Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Platt, David, Lacy, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Baderman, Scott
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOHN, JOSHUA A
• Application Number:
  US09/642,255
• Time in Patent Office: 1,412 Days
• Field of Search: 714/4, 714/38, 717/171, 717/172, 717/173
• US Class Current: 714/38.13
• 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 11/0793 Remedial or corrective actions recovery from an exception in an instruction pipeline G06F9/3861; by retry G06F11/1402; for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity H04L69/40

Abstract

A client/server system and method for providing a way of repairing software failures as they occur. This system enhances the software architecture of the client device is discussed by detecting a software failure and giving the client the ability to dial up a connection to a repair server designed for supplying repair software. This special diagnostic server takes control of the client device, performs a diagnostic, retrieves log information, and downloads and executes software to repair the failure. The system turns control over from the client device to the repair server to execute commands issued by the repair server. Once the connection to the server is established, all of the intelligence in the diagnostic and repair process is driven by the repair server. This allows the repair server to identify and repair the software failures found in the client device without having to change the software in the client device. The repair process can be performed while on-line with the repair server or deferred until after a reboot.

Claims

1. A method for providing an emergency diagnostic and repair facility between a client system and a server, said method comprising the steps of:

said client system automatically detecting a software failure and identifying said software failure;

said client system connecting to said server via a communications medium;

said client system automatically transmitting a notification of said identified software failure to said server;

said server automatically downloading a repair script to said client system;

automatically running said repair script on said client system computer to repair said software failure; and

wherein said step of detecting said software failure further comprises the step of;

searching repair utility sections on said client system at boot up for error log messages.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of detecting said software failure further comprises the step of said client system logging an error message of said identified software failure.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said step of connecting to said server further comprises the step of using a toll-free connection.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of detecting said software failure further comprises the step of searching repair utility sections on said client system for error log messages.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of connecting to said server further comprises the step of prompting a user to initiate said connection to said server.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of connecting to said server further comprises the step of prompting a user to initiate said connection to said server using a remote control device.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of notification of said software failure further comprises the step of said client system identifying a serial number, version, and detected software failure of said client system.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said step of downloading said repair script to said client system further includes the step of turning over control of said client system to said server.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said step of downloading said repair script to said client system further includes the step of downloading said repair script to said client system'"'"'s repair utility section to be run while said client system is on-line with said server.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein said step of downloading said repair script to said client system further includes the step of downloading said repair script to said client system'"'"'s repair utility section to be run at boot up of said client system after said connection to said server has been terminated.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein said step of downloading said repair script to said client system further includes the step of visually informing a user of the repair process.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said step of downloading said repair script to said client system further includes the step of visually informing the user of the repair process by displaying a blank screen.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein said step of downloading said repair script to said client system further includes the step of visually informing the user of the repair process by using a Linux display.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein said step of downloading said repair script to said client system further includes the step of visually informing the user of the repair process by using a user readable display.

15. An apparatus for providing an emergency diagnostic and repair facility for a-consumer device, comprising:

means for automatically detecting a software failure on said consumer device and identifying said software failure;

means for connecting said consumer device to a server;

means for automatically transmitting a notification of said identified software failure to said server;

means for automatically downloading a repair script to said consumer device;

means for automatically running said script on said consumer device to repair said software failure; and

wherein said means for detecting said software failure further comprises;

means for searching a consumer device'"'"'s repair utility section at boot up for error log messages.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said means for detecting said software failure further comprises means for said consumer device to log an error message of said identified software failure.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said means for connecting to said server further comprises means for using a toll-free connection.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said means for detecting said software failure further comprises means for searching said consumer device'"'"'s repair utility section for error log messages.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said means for connecting to said server further comprises means for prompting a user to initiate said connection to said server.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said means for connecting to said server further comprises means for prompting a user to initiate said connection to said server using a remote control device.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said means for notification of said software failure further comprises means for said consumer device to identify a serial number, version, and detected software failure of said consumer device.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said means for downloading said repair script to said consumer device further comprises means for turning over control of said consumer device to said server.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said means for downloading said repair script to said consumer device further comprises means for downloading said repair script to said consumer device'"'"'s repair utility section to be run while said consumer device is on-line with said server.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said means for downloading said repair script to said consumer device further comprises means for downloading said repair script to said consumer device'"'"'s repair utility section to be run at boot up of said consumer device after said connection to said server has been terminated.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said means for downloading said repair script to said consumer device further comprises means for visually informing a user of a repair process.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said means for downloading said repair script to said consumer device further comprises means for visually informing a user of the repair process by displaying a blank screen.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said means for downloading said repair script to said device further comprises means for visually informing the user of the repair process by using a Linux display.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said means for downloading said repair script to said device further comprises means for visually informing the user of the repair process by using a user readable display.