Method and system for network-based remote control and testing of wireless communication devices

• US 7,206,548 B1
• Filed: 10/29/2004
• Issued: 04/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Baustert, Nick J., Sumler, John D., Bellinder, Ben E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng; George
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, HUY Q
• Application Number:
  US10/977,142
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 455/416, 455/423, 455/67.11, 455/67.7, 455/424, 455/425, 455/418, 455/419, 455/420, 455/566, 455/67.74, 379/1.01, 379/27.01, 379/29.01, 379/29.1
• US Class Current: 455/67.11
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/23 Indication means, e.g. displays, alarms, audible means

Abstract

A method and system for remote testing of a wireless communication device (WCD). The WCD is communicatively linked in a test environment with a host computer that communicates over a packet-switched network with a remote computer operated by a testing technician. The remote computer sends control commands to the host computer via the packet-switched network, and the host computer sends corresponding commands to the WCD to cause the WCD to take one or more actions. In a preferred embodiment, the WCD returns to the host computer a digital representation of the screen image currently being shown on a display screen of the WCD, and the host computer passes the digital representation via the packet-switched network to the remote computer for presentation to the technician. The technician can thereby view the display screen of the WCD as tests are performed. Audio and test-equipment coupling may also be provided.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a communication link between a host computer and a wireless communication device (WCD) in a test environment;

receiving one or more control commands into the host computer via a packet-switched network from a remote computer, and responsively sending one or more corresponding control commands via the communication link from the host computer to the WCD to cause the WCD to take one or more actions, wherein the one or more actions comprises reporting one or more diagnostic monitoring metrics to the host computer;

receiving at the host computer, via the communication link from the WCD, the one or more diagnostic monitoring metrics and sending the one or more diagnostic monitoring metrics via the packet-switched network to the remote computer, for presentation of the diagnostic monitoring metrics at the remote computer; and

receiving at the host computer, via the communication link from the WCD, a digital representation of a WCD display screen image, and sending the digital representation over the packet-switched from the host computer to the remote computer, for display of the WCD screen image at the remote computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more actions comprises dialing one or more digits.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more actions comprises returning the WCD display screen image to the host computer.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the one or more control commands from the remote computer, switching the host computer into a screen-image monitoring mode.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more control commands from the remote computer to the host computer comprises a macro command that causes the host computer to perform a plurality of functions.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an audio communication link between the host computer and the WCD;

receiving outbound audio at the host computer via the audio communication link from the WCD, and sending the outbound audio via the packet-switched network to the remote computer, for presentation of the outbound audio at the remote computer; and

receiving inbound audio at the host computer via the packet-switched network from the remote computer, and sending the inbound audio via the audio communication link to the WCD.

7. A method comprising:

providing a first communication link between a host computer and a wireless communication device (WCD) in a test environment;

receiving a first control command into the host computer via a packet-switched network from a remote computer, and responsively sending a corresponding first control command via the communication link from the host computer to the WCD to cause the WCD to take a first action;

receiving at the host computer, via the communication link from the WCD, a digital representation of a WCD display screen image, and sending the digital representation over the packet-switched from the host computer to the remote computer, for display of the WCD screen image at the remote computer;

providing a second communication link between the host computer and at least one component of test equipment in the test environment; and

receiving a second control command into the host computer via the packet-switched network from the remote computer, and responsively sending a corresponding second control command via the second communication link from the host computer to the at least one component of test equipment to cause the test equipment to take a second action.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second action comprises changing a test setting.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the second action comprises imposing a test condition on the WCD.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the second action comprises returning one or more test results to the host computer,

the method further comprising sending the one or more test results from the host computer via the packet-switched network to the remote computer, for presentation of the one or more test results at the remote computer.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

providing an audio communication link between the host computer and the WCD;

receiving outbound audio at the host computer via the audio communication link from the WCD, and sending the outbound audio via the packet-switched network to the remote computer, for presentation of the outbound audio at the remote computer; and

receiving inbound audio at the host computer via the packet-switched network from the remote computer, and sending the inbound audio via the audio communication link to the WCD.

12. A system comprising:

a first computer coupled through at least one cable connection with a wireless communication device and communicatively linked with a wide area packet-switched network; and

a second computer communicatively linked with the wide area packet-switched network,

wherein the first computer receives in substantially real-time via the cable connection from the wireless communication device a representation of a screen image being displayed on the wireless communication device, and wherein the first computer sends the screen image representation in substantially real-time over the wide area packet-switched network to the second computer,

wherein the second computer receives the screen image representation from the first computer via the wide area packet-switched network and displays the screen image on a computer display in substantially-real time for viewing by a person,

wherein the second computer receives control input from the person and sends a corresponding control signal over the wide area packet-switched network to the first computer, and

wherein the first computer provides the control signal via the cable connection to the wireless communication device,

whereby the person at the second computer thereby controls operation of the wireless communication device, via the wide area packet-switched network, while viewing on the computer display in substantially real-time the screen image being presented on the wireless communication device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the wireless communication device comprises a cellular telephone.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the first computer and second computer are located on different continents.

15. The system of claim 12,

wherein the first computer further receives wireless communication metrics from the wireless communication device and sends the wireless communication metrics in substantially real-time over the wide area packet-switched network to the second computer, and

wherein the second computer further receives the wireless communication metrics and presents the wireless communication metrics to the person.

16. The system of claim 12,

wherein the wireless communication device is situated in a test environment,

wherein the second computer further receives test-environment control directives from the person and sends the test-environment control directives in substantially real-time over the wide area packet-switched network to the first computer, and

wherein the first computer outputs the test-environment control directives to modify aspects of the test environment.

17. The system of claim 12,

wherein the first computer receives in substantially real-time via the cable connection from the wireless communication device a representation of sound output from the wireless communication device, and wherein the first computer sends the sound representation in substantially real-time over the wide area packet-switched network to the second computer, and

wherein the second computer receives the sound representation from the first computer via the wide area packet-switched network and outputs the sound for hearing by the person.

18. The system of claim 12,

wherein the person inputs sound to the second computer, and the second computer sends a representation of the sound via the wide area packet-switched network to the first computer, and

wherein the first computer receives the sound representation from the second computer via the wide area packet-switched network and provides the sound representation via the cable connection to the wireless communication device.

19. A method comprising:

providing a communication link between a host computer and a wireless communication device (WCD) in a test environment;

receiving one or more control commands into the host computer via a packet-switched network from a remote computer, and responsively sending one or more corresponding control commands via the communication link from the host computer to the WCD to cause the WCD to take one or more actions, wherein the one or more actions comprises reporting one or more radio frequency (RF) metrics to the host computer;

receiving at the host computer, via the communication link from the WCD, the one or more RF metrics and sending the one or more RF metrics via the packet-switched network to the remote computer, for presentation of the RF metrics at the remote computer; and

receiving at the host computer, via the communication link from the WCD, a digital representation of a WCD display screen image, and sending the digital representation over the packet-switched from the host computer to the remote computer, for display of the WCD screen image at the remote computer.

20. A method comprising:

providing a communication link between a host computer and a wireless communication device (WCD) in a test environment;

receiving one or more control commands into the host computer via a packet-switched network from a remote computer, and responsively sending one or more corresponding control commands via the communication link from the host computer to the WCD to cause the WCD to take one or more actions;

in response to at least one control command from the remote computer, switching the host computer into a radio frequency (RF)-monitoring mode; and

receiving at the host computer, via the communication link from the WCD, a digital representation of a WCD display screen image, and sending the digital representation over the packet-switched from the host computer to the remote computer, for display of the WCD screen image at the remote computer.

21. A method comprising:

providing a communication link between a host computer and a wireless communication device (WCD) in a test environment;

receiving one or more control commands into the host computer via a packet-switched network from a remote computer, and responsively sending one or more corresponding control commands via the communication link from the host computer to the WCD to cause the WCD to take one or more actions;

in response to at least one control command from the remote computer, switching the host computer into an audio communication mode in which the host computer passes audio between the remote computer and the WCD; and

receiving at the host computer, via the communication link from the WCD, a digital representation of a WCD display screen image, and sending the digital representation over the packet-switched from the host computer to the remote computer, for display of the WCD screen image at the remote computer.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

in response to the one or more control commands from the remote computer, switching the host computer into a screen-image monitoring mode.