Portable diagnostic handset

• US 7,571,071 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Issued: 08/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shand, Arthur M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn; Drew A
• Assistant Examiner(s): VO, HIEN XUAN
• Application Number:
  US11/905,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20080033685A1
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 702/122, 702/183, 707/10, 340/438, 340/443, 340/449, 340/825.72, 455/423, 455/425, 455/67.11
• US Class Current: 702/122
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability

Abstract

A portable diagnostic device. The portable diagnostic device includes a housing, a processor located within the housing, an input device located on the housing and coupled to the processor, and a display screen located on the housing and coupled to the processor. The processor includes a microbrowser module configured for communicating with an external source of information and a diagnostic module configured for analyzing information received from the external source of information.

Claims

1. A portable diagnostic device for troubleshooting a network having a plurality of elements, the diagnostic device comprising:

a housing;

a processor located within the housing, wherein the processor includes;

a microbrowser module configured for communicating with an external source of information including a network undergoing diagnosis and having a predetermined set of communication protocols; and

a diagnostic module configured for analyzing information associated with elements of the network in a predetermined sequence configured to emulate a sequence of a process flow of signals through the elements of the network undergoing diagnosis by the portable diagnostic device;

an input device associated with the housing and coupled to the processor; and

a display screen associated with the housing and coupled to the processor to display information pertaining to operating parameters of the network undergoing diagnosis.

2. The portable diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the network undergoing diagnosis includes a mobile communication network in selective communication with a data network configured for communication with the mobile communication network and the Internet, and the microbrowser is operative for communication with the network.

3. The portable diagnostic device of claim 2, wherein the mobile communication network includes a device selected from the group of devices consisting of a base substation, a mobile switching center, an interworking function, and a remote access server.

4. The portable diagnostic device of claim 2, wherein the data network includes a device selected from the group of devices consisting of an Internet protocol router, a remote access dial-in user services server, a server communicating between the data network and the Internet, an authentication server, and a domain name server.

5. The portable diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the external source of information includes a server connected to the Internet.

6. The portable diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the input device includes an input device selected from the group consisting of a keypad, a mouse, a trackball, and a touch screen.

7. The portable diagnostic device of claim 1, wherein the display screen includes a display screen selected from the group consisting of an LCD display screen, a passive matrix display screen, and a TFT active matrix display screen.

8. The portable diagnostic device of claim 1, further comprising a power source located within the housing and coupled to the processor.

9. The portable diagnostic device of claim 1, further comprising a radio frequency transceiver located within the housing and coupled to the processor.

10. The portable diagnostic device of claim 9, wherein the radio frequency transceiver includes an antenna originating within the housing and protruding therefrom.

11. The portable diagnostic device of claim 1, further comprising a modem located within the housing and coupled to the processor.

12. The portable diagnostic device of claim 1, further comprising a speaker located within the housing and coupled to the processor.

13. The portable diagnostic device of claim 1, further comprising a microphone located within the housing and coupled to the processor.

14. The portable diagnostic device of claim 1, further comprising a memory device located within the housing and coupled to the processor, the memory device selected from the group consisting of a volatile memory, a random access memory, a non-volatile memory, and an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory.

15. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a set of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

request information from an external source associated with an element of a network undergoing diagnosis and having predetermined communications protocols;

receive the requested information from the external source element of the network; and

analyze the received information in a predetermined sequence to emulate a process flow of signals through elements of the network for diagnosis of the network.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein receiving the requested information from an element of the network includes receiving the requested information from an element of the network via a server connected to the Internet.