Programming an existing indicator to indicate the cause of a condition
First Claim
1. A method of diagnosing problems, comprising the steps of:
- a processor indicating a first event with an indicator, wherein the first event is for communication equipment in a network, wherein the indicator only indicates the first event;
the processor detecting a first occurrence of a problem with the communication equipment, wherein the first event is not associated with the problem and the first event is different than the problem, and wherein the indicator is not operable to indicate the occurrence of the problem;
the processor reconfiguring the indicator to provide a notification of a possible cause of a next occurrence of the problem, wherein, after the indicator is reconfigured, the indicator is operable to indicate the problem but is not operable to indicate the first event; and
in response to the next occurrence of the problem, the indicator providing the notification of the possible cause of the problem with the communication equipment.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for allowing a troubleshooter to reuse existing indicators, such as displays, LEDs, or specialized indicators, for a purpose other than the indicator'"'"'s usual purpose. In response to an initial occurrence of a problem, the troubleshooter modifies the indicator'"'"'s behavior to indicate a later occurrence of a fault or a set of faults, which may be the cause of the problem. Upon the later occurrence of the problem, the indicator is monitored for simultaneous notification of occurrence of the fault. After the problem is triaged, the modified indicator is returned to its original use. The notification from the indicator can be sensory, i.e., auditory, visible, or tactile. The indicator'"'"'s change in behavior can occur after the fault happens once or an administrable threshold number of times, or intermittently. Alternatively, the change in behavior may become semi-permanent if the fault continues to occur for some administrable number of times.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of diagnosing problems, comprising the steps of:
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a processor indicating a first event with an indicator, wherein the first event is for communication equipment in a network, wherein the indicator only indicates the first event; the processor detecting a first occurrence of a problem with the communication equipment, wherein the first event is not associated with the problem and the first event is different than the problem, and wherein the indicator is not operable to indicate the occurrence of the problem; the processor reconfiguring the indicator to provide a notification of a possible cause of a next occurrence of the problem, wherein, after the indicator is reconfigured, the indicator is operable to indicate the problem but is not operable to indicate the first event; and in response to the next occurrence of the problem, the indicator providing the notification of the possible cause of the problem with the communication equipment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus for diagnosing problems, comprising:
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means for triggering an indicator to indicate a first event, in an absence of a problem, for a first purpose other than providing notification of a possible cause of the problem, wherein the first event occurs during normal operation; and means for modifying a stored code program which manages the indicator'"'"'s behavior in response to a first occurrence of the problem to provide a notification of a possible cause of a next occurrence of the problem, whereby the indicator is adapted to provide the notification of the possible cause of the next occurrence of the problem. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A method of diagnosing problems in a suspect device operating in a communications network, comprising the steps of:
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the communications network indicating a first event with a programmable indicator; determining a first occurrence of a problem; in response to determining the first occurrence of the problem in the communications network, a processor reprogramming stored code to change the indicator'"'"'s behavior to provide a notification of the problem; in response to a later occurrence of the problem in the communications network, the indicator providing the notification of the problem; correlating the later occurrence of the problem with the notification; triaging the problem; and reconfiguring stored code to change the indicator to again indicate the first event after the problem is triaged. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A system for assisting in diagnosis of problems, the system comprising:
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a programmable indictor operable to indicate an event; and at least one computer operable to; determine a first occurrence of a problem; reprogram stored program code associated with the programmable indicator'"'"'s behavior to provide a notification of the problem, wherein the programmable indicator was not operable to provide the notification before reprogramming the stored program code; reprogram the programmable indicator to provide a possible cause with the notification; and reprogram the programmable indicator to return an indication of the event after the problem is triaged. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification