Arrangement and method for managing testing and repair of set-top boxes
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. An arrangement for managing set-top boxes used by customers of a content service provider after the set-top boxes have been disconnected by the customers from their equipment, returned by the customers to the content service provider such that the set-top boxes are no longer in possession of the customers, and moved to a common testing facility maintained by the content service provider, comprising:
- at least one automated tester each arranged to couple to at least one set-top box, after having been returned by a customer to the content service provider and moved to the common testing facility, and subject each set-top box, when coupled to said at least one automated tester and not to the customer'"'"'s equipment, to a series of automated tests to determine whether each set-top box is functioning properly or requires subsequent repair, said at least one automated tester being arranged to categorize each tested set-top box into one of a plurality of different categories, the categories including one in acceptable working order, one having a problem that can be resolved at the testing facility and one having a problem that requires subsequent shipment to a repair facility; and
a processor unit coupled to said at least one automated tester for receiving test results from said at least one automated tester and monitoring testing of set-top boxes via said at least one automated tester, said processor unit being arranged to;
coordinate shipment of the set-top boxes, after having been returned by customers to the content service provider, moved to the common testing facility and categorized as having a problem that requires shipment to the repair facility by the at least one automated tester, by the content service provider from the testing facility, at which the set-top boxes have been categorized as having a problem that requires shipment to the repair facility by the at least one automated tester, to the repair facility,repair of these set-top boxes at the repair facility, andreturn of repaired set-top boxes to the testing facility,whereby said at least one automated tester is located at the testing facility maintained by the content service provider and the testing facility is situated separate and apart from locations at which the customers use the set-top boxes with their equipment such that categorization of each tested set-top box is performed separate and apart from the locations at which the customers use the set-top boxes, andwherebyeach set-top box categorized as being in acceptable working order being redeployable,each set-top box categorized as having a problem that can be resolved at the testing facility is corrected at the site of said at least one automated tester,each set-top box categorized as having a problem requiring subsequent shipment to a repair facility is shipped to the repair facility.
9 Assignments
Litigations
1 Petition
Accused Products
Abstract
Arrangement and method for managing set-top boxes used by customers of a content service provider includes at least one automated tester each arranged to couple to set-top boxes and subject each set-top box to a series of automated tests to determine whether each set-top box is functioning properly or requires subsequent repair, and a processor unit coupled to each automated tester for receiving test results therefrom and monitoring testing of set-top boxes via the automated tester(s). Each automated tester is located at a testing facility maintained by the content service provider. A database stores the test results from the automated tester(s) and enables generation of customized reports about the set-top boxes tested by the automated tester(s). A billing system is coupled to each automated tester and to the processor unit and coordinates invoicing for testing performed by the automated tester(s) and repair of set-top boxes at a repair facility.
56 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An arrangement for managing set-top boxes used by customers of a content service provider after the set-top boxes have been disconnected by the customers from their equipment, returned by the customers to the content service provider such that the set-top boxes are no longer in possession of the customers, and moved to a common testing facility maintained by the content service provider, comprising:
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at least one automated tester each arranged to couple to at least one set-top box, after having been returned by a customer to the content service provider and moved to the common testing facility, and subject each set-top box, when coupled to said at least one automated tester and not to the customer'"'"'s equipment, to a series of automated tests to determine whether each set-top box is functioning properly or requires subsequent repair, said at least one automated tester being arranged to categorize each tested set-top box into one of a plurality of different categories, the categories including one in acceptable working order, one having a problem that can be resolved at the testing facility and one having a problem that requires subsequent shipment to a repair facility; and a processor unit coupled to said at least one automated tester for receiving test results from said at least one automated tester and monitoring testing of set-top boxes via said at least one automated tester, said processor unit being arranged to; coordinate shipment of the set-top boxes, after having been returned by customers to the content service provider, moved to the common testing facility and categorized as having a problem that requires shipment to the repair facility by the at least one automated tester, by the content service provider from the testing facility, at which the set-top boxes have been categorized as having a problem that requires shipment to the repair facility by the at least one automated tester, to the repair facility, repair of these set-top boxes at the repair facility, and return of repaired set-top boxes to the testing facility, whereby said at least one automated tester is located at the testing facility maintained by the content service provider and the testing facility is situated separate and apart from locations at which the customers use the set-top boxes with their equipment such that categorization of each tested set-top box is performed separate and apart from the locations at which the customers use the set-top boxes, and whereby each set-top box categorized as being in acceptable working order being redeployable, each set-top box categorized as having a problem that can be resolved at the testing facility is corrected at the site of said at least one automated tester, each set-top box categorized as having a problem requiring subsequent shipment to a repair facility is shipped to the repair facility. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An arrangement for managing set-top boxes used by customers of a content service provider after the set-top boxes have been disconnected by the customers from their equipment, returned by the customers to the content service provider such that the set-top boxes are no longer in possession of the customers, and moved to a common testing facility maintained by the content service provider, comprising:
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testing means for testing set-top boxes after having been returned by a customer to the content service provider and moved to the common testing facility, said testing means being arranged to subject each set-top box, when coupled to said testing means and not to the customer'"'"'s equipment, to a series of automated tests to determine whether each set-top box is functioning properly or requires repair, said testing means being arranged to categorize each tested set-top box into one of a plurality of different categories, the categories including one in acceptable working order, one having a problem that can be resolved at the testing facility and one having a problem that requires subsequent shipment to a repair facility; and processor means coupled to said testing means for receiving test results about set-top boxes from said testing means and coordinating subsequent repair of set-top boxes determined to require repair, said processor means being arranged to; coordinate shipment of the set-top boxes, after having been returned by customers to the content service provider, moved to the common testing facility and categorized as having a problem that requires shipment to the repair facility by said testing means, by the content service provider from the testing facility, at which the set-top boxes have been categorized as having a problem that requires shipment to the repair facility by said testing means, to the repair facility, repair of these set-top boxes at the repair facility, and return of repaired set-top boxes to the testing facility, whereby said testing means is located at the testing facility maintained by the content service provider and the testing facility is situated separate and apart from locations at which the customers use the set-top boxes with their equipment such that categorization of each tested set-top box is performed separate and apart from the locations at which the customers use the set-top boxes, and whereby each set-top box categorized as being in acceptable working order being redeployable, each set-top box categorized as having a problem that can be resolved at the testing facility is corrected at the site of said at least one automated tester, each set-top box categorized as having a problem requiring subsequent shipment to a repair facility is shipped to the repair facility. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for managing set-top boxes used by customers of a content service provider after the set-top boxes have been disconnected by the customers from their equipment and returned by the customers to the content service provider such that the set-top boxes are no longer in possession of the customers, comprising:
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directing customers to return set-top boxes to the content service provider; receiving set-top boxes at a common testing facility after the set-top boxes have been disconnected by the customers from their equipment and returned by the customers to the content service provider including any set-top boxes indicated by customers as malfunctioning, the testing facility being situated separate and apart from locations at which the customers use the set-top boxes with their equipment; after the set-top boxes have been returned by customers to the content service provider and received at the testing facility, coupling each set-top box to an automated tester located at the testing facility;
thensubjecting each set-top box, when coupled to the automated tester, to a series of automated tests by means of the automated tester to identify whether each set-top box is in acceptable working order, has a problem that can be resolved at the testing facility or has a problem that requires subsequent shipment to a repair facility separate from the testing facility, whereby the automated tester categorizes each tested set-top box into one of a plurality of different categories, the categories including one in acceptable working order, one having a problem that can be resolved at the testing facility and one having a problem that requires subsequent shipment to the repair facility; redeploying each set-top box categorized as being in acceptable working order without shipping the set-top box to the repair facility; resolving the problem with each set-top box categorized as having a problem that can be resolved at the testing facility without shipping the set-top box to the repair facility; shipping set-top boxes, after having been returned by customers to the content service provider, received at the common testing facility and categorized as having a problem that requires shipment to the repair facility, from the testing facility to the repair facility, the shipping of set-top boxes by the content service provider from the testing facility to the repair facility being coordinated by a processor, and coordinating return of each set-top box, that had a problem requiring shipment to the repair facility for repair and that was shipped to the repair facility, from the repair facility to the testing facility. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification