Method and apparatus for monitoring client software usage in end user device

• US 8,457,108 B1
• Filed: 12/27/2004
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Croak, Marian, Eslambolchi, Hossein
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): HALIYUR, VENKATESH N
• Application Number:
  US11/022,623
• Time in Patent Office: 3,081 Days
• Field of Search: 370200-503, 709200-253, 709/310
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/04 Processing captured monitoring data, e.g. for logfile generation

Abstract

The present invention enables a capability for packet-switched network service providers, e.g., VoIP network service providers, to monitor the CPE application usage of their subscriber to ensure that changes to the network do not interfere with these applications and to potentially provide changes to the network to enhance these premise based applications. Monitoring software will be installed in the CPE to monitor upgrades and features installed by the end users so that any potential impact to these applied applications can be assessed before a VoIP network upgrade is carried out.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a client software application in an end user device in a communication network, comprising:

registering, by a processor, the end user device with the communication network, wherein the registering comprises;

registering a version of firmware deployed on the end user device; and

installing a usage monitoring software on the end user device;

monitoring, by the processor, an application in the end user device that does not interact with the communication network via the usage monitoring software that is installed;

monitoring, by the processor, the client software application that is deployed in the end user device for accessing the communication network, wherein the monitoring the client software application comprises;

monitoring data relating to a feature usage performed on the end user device, wherein the monitoring the data comprises monitoring a type and a frequency of a feature used on the end user device; and

analyzing, by the processor, the data to detect a potential software incompatibility between the client software application and the application that does not interact with the communication network running on the end user device with a future network software upgrade to be performed by the communication network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication network is a voice over internet protocol network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the registering further comprises:

registering a type of the end user device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is received periodically.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the end user device is an internet protocol based customer premise equipment device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the registering further comprises:

registering a model of the end user device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the registering further comprises:

registering a hardware version of the end user device.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the registering further comprises:

registering a version of the client software application.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable medium to store a plurality of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations for monitoring a client software application in an end user device in a communication network, the operations comprising:

registering the end user device with the communication network, wherein the registering comprises;

registering a version of firmware deployed on the end user device; and

installing a usage monitoring software on the end user device;

monitoring an application in the end user device that does not interact with the communication network via the usage monitoring software that is installed;

monitoring the client software application that is deployed in the end user device for accessing the communication network, wherein the monitoring the client software application comprises;

monitoring data relating to a feature usage performed on the end user device, wherein the monitoring the data comprises monitoring a type and a frequency of a feature used on the end user device; and

analyzing the data to detect potential software incompatibility between the client software application and the application that does not interact with the communication network running on the end user device with a future network software upgrade to be performed by the communication network.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the communication network is a voice over internet protocol network.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the registering further comprises:

registering a type of the end user device.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the data is received periodically.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the end user device is an internet protocol based customer premise equipment device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the registering further comprises:

registering a model of the end user device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the registering further comprises:

registering a hardware version of the end user device.

11. A system for monitoring a client software application in an end user device in a communication network, comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

registering the end user device with the communication network, wherein the registering comprises;

registering a version of firmware deployed on the end user device; and

installing a usage monitoring software on the end user device;

monitoring an application in the end user device that does not interact with the communication network via the usage monitoring software that is installed;

monitoring the client software application that is deployed in the end user device for accessing the communication network, wherein the monitoring the client software application comprises;

monitoring data relating to a feature usage performed on the end user device, wherein the monitoring the data monitors a type and a frequency of a feature used on the end user device; and

analyzing the data to detect potential software incompatibility between the client software application and the application that does not interact with the communication network running on the end user device with a future network software upgrade to be performed by the communication network.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the communication network is a voice over internet protocol network.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the registering further comprises:

registering a type of the end user device.