Customer initiated mobile diagnostics service

• US 8,644,813 B1
• Filed: 12/02/2009
• Issued: 02/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Gailloux, Michael A., Samson, Kenneth W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huang, Wen
• Application Number:
  US12/629,860
• Time in Patent Office: 1,525 Days
• Field of Search: 455/423, 455/424, 455/425, 455/446, 455/67.11, 455/115.1, 455/226.1
• US Class Current: 455/423
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic

Abstract

A customer initiated mobile service diagnostics system is provided. The system comprises a database containing diagnostic data, a computer system, and an application, that when executed on the computer system, receives a message from a portable electronic device enrolling for diagnostic services. The system also sends a message to activate diagnostics software on the portable electronic device and receives notification of at least one service problem experienced by the portable electronic device. The system also analyzes data stored by at least one of the portable electronic device and the database to identify the root cause of the at least one service problem. The system also sends information to the portable electronic device providing resolution of the root cause of the at least one service problem.

Claims

1. A customer initiated mobile diagnostics service system, comprising:

a database containing diagnostic data;

a computer system; and

an application, that when executed on the computer system,

receives an enrollment message from a portable electronic device to self-enroll for diagnostic services,

sends a message to activate diagnostics software on the portable electronic device upon the portable electronic device'"'"'s self-enrollment,

subsequently receives a plurality of notifications of a plurality of service problems experienced by the portable electronic device from one of the portable electronic device, a service vendor, or another component,

analyzes data stored by at least one of the portable electronic device or the database to identify one of more root causes of the plurality of service problems in response to receipt of the plurality of notifications of the plurality of service problems, wherein the analyzed data comprises voice and data communications activity and operating conditions that are monitored over time during times of normal operation of the portable electronic device and when the plurality of service problems occur, and

sends information to the portable electronic device comprising resolutions of the plurality of service problems based on the one or more root causes in response to identifying the one or more root causes.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of notifications of the plurality of service problems is received from at least one of the portable electronic device or a component on a communications network.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of service problems is related to at least one of a voice application and a data application accessible on the portable electronic device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of service problems comprises at least one of a hardware or a configuration problem on the portable electronic device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the data stored comprises keypad and voice entries made into the portable electronic device and usage of services associated with the portable electronic device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the data stored is related to at least one of the use of services by the portable electronic device, geographic positioning of the portable electronic device, wireless network conditions, or services vendors'"'"' status and performance.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the application provides the data stored to a customer care function for at least one of further analysis of the one plurality of service problems or preparation for potential contact with a user of the portable electronic device.

8. A processor-implemented method for providing customer initiated mobile diagnostics service, comprising:

receiving, by a diagnostics server, a request to self-enroll for diagnostics service from a portable electronic device;

activating, by the diagnostics server, diagnostics software on the portable electronic device providing diagnostics service on the portable electronic device upon the portable electronic device'"'"'s self-enrollment;

subsequently receiving, by the diagnostics server, a plurality of messages reporting a plurality of service problems on the portable electronic device from at least one of the portable electronic device, a service vendor, or another component;

aggregating, by the diagnostics server, data stored in at least one of the portable electronic device or a database about the services in use by the portable electronic device at the time of the plurality of service problems in response to receiving the plurality of messages;

aggregating, by the diagnostics server, data about the positioning of the portable electronic device and network conditions at the time of the plurality of service problems;

analyzing, by the diagnostics server, the data about the positioning and services in use by the portable electronic device and the network conditions at the time of the plurality of service problems to identify one or more root causes of the plurality of service problems, wherein the analyzed data comprises voice and data communications activity and operating conditions that are monitored over time during times of normal operation of the portable electronic device and when the plurality of service problems occur; and

sending, by the diagnostics server, an informative message to the portable electronic device containing information on the one or more root causes of the plurality of service problems to prevent a future service problem.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the diagnostics server receives the plurality of messages from at least one of the portable electronic device or a provider of at least one of voice and data services.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the information provided in the notification comprises at least one of recommendations for making adjustments to settings of an application executing on the portable electronic device or recommendations for geographic positioning of the portable electronic device while using the application.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the diagnostics server further sends an acknowledgement message to the portable electronic device acknowledging the plurality of service problems on the portable electronic device.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of service problems is associated with an application executing on the portable electronic device.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the diagnostics server analyzing data about the positioning of the portable electronic device and services in use by the portable electronic device further comprises analyzing data associated with a vendor providing an application.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the diagnostics server relies in part on the operation of the diagnostics software on the portable electronic device to identify the plurality of occurrences of the plurality of service problems.

15. A processor-implemented method for providing customer initiated mobile service diagnostics, comprising:

receiving, by a diagnostics server, a request to self-enroll for diagnostics service from a portable electronic device;

activating, by the diagnostics server, diagnostics software on the portable electronic device providing diagnostics service on the portable electronic device upon the portable electronic device'"'"'s self-enrollment;

identifying, by a diagnostics server, a plurality of occurrences of a plurality of service problems experienced by a portable electronic device;

sending, by the diagnostics server, a confirmation message to the portable electronic device confirming the plurality of service problems in response to identifying the plurality of occurrences of the plurality of service problems;

identifying, by the diagnostics server, services in use by the portable electronic device at the time of the plurality of occurrences of the plurality of service problems;

identifying, by the diagnostics server, the location of the portable electronic device at the time of the plurality of occurrences of the plurality of service problems;

analyzing, by the diagnostics server, the data about the location and the services in use by the portable electronic device and network conditions at the time of the plurality of service problems to identify one or more root causes of the plurality of service problems, wherein the data comprises voice and data communications activity and operating conditions that are monitored over time during times of normal operation of the portable electronic device and when the plurality of service problems occur,

determining, by the diagnostics server, the one or more root causes of the plurality of service problems based on at least one of the services in use by the portable device or the location of the portable electronic device;

identifying, by the diagnostics server, a vendor of electronic services associated with the one or more root causes in response to the determination of the one or more root causes; and

sending, by the diagnostics server, an informative message to the portable electronic device providing information about the one or more root causes of the plurality of service problems.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the diagnostics server relies in part on the operation of the diagnostics software on the portable electronic device to identify the plurality of occurrences of the plurality of service problems.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein identifying the services in use by the portable electronic device at the time of the plurality of service problems enables the identifying of the vendor associated with the one or more root causes of the plurality of service problems.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the portable electronic device is one of a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or a media player.