Method and apparatus for enabling auto-ticketing for endpoint devices

• US 8,687,502 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2011
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Croak, Marian, Eslambolchi, Hossein
• Primary Examiner(s): Chung, Hoon J
• Application Number:
  US13/312,783
• Publication Number:
  US 20120076004A1
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 370/221, 370/242, 370/248, 714/2, 714/26, 379/9, 379/9.01, 379/9.03, 379/9.04, 379/221.03, 379/221.04
• US Class Current: 370/242
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0709 in a distributed system consisting of a plurality of standalone computer nodes, e.g. clusters, client-server systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0748 in a remote unit communicating with a single-box computer node experiencing an error/fault remote testing G06F11/2294
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0754 by exceeding limits
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0766 Error or fault reporting or storing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0677 Localisation of faults
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5074 Handling of user complaints or trouble tickets

Abstract

A method and system for transmitting data corresponding to at least one endpoint device problem in a packet communications network is described. Specifically, an endpoint device detects at least one problem that pertains to the endpoint device. The endpoint device then generates data pertaining to the endpoint device problem. Lastly, the endpoint device then transmits the data detailing that endpoint device problem to the packet communications network.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting data corresponding to an endpoint device problem to a packet network, comprising:

generating the data corresponding to the endpoint device problem at an endpoint device, wherein the data comprises a statistic related to the endpoint device problem, wherein the endpoint device problem comprises a problem within the endpoint device that causes the endpoint device to have difficulty communicating with the packet network;

transmitting the data from the endpoint device to the packet network, wherein the data is for diagnosing the endpoint device problem; and

receiving an alarm, generated by a server in the packet network, at the endpoint device associated with a customer when a solution that resolves the endpoint device problem is not found within a predefined period of time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the endpoint device is certified to be capable of accessing a service on the packet network.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving by the endpoint device that has been certified an option to transmit the data to the packet network prior to transmitting the data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises a trouble ticket report.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the solution that resolves the endpoint device problem is found, receiving the solution that resolves the endpoint device problem from the packet network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the packet network is an internet protocol network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the endpoint device comprises an internet protocol endpoint device.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instruction that, when executed by a processor of an endpoint device, cause the processor to perform operations for transmitting data corresponding to an endpoint device problem to a packet network, the operations comprising:

generating the data corresponding to the endpoint device problem at the endpoint device, wherein the data comprises a statistic related to the endpoint device problem, wherein the endpoint device problem comprises a problem within the endpoint device that causes the endpoint device to have difficulty communicating with the packet network;

transmitting the data from the endpoint device to the packet network, wherein the data is for diagnosing the endpoint device problem; and

receiving an alarm, generated by a server in the packet network, at the endpoint device associated with a customer when a solution that resolves the endpoint device problem is not found within a predefined period of time.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the endpoint device is certified to be capable of accessing a service on the packet network.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving by the endpoint device that has been certified an option to transmit the data to the packet network prior to transmitting the data.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the data comprises a trouble ticket report.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, further comprising:

when the solution that resolves the endpoint device problem is found, receiving the solution that resolves the endpoint device problem from the packet network.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the packet network is an internet protocol network.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the endpoint device comprises an internet protocol endpoint device.

15. A method for searching for a solution corresponding to an endpoint device problem in a packet network, comprising:

detecting, by a server in the packet network, the endpoint device problem pertaining to an endpoint device, wherein the endpoint device problem comprises a problem within the endpoint device that causes the endpoint device to have difficulty communicating with the packet network;

receiving, by the server, data corresponding to the endpoint device problem generated by the endpoint device, wherein the data comprises a statistic related to the endpoint device problem, wherein the server diagnoses the endpoint device problem using the data received from the endpoint device;

searching, by the server, for the solution that resolves the endpoint device problem pertaining to the endpoint device; and

transmitting, by the server, an alarm to the endpoint device associated with a customer when the solution that resolves the endpoint device problem fails to be found within a predefined period of time.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the endpoint device is certified to be capable of accessing a service on the packet network.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

providing the endpoint device that has been certified with an option to transmit the data to the packet network prior to receiving the data.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the data comprises a trouble ticket report.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the packet network is an internet protocol network.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the endpoint device comprises an internet protocol endpoint device.