System and method for proactive management of an information handling system with in-situ measurement of end user actions

• US 8,726,095 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2010
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Vichare, Nikhil M., Petropoulos, Takis
• Primary Examiner(s): TRUONG, LOAN
• Application Number:
  US12/958,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20120144242A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: 714/44, 714/47.1, 714/47.2
• US Class Current: 714/44
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0751 Error or fault detection not based on redundancy power supply failures G06F1/30; network fault management H04L41/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/076 by exceeding a count or rate limit, e.g. word- or bit count limit
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0766 Error or fault reporting or storing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3409 for performance assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3438 monitoring of user actions tracking the activity of the user H04L67/535

Abstract

Dissatisfaction variables track inputs made by an end user at an information handling system that are associated with end user dissatisfaction regarding the operation of the information handling system, such as corrective actions, so that an alert issues if a dissatisfaction variable changes by a predetermined amount over a predetermined time period. Dissatisfaction variables identify a pattern of a change in behavior by an end user rather than the operational status of system components. For example, an increase in end user forced shutdowns of the information handling system indicates end user dissatisfaction with the information handling system, such as repeated freezes of the operating system so that performing a timely diagnostics will improve end user satisfaction and proactively correct and impending system failure.

Claims

1. An information handling system comprising:

a housing;

processing components disposed in the housing and operable to process information;

plural input devices interfaced with the processing components, each input device operable to detect one or more end user inputs;

a monitoring agent disposed in the housing and operable to track one or more predetermined of the end user inputs as one or more dissatisfaction variables, each dissatisfaction variable associated with a corrective action made by an end user input; and

a reporting agent interfaced with the monitoring agent and operable to report an alert for proactive diagnostics of the information handling system in response to detection of a change over a predetermined time period of the one or more dissatisfaction variables from a predetermined baseline by a predetermined amount;

wherein the dissatisfaction variable comprises restarts of the information handling system initiated through the operating system.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the dissatisfaction variable comprises shutdowns of the information handling system through the operating system.

3. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the dissatisfaction variable comprises forced shutdowns of the information handling system.

4. The information handling system of claim 3 wherein the forced shutdown comprises pressing and holding a power switch of the information handling system.

5. The information handling system of claim 3 wherein the forced shutdown comprises removal of a battery from the housing.

6. The information handling system of claim 3 wherein the forced shutdown comprises removal of an external power source from the information handling system.

7. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the dissatisfaction variable comprises turning a wireless network transceiver off and on.

8. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the reporting agent is further operable to formulate a baseline by monitoring the dissatisfaction variable for a predetermined time and assess the change from the baseline.

9. A method for managing operation of an information handling system, the method comprising:

monitoring an end user input at the information handling system over a predetermined time to define a baseline number for the end user input over a predetermined time period;

detecting an increase of the end user input at the information handling system over the predetermined time period; and

issuing a dissatisfaction alert for the information handling system;

wherein the end user input comprises a forced power down.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the forced power down comprises pressing and holding a power button to command a power down.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the forced power down comprises removal of power from the information handling system.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the end user input comprises removing a component from the information handling system and replacing the same component in the information handling system.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the end user input comprises powering a display of the information handling system down and then up within a predetermined time.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising increasing the number of dissatisfaction variables monitored at the information handling system in response to the alert.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising responding to the dissatisfaction alert with a diagnostics associated with the end user input.

16. A system for managing operation of an information handling system, the system comprising:

a monitoring agent operable to track an end user input at the information handling system, the end user input associated with a corrective action made by an end user to correct improper operation of the information handling system; and

a reporting agent interfaced with the monitoring agent and operable to report an alert for the information handling system in response to detection of a change over a predetermined time period of the number of incidents of the end user input at the information handling systems;

wherein the corrective action made by an end user comprises a forced power down of the information handling system.

17. The system of claim 16 further comprising a diagnostics agent interfaced with the reporting agent and operable to initiate diagnostic at the information handling system in response to the alert.

18. An information handling system comprising:

a housing;

processing components disposed in the housing and operable to process information;

plural input devices interfaced with the processing components, each input device operable to detect one or more end user inputs;

a monitoring agent disposed in the housing and operable to track one or more predetermined of the end user inputs as one or more dissatisfaction variables, each dissatisfaction variable associated with a corrective action made by an end user input; and

a reporting agent interfaced with the monitoring agent and operable to report an alert for proactive diagnostics of the information handling system in response to detection of a change over a predetermined time period of the one or more dissatisfaction variables from a predetermined baseline by a predetermined amount;

wherein the dissatisfaction variable comprises shutdowns of the information handling system through the operating system.

19. An information handling system comprising:

a housing;

processing components disposed in the housing and operable to process information;

plural input devices interfaced with the processing components, each input device operable to detect one or more end user inputs;

a monitoring agent disposed in the housing and operable to track one or more predetermined of the end user inputs as one or more dissatisfaction variables, each dissatisfaction variable associated with a corrective action made by an end user input; and

a reporting agent interfaced with the monitoring agent and operable to report an alert for proactive diagnostics of the information handling system in response to detection of a change over a predetermined time period of the one or more dissatisfaction variables from a predetermined baseline by a predetermined amount;

wherein the dissatisfaction variable comprises forced shutdowns of the information handling system.

20. The information handling system of claim 19 wherein the forced shutdown comprises pressing and holding a power switch of the information handling system.

21. The information handling system of claim 19 wherein the forced shutdown comprises removal of a battery from the housing.

22. The information handling system of claim 19 wherein the forced shutdown comprises removal of an external power source from the information handling system.

23. An information handling system comprising:

a housing;

processing components disposed in the housing and operable to process information;

plural input devices interfaced with the processing components, each input device operable to detect one or more end user inputs;

a monitoring agent disposed in the housing and operable to track one or more predetermined of the end user inputs as one or more dissatisfaction variables, each dissatisfaction variable associated with a corrective action made by an end user input; and

a reporting agent interfaced with the monitoring agent and operable to report an alert for proactive diagnostics of the information handling system in response to detection of a change over a predetermined time period of the one or more dissatisfaction variables from a predetermined baseline by a predetermined amount;

wherein the dissatisfaction variable comprises turning a wireless network transceiver off and on.

24. A method for managing operation of an information handling system, the method comprising:

monitoring an end user input at the information handling system over a predetermined time to define a baseline number for the end user input over a predetermined time period;

detecting an increase of the end user input at the information handling system over the predetermined time period; and

issuing a dissatisfaction alert for the information handling system;

wherein the end user input comprises removing a component from the information handling system and replacing the same component in the information handling system.

25. A method for managing operation of an information handling system, the method comprising:

monitoring an end user input at the information handling system over a predetermined time to define a baseline number for the end user input over a predetermined time period;

detecting an increase of the end user input at the information handling system over the predetermined time period; and

issuing a dissatisfaction alert for the information handling system;

wherein the end user input comprises powering a display of the information handling system down and then up within a predetermined time.