Information handling system physical component maintenance through near field communication device interaction

• US 9,198,060 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2013
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Terwilliger, Kevin D., Ozias, Orin M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hsieh, Ping
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yang, James
• Application Number:
  US13/754,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20140213177A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,028 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition

Abstract

Information handling system maintenance is aided by sending maintenance codes with a management processor of the information handling system to a mobile telephone with a NFC communication. The maintenance code and an identifier of the information handling system are provided to an administrative station to confirm that the proper maintenance is taking place at the proper system before the maintenance is authorized.

Claims

1. An information handling system comprising:

a chassis;

a processor included in the chassis and operable to execute instructions to process information;

memory included in the chassis and interfaced with the processor, the memory operable to store the instructions and information;

a management controller included in the chassis and operable to perform management functions associated with components disposed in the chassis;

a visual indicator disposed at the chassis and interfaced with the management controller to indicate a status of one or more components determined by a management function;

a network interface device interfaced with the processor and the management controller, the network interface device operable to communicate information with a local area network;

a near field communications (NFC) device interfaced with the management controller and operable to communicate with an external NFC device;

a maintenance module interfaced with the management controller, the maintenance module operable to receive a request communicated to the NFC device from an external NFC device for a maintenance code associated with the visual indicator and, in response to the request, to send the maintenance code from the NFC device to the external NFC device with a NFC communication;

a maintenance tool stored in memory of a portable information handling system having the external NFC device and operable to send the request for the maintenance code with an NFC communication, receive the maintenance code with the NFC communication, and determine a component fault associated with the maintenance code;

a display integrated with the portable information handling system and interfaced with the maintenance tool, the display operable to present the component fault;

a lock retaining the chassis in a closed position and wherein the maintenance module is further operable to release the lock in response to a NFC communication sent from the maintenance tool, the maintenance tool including a key with the NFC communication, the key provided to the maintenance tool through a local area network communication from an administrative tool upon confirmation of the component failure;

wherein the component comprise a storage device; and

wherein the maintenance tool presents the component fault by presenting an image that depicts the position in the chassis of the storage device having the fault.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the component comprises a processing component operable to execute firmware and the maintenance tool is further operable to command the maintenance module to initiate an update of the firmware by sending the command as a NFC communication to the NFC device.

3. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the storage device includes a NFC device operable to communicate maintenance information of the storage device directly to the external NFC device in response to a request by the maintenance tool.

4. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the maintenance module is further operable to send configuration information of a failed component associated with the visual indicator through an NFC communication to the external NFC device.

5. The information handling system of claim 4 further comprising:

a portable information handling system having the external NFC device; and

a maintenance tool running on the portable information handling system and operable to store the configuration information and communicate the configuration information to a replacement component of the failed component.