Diagnostics And Monitoring Services In A Mobile Network For A Mobile Device

• US 20070207800A1
• Filed: 02/20/2007
• Published: 09/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Rao, Bindu, Daley, Robert, Shah, Deven, Chan, Karen
• Application Number:
  US11/676,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20070207800A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/425
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/085 Retrieval of network configuration; Tracking network configuration history
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

The present invention makes it possible to obtain debug- and other diagnostic information from mobile electronic devices in a system operator network. A Log Management object provides support for logging diagnostic data. A log file is employed to collect information on various device features for which tracing or debugging is turned on in a mobile electronic device such as, for example, a mobile handset, cellular phone, a personal digital assistant, a pager and a personal computer. It is also used to selectively collect information on specific events that are monitored, device specific data being collected, and network performance data, among other items. The diagnostic agent in the mobile device is a client side application that may run on the mobile device when required, or continuously as a monitoring application, and which manages and collects tracing information wirelessly to a server using a cellular data network. A diagnostic client may also be downloaded and executed to collect diagnostic data from applications, for example. Traps may also be set and data collected from them. The Log file may be retrieved from the server side in pull or push mode.

Claims

1. A handheld electronic device comprising:

at least one non-volatile memory having stored therein one or both of firmware and software;

at least one processor operably coupled to the non-volatile memory, wherein the at least one processor, during operation, at least;

wirelessly receives, from a remote server via a communication network, configuration information for controlling one or more of diagnostic, monitoring and tracing activities in the handheld electronic device, the configuration information communicated according to a device management protocol standard;

stores the configuration information as a sub-node of a standards-defined device management object in a device management tree in the non-volatile memory;

logs information comprising one or both of events and operating parameters of the handheld electronic device based upon the configuration information for controlling one or more of diagnostic, monitoring and tracing activities in the handheld electronic device; and

transfers the logged information to a remote server via a communication medium.

2. The handheld electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the handheld electronic device comprises one of a mobile handset and a cellular phone.

3. The handheld electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the handheld electronic device comprises one of a personal digital assistant and a personal computer.

4. The handheld electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the received configuration information is expressed as extensible markup language (XML).

5. The handheld electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the configuration information is stored as a sub-node or part of a device management object defined in the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) Device Management (DM) Version 1.2 or later protocol specification.

6. The handheld electronic device according to claim 1, wherein storing the configuration information comprises adding an application-related sub-node to a standards-defined device management object in the device management tree.

7. The handheld electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the non-volatile memory comprises flash type memory.

8. The handheld electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the communication medium comprises the communication network.

9. The handheld electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the communication medium comprises a universal serial bus (USB) communication connection.

10. The handheld electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the communication medium comprises a non-volatile memory card known as a Secure Digital (SD) card.

11. The handheld electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the communication network comprises a public communication network.

12. The handheld electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the configuration information is accessible using an Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) UAProf based device profile.

13. The handheld electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the logged information is accessible as a sub-node of a standards-defined device management object in a device management tree.

14. The handheld electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the management object set or modified by storing configuration information is initially set by a manufacturer of the handheld electronic device.

15. A computer-readable storage comprising a plurality of code sections for operating a handheld electronic device in a device management network, the plurality of code sections having stored therein instruction code executable by a processor for causing the processor to perform a method comprising:

wirelessly receiving, via the device management network, configuration information for controlling one or more of diagnostic, monitoring and tracing activities in the handheld electronic device, the configuration information encoded to be compatible with a device management protocol standard;

storing the configuration information in a non-standard sub-node of a standards-defined device management object of a device management tree in non-volatile memory of the handheld electronic device;

logging information comprising one or both of events and operating parameters of the handheld electronic device based upon the configuration information for controlling one or more of diagnostic, monitoring and tracing activities in the handheld electronic device; and

transferring the logged information to a remote server via a communication medium.

16. The computer-readable storage according to claim 15, wherein the code sections further comprise instruction code executable by the processor for causing the processor to:

wirelessly receive information for updating instruction code in the computer-readable storage to update functionality of the handheld electronic device.

17. The computer-readable storage according to claim 15, wherein the handheld electronic device comprises one of a mobile handset and a cellular phone.

18. The computer-readable storage according to claim 15, wherein the handheld electronic device comprises one of a personal digital assistant and a personal computer.

19. The computer-readable storage according to claim 15, wherein the received configuration information is communicated as extensible markup language (XML).

20. The computer-readable storage according to claim 15, wherein the device management protocol standard is the device management protocol referred to as the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) Device Management (DM) Version 1.2 or later protocol.

21. The computer-readable storage according to claim 15, wherein the non-volatile memory comprises flash type memory.

22. The computer-readable storage according to claim 15, wherein storing the configuration information comprises adding an application-related sub-node to a standards-defined device management object in the device management tree.

23. The computer-readable storage according to claim 15, wherein the code sections further comprise instruction code executable by the processor for causing the processor to:

wirelessly download update information used to update the one or both of firmware and software.

24. The computer-readable storage according to claim 15, wherein the communication medium comprises the communication network.

25. The computer-readable storage according to claim 15, wherein the communication medium comprises a universal serial bus (USB) communication connection.

26. The computer-readable storage according to claim 15, wherein the communication medium comprises a non-volatile memory card known as a Secure Digital (SD) card.

27. The computer-readable storage according to claim 15, wherein the device management network comprises a public communication network.

28. The computer-readable storage according to claim 15, wherein the configuration information is accessible using an Open Mobile Alliance (PMA) UAProf based device profile.

29. The computer-readable storage according to claim 15, wherein storing the configuration information comprises adding one or both of a diagnostic and a tracing-related non-standard sub-node from a standards-defined device management object in the device management tree.

30. The computer-readable storage according to claim 15, wherein the logged information is accessible as a sub-node of a standards-defined device management object in a device management tree.

31. A system for managing diagnosis and tracing of a plurality of handheld electronic devices, the system comprising:

at least one server comprising;

at least one interface enabling communication with the plurality of handheld electronic devices via a wireless communication network;

at least one processor operably coupled to the at least one interface and at least one memory containing configuration information for controlling one or more of diagnostic, monitoring and tracing activities in the plurality of handheld electronic devices and information for updating executable code in the plurality of handheld electronic devices, the at least one processor functioning during operation to, among other things;

receive a request for one or both of diagnostic and tracing functionality for one of the plurality of handheld electronic devices;

store configuration information for controlling one or more of diagnostic, monitoring and tracing activities for the one of the plurality of handheld electronic devices in the at least one memory; and

transmit, to the one of the plurality of handheld electronic devices via the wireless communication network in accordance with a device management protocol standard, the configuration information for controlling one or more of diagnostic, monitoring and tracing activities for the one of the plurality of handheld electronic devices, wherein the transmitted configuration information is arranged to cause updating of a non-standard sub-node of a standards-defined device management object in a device management tree in memory of the one of the plurality of handheld electronic devices.

32. The system according to claim 31, wherein the plurality of handheld electronic devices comprises one of a mobile handset and a cellular phone.

33. The system according to claim 31, wherein the plurality of handheld electronic devices comprises one of a personal digital assistant and a personal computer.

34. The system according to claim 31, wherein transmitted configuration information is communicated as extensible markup language (XML).

35. The system according to claim 31, wherein the device management protocol standard is the device management protocol referred to as the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) Device Management (DM) Version 1.2 or later protocol.

36. The system according to claim 31, wherein the at least one processor functions during operation to, among other things:

receive logged information for one or more of diagnostic, monitoring and tracing activities from the device management tree of the one of the plurality of handheld electronic devices.

37. The system according to claim 31, wherein the at least one processor functions during operation to, among other things:

download update information used to update one or both of firmware and software to the one of the plurality of handheld electronic devices.

38. The system according to claim 31, wherein the communication network comprises a public communication network.

39. The system according to claim 31, wherein the device capability information is arranged according to an Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) UAProf based device profile.

40. The system according to claim 31, wherein the transmitted configuration information is arranged to cause adding of a non-standard sub-node of a standards-defined device management object in the device management tree in memory of the one of the plurality of handheld electronic devices.

41. A handheld electronic device comprising:

at least one memory having stored therein one or both of firmware and software;

wherein changes in functionality of the handheld electronic device are enabled by remotely updating the one or both of firmware and software; and

wherein one or more of diagnostic, monitoring and tracing activities in the handheld device is enabled by remotely provisioning configuration information for controlling one or more of diagnostic, monitoring and tracing activities as additional management objects in a standards-defined device management tree.

42. The handheld electronic device according to claim 41, wherein the handheld electronic device comprises a cellular phone.

43. The handheld electronic device according to claim 41, wherein the device management tree is in accordance with a device management protocol referred to as the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) Device Management (DM) Version 1.2 or later protocol.

44. A system for managing one or more of diagnostic, monitoring and tracing activities in mobile electronic devices, the system comprising:

at least one server communicatively coupled to at least one mobile electronic device, wherein configuration information resident in memory in the at least one mobile electronic device acts to control the one or more of diagnostic, monitoring and tracing activities of the at least one mobile electronic device, and wherein the configuration information is initially provisioned and subsequently managed using management objects based on a device management protocol referred to as the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) Device Management (DM) Version 1.2 or later protocol standard.

45. The system according to claim 44, wherein the at least one mobile electronic device comprises a cellular phone.

46. The system according to claim 44, wherein the initial provisioning of configuration information in the at least one mobile electronic device is performed by a manufacturer of the at least one mobile electronic device.

47. The system according to claim 44, wherein one or more of diagnostic, monitoring and tracing activities of the at least one mobile device is enhanced by remotely updating, from the at least one server, one or both or firmware and software in the memory of the at least one mobile electronic device, and wherein the enhanced functionality of the at least one mobile electronic device is enabled by new management objects provisioned, by the at least one server, into a device management tree in the memory.