Information Handling System Physical Component Maintenance Through Near Field Communication Device Interaction

• US 20140213177A1
• Filed: 01/30/2013
• Published: 07/31/2014
• 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.
• Granted Patent: US 9,198,060 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• 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 an 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; and

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.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising:

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; and

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

3. The information handling system of claim 2 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.

4. The information handling system of claim 2 wherein the component comprise a storage device.

5. The information handling system of claim 4 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.

6. The information handling system of claim 5 further comprising 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.

7. The information handling system of claim 5 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.

8. 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 a NFC communication to the external NFC device.

9. The information handling system of claim 8 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.

10. A method for maintaining an information handling system, the method comprising:

detecting a component maintenance event at the information handling system;

in response to detecting, presenting a visual indication of the maintenance event at the information handling system and communicating the maintenance event to memory associated with a NFC device at the information handling system; and

reading the maintenance event from the NFC device with a portable information handling system NFC device.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the portable information handling system comprises a mobile telephone.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

in response to reading the maintenance event, presenting the maintenance event at a display of the portable information handling system; and

presenting at the display maintenance actions for addressing the maintenance event.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein:

in response to reading the maintenance event further comprises;

in response to the reading the maintenance event further comprises at the portable information handling system, sending the maintenance event to an administrative network location to obtain maintenance actions; and

presenting at the display maintenance actions further comprises presenting an image of the information handling system, the image including visual directions for performing the maintenance action at a depicted component disposed in the information handling system.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the component maintenance event includes at least a network communication device failure, the method further comprising:

obtaining at the portable information handling system network configuration information associated with the network communication device failure; and

communicating the network configuration information from the portable information handling system NFC device to the information handling system NFC device.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the component maintenance event includes at least a storage device failure, the method further comprising:

retrieving information regarding the maintenance event to the portable information handling system through a local area network; and

applying the information at the portable information handling system to present an image of the location of a failed storage device in the information handling system.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

reading with the portable information handling system NFC device maintenance information from an NFC device of the failed storage device; and

applying the maintenance information at the portable information handling system to confirm compatibility of a replacement storage device.

17. A system for maintaining components of an information handling system, the system comprising:

a visual maintenance indicator disposed at the information handling system and operable to provide a visual indication of a maintenance event detected at the information handling system;

a portable information handling system having a maintenance tool operable to request a maintenance code associated with the maintenance event from the information handling system with a first NFC communication to the information handling system; and

a maintenance module running on the information handling system and operable to respond to the request with the maintenance code communicated to the portable information handling system with a second NFC communication.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the maintenance tool is further operable to:

report the maintenance code to a network location through a local area network interface; and

in response to the report, to receive maintenance information through the local area network interface for presentation at a display of the portable information handling system.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the maintenance information comprises a visual depiction of a component in the information handling system associated with the maintenance event.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the maintenance information comprises configuration information for application to a replacement component, the maintenance tool further operable to communicate the configuration information to the information handling system with a third NFC communication.