System and method for operator network capable of problem determination and solution deployment

• US 7,809,811 B1
• Filed: 03/09/2006
• Issued: 10/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Rao, Bindu R.
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, DUYEN MY
• Application Number:
  US11/374,481
• Time in Patent Office: 1,671 Days
• Field of Search: 709/221, 709223-225, 714/37, 714/44, 714/46, 717168-178
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/173 using an interconnection network, e.g. matrix, shuffle, pyramid, star, snowflake
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/01 Customer relationship services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0631 using root cause analysis; using analysis of correlation between notifications, alarms or events based on decision criteria, e.g. hierarchy, tree or time analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0883 Semiautomatic configuration, e.g. proposals from system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5064 Customer relationship management

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention may be seen in a network for customer care and distribution of update packages to electronic devices. The network supports efficient manage and update of firmware and software in electronic devices. A provisioning server in the network may employ provisioning means to update configuration, provision devices, and manage devices. The network may comprise an electronic device capable of receiving update packages. The electronic device may comprise an update agent capable of updating the electronic device; a diagnostic client that facilitates remote diagnosis; and a traps client that facilitates setting traps and retrieving collected information.

Claims

1. A mobile network that facilitates solving problems in at least one mobile electronic device in the network, the customer care network comprising:

at least one server comprising one or more circuits, the at least one server operable to receive at least one report of at least one problem experienced by the mobile electronic device;

the at least one server operable to determine the mobile electronic device is in a vicinity of a fixed set of routes, based on the determination of the vicinity a fixed set of routes of the mobile electronic device, the at least one server cause automatic collection for a specific duration of time, by the mobile electronic device while within the particular vicinity of a fixed set of routes, a plurality of measured parameters as raw data related to the at least one problem;

wherein the plurality of measured parameter comprises quality of service parameters, average download time, average number of dropped packages per download and average number of attempts per download;

the at least one server operable to receive the collected plurality of measured parameters, provide the collected plurality of measured parameters as raw data to an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of the mobile electronic device and to diagnose the at least one problem experienced by the mobile electronic device, based upon the collected plurality of measured parameters and analysis from the OEM;

the at least one server provides a temporary solution to the at least one problem using the collected plurality of measured parameters and analysis from the OEM, the temporary solution comprising executable instructions for converting at least one of firmware, software, or a parameter in the mobile electronic device, the temporary solution to be distributed, to the mobile electronic device by the at least one server to fix the at least one problem in the mobile electronic device

the at least one server further uses the analysis from the OEM and the collected plurality of measured parameters associated with at least one problem to create a permanent solution for the at least one problem based on the efficacy of the temporary solution as determined by additional collection of the plurality of measured parameters as raw data, wherein the temporary solution and the permanent solution are different;

the permanent solution is distributed to the mobile electronic device and a plurality of other mobile electronic devices which have not reported the at least one problem, wherein the plurality of other mobile electronic devices are structural similar to the mobile electronic device.

2. The mobile network according to claim 1 further comprising a repository that stores information regarding the at least one problem reported by the mobile electronic device and the temporary solution provided by the at least one server.

3. The mobile network according to claim 1, wherein the at least one server sends to the mobile electronic device a request for data associated with the at least one problem reported by the mobile electronic device.

4. The mobile network according to claim 1, wherein the mobile electronic device comprises at least one of the following:

a mobile handset, a cellular telephone, a pager, a personal computer, and a personal digital assistant (PDA).

5. The mobile network according to claim 1, wherein the at least one problem comprises at least one of the following:

the mobile electronic device being newly added and has not yet been used in the mobile network;

at least one changed network parameter or configuration not yet reflected in the mobile electronic device;

faulty hardware on the mobile electronic device; and

newly released software causing at least one problem in the mobile electronic device.

6. A method for solving problems in at least one mobile electronic device in a mobile network, the mobile electronic device comprising at least one of firmware and software stored in a computer usable medium the method comprising:

performing, at least in part by one or more circuits in on or more servers;

receiving a report regarding at least one problem in the mobile electronic device in the mobile network;

determine the mobile electronic device is in a vicinity of a fixed set of routes, based on the determination of the vicinity a fixed set of routes of the mobile electronic device, the at least one server cause automatic collection for a specific duration of time, by the mobile electronic device while within the particular vicinity of a fixed set of routes, a plurality of measured parameters as raw data related to the at least one problem;

wherein the plurality of measured parameter comprises quality of service parameters, average download time, average number of dropped packages per download and average number of attempts per download;

receiving the collected plurality of measured parameters to the one or more servers;

providing the collected plurality of measured parameters as raw data to an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of the mobile electronic device;

diagnosing the at least one problem based upon the collected plurality of measured parameters and analysis from the OEM;

providing a temporary solution to the at least one problem using the collected plurality of measured parameters and analysis from the OEM, the temporary solution comprising executable instruction for converting the at least one of firmware and software stored in the computer usable medium in the mobile electronic device;

distributing the temporary solution to fix the at least one problem in the mobile electronic device;

providing a second solution to the at least one problem, the second solution comprising executable instructions for converting the least one of firmware and software stored in the computer usable medium in the mobile electronic device;

distributing the second solution to other mobile electronic devices in the mobile network similar to the mobile electronic device, wherein the other mobile electronic devices did not report the at least one problem.

7. The method according to claim 6 further comprising, after receiving the report of the at least one problem, sending to the mobile electronic device a request for data associated with the at least one problem from an analytics engine server.

8. The method according to claim 6 and further comprising providing the second solution for the at least one problem using the data associated with the at least one problem and analysis from the OEM, and wherein the first solution and the second solution are different.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the mobile electronic device comprises at least one of a mobile handset, a cellular telephone, a pager, a personal computer, and a personal digital assistant (PDA).

10. The method according to claim 6, wherein the at least one problem comprises at least one of the following:

the mobile electronic device being newly added and has not yet been used in the network;

at least one changed network parameter or configuration not yet reflected in the mobile electronic device;

faulty hardware on the mobile electronic device; and

newly released software causing at least one problem in the at least one mobile electronic device.

11. A mobile network for conducting device management of at least one mobile electronic device, the mobile network comprising:

a device management (DM) server comprising one or more circuits, the DM server operable for managing the mobile electronic device;

a third party analytics engine server comprising one or more circuits, the third party analytics engine server operable for storing diagnostic information;

wherein the third party analytics engine server receives at least one report of at least one problem experienced by the mobile electronic device;

wherein the third party analytics engine server is operable to;

receiving a report regarding at least one problem in the mobile electronic device in the mobile network;

determine the mobile electronic device is in a vicinity of a fixed set of routes, based on the determination of the vicinity a fixed set of routes of the mobile electronic device, the at least one server cause automatic collection for a specific duration of time, by the mobile electronic device while within the particular vicinity of a fixed set of routes, a plurality of measured parameters as raw data related to the at least one problem;

wherein the plurality of measured parameter comprises quality of service parameters, average download time, average number of dropped packages per download and average number of attempts per download;

receiving the collected plurality of measured parameters to the third party analytic engine server;

providing the collected plurality of measured parameters as raw data to an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of the mobile electronic device;

diagnosing the at least one problem based upon the collected plurality of measured parameters and analysis from the OEM;

providing a temporary solution to the at least one problem using the collected plurality of measured parameters and analysis from the OEM, the temporary solution comprising executable instruction for converting the at least one of firmware and software stored in the computer usable medium in the mobile electronic device;

distributing the temporary solution to fix the at least one problem in the mobile electronic device;

providing a second solution to the at least one problem, the second solution comprising executable instructions for converting the least one of firmware and software stored in the computer usable medium in the mobile electronic device;

distributing the second solution to other mobile electronic devices in the mobile network similar to the mobile electronic device, wherein the other mobile electronic devices did not report the at least one problem.

12. The mobile network according to claim 11, wherein the DM server facilitates the automatic collection of the diagnostic information by the third party analytic engine server from the mobile electronic device.

13. The mobile network according to claim 12, wherein the automatic collection of the diagnostic information by the mobile electronic device is achieved by at least one of the following:

at least one trap, at least one diagnostic condition, and at least one trigger configured in the at least one mobile electronic device.

14. The mobile network according to claim 13, wherein the third party analytic engine server automatically collects the diagnostic information from a plurality of mobile electronic devices in the network, and wherein the automatic collection of diagnostic information by the mobile electronic device is achieved by at least one of the following:

at least one trap, at least one diagnostic condition, and at least one trigger configured in at least of the plurality mobile electronic device.

15. The mobile network according to claim 11, wherein the mobile electronic device comprises one or the following:

a mobile handset, a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant, a pager, and a personal computer.