Error detection/correction and fault detection/recovery – Data processing system error or fault handling – Reliability and availability
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-15
2001-07-10
Lee, Thomas (Department: 2182)
Error detection/correction and fault detection/recovery
Data processing system error or fault handling
Reliability and availability
C713S002000, C714S037000, C714S046000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06260160
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to systems and methods for remote troubleshooting of computer system malfunctions and, more specifically, the invention relates to remote diagnosis of compatibility conflicts associated with peripheral devices connected to a computer system.
BACKGROUND OF THE RELATED ARTS
Providing technical product support for a computer often involves dispatching a technical support engineer to a site to perform a set of diagnostic routines to attempt to isolate a source of a malfunction. Having the customer support engineer on-site to diagnose the malfunction provides the benefit of allowing the engineer to have direct access to the computer system, including the computer and any associated peripheral devices. The expertise of the engineer is fully realized because the engineer does not have to rely on a customer to perform diagnostic routines and relay the results of the routines. However, the expense of having a support engineer travel to the customer's premises to perform the diagnostic evaluation is considerable. Furthermore, the engineer is likely removed from valuable diagnostic resources, including on-line information, repair manuals, and other technical support staff.
Alternatively, remote diagnosis can be performed remotely over the telephone by having the support engineer ask the customer questions about the malfunction and having the customer perform certain diagnostic functions on the computer and relay the results back to the engineer. This form of remote diagnosis relies heavily on the competence and interest of the customer. Often, the preliminary information required to begin the diagnosis is difficult to ascertain if the customer is unfamiliar with the operation of the computer system.
A partial solution to the above-described problems is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,455,933 to Schieve et al., which describes a method for remote diagnosis of personal computers. The method includes establishing a connection to a remote device over a modem, transmitting a menu of options comprising diagnostic routines, receiving a selection of a set of diagnostic routines to be executed by a local computer, and transmitting the results back to the remote site. An independent diagnostic operating system, which is independent of the primary operating system of the computer, is employed by the local computer to establish the remote connection, to execute the diagnostic routines, and to generate the signals used in communicating with the remote site. The method is particularly suited for remote diagnoses of malfunctions associated with booting failures, because the independent diagnostic operating system is capable of functioning in the absence of a properly functioning primary operating system. However, the method is not effective for diagnosing malfunctions associated with the operation of the computer while the primary operating system is functioning.
Other methods and systems allow remote access to a local computer during the operation of the primary operating system via, for instance, a modem to troubleshoot the local computer. A remote computer is able to operate the local computer by interacting with an operating system and/or application(s) on the local computer. The operating system of the local computer transmits signals over the modem in response to the commands. The transmitted signals contain data formatted for display on a remote monitor connected to the remote computer. The remote computer is equipped with monitor driver software which enables display of the transmitted data on the remote monitor. Moreover, the transmitted data is in a format utilized by access software employed by the remote device.
The remote access system is effective for detecting, for example, bugs in an application run on the local computer. Because the remote device utilizes its own drivers to enable display of data on the remote monitor, the remote access system is unable, among other things, to detect malfunctions associated with the local peripheral devices associated with the local computer. A need remains for a remote troubleshooting system which enables remote diagnoses of computer malfunctions associated with peripheral devices connected to a local computer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A system and method for remotely troubleshooting a computer system including a local computer connected to an array of local peripheral devices at a local site include capturing signaling information directed to the local peripheral devices from the local computer and transmitting the captured signaling information to a remote troubleshooting site having a corresponding array of remote peripheral devices. The captured signaling information is formatted for processing by the local peripheral devices at the point of capture in accordance with specifications provided by driver software run on the local computer. Each local peripheral device corresponds to a remote peripheral device having substantially identical functional and signaling capabilities. The remote troubleshooting site is configured to cause the local computer to generate commands which are intercepted and transmitted to the remote peripheral devices and is further configured to monitor the array of remote peripheral devices in order to diagnose a malfunction in the local computer system.
The local computer system includes a transceiver adapted for transmitting and receiving peripheral device signaling information. In a preferred embodiment, the transceiver relays signaling information received from the remote site, which includes a request to the computer to transmit a command to one of the peripheral devices to execute a specified task. The request is relayed to the computer by the transceiver in a signaling format which is substantially identical to the format utilized by a local data entry device, such as a mouse or a keyboard, to transmit such a request. From the perspective of the computer, the request appears to have been locally generated. For instance, the request might include a print job request from a particular application. The request may be relayed by the transceiver to the local computer via a conventional keyboard input/output I/O port of the computer.
A signal intercepting device is configured to capture signaling information directed from the computer to one of an array of peripheral devices. In a preferred embodiment, the intercepting device is adapted to selectively intercept signaling information directed to particular local peripheral devices of the array. Alternatively the intercepting device is configured for bi-modal operation, wherein either signaling information for the entire array is intercepted or none of the signaling information is intercepted. The signaling information has already been formatted for processing by the local peripheral device to which it is directed at the point of interception, whereupon it can be transmitted via an output of the transceiver.
The transceiver output is configured to transmit the intercepted signaling information to the remote site. In one embodiment, the transceiver includes a modem functionality to enable receipt and transmission of the captured signaling information over a telephone network. Alternatively, the transceiver is configured to transmit and receive signaling information to the remote site over a data network, such as a local area network (LAN).
A modem is located at the remote site, if the signaling information is transmitted over a telephone network. The modem converts the signaling information to its original format upon capture. The captured signaling information is then transmitted to the appropriate remote peripheral device, and the peripheral device is monitored to determine the cause of the malfunction.
An example of a simple operation of the system might include utilizing a remote keyboard at the remote site to enter a request for a print job in a spreadsheet application running on the local computer. The transceiver input receives the request and relays it to the local computer. The computer transmits a print command to a
Beyda William Joseph
Shaffer Shmuel
Lee Thomas
Nguyen Nguyen
Siemens Information and Communication Networks Inc.
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