Remote Embedded Device Service via Intermediary Software
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Solution Overview
Problem
Embedded devices often require on-site interaction for detailed diagnosis and repair due to their inscrutable nature, limiting remote access to rudimentary interactions and preventing effective participation of local personnel in diagnostic or troubleshooting efforts.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus enabling remote servicing of embedded systems through a service program running on a local system, allowing detailed diagnostic interaction between the embedded device and a remote system via network access, with interactive display screens for operator input and feedback at both locations, and employing authentication systems to prevent unauthorized use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If embedded devices provide extensive operator interface for detailed diagnosis, then diagnostic capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a service program as an intermediary layer between the embedded device and the operator. This service program runs on the embedded device and provides diagnostic capabilities through a standardized interface, allowing detailed diagnosis without requiring the embedded device itself to be complex. The service program acts as a mediator that translates internal device operations into observable diagnostic information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the embedded device's internal state through the service program. Instead of requiring direct access to complex internal workings, the service program generates diagnostic information that replicates the essential operational state, allowing technicians to diagnose issues remotely without physically interacting with the complex embedded system.
2Ease of operation
If embedded devices provide remote access for servicing, then ease of operation is improved, but diagnostic capability deteriorates due to limited access
Solution Approach 1:
The service program is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a remote access interface and as a comprehensive diagnostic tool. It provides both the ease of remote operation and the deep diagnostic capability by integrating multiple functions into a single service program that can handle various diagnostic tasks through a unified interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a new dimension to remote access by implementing a service program that operates at the software level, transforming the one-dimensional remote control capability into a multi-dimensional diagnostic interface. This service program layer adds depth to remote access, enabling technicians to probe internal device states, retrieve logs, and perform complex diagnostics remotely without physical presence.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If technicians visit embedded device location for detailed diagnosis, then diagnostic capability is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The embedded device with the service program enables self-diagnosis capabilities. The device can autonomously collect diagnostic information, log operational data, and present this information remotely through the service program interface. This self-service approach allows the device to prepare diagnostic data in advance, eliminating the need for technicians to physically visit and spend time on-site for data collection.
Solution Approach 2:
The service program performs preliminary diagnostic actions automatically, collecting and organizing diagnostic information before a technician needs it. By pre-gathering operational logs, error codes, and system state information, the service program reduces the time technicians would otherwise spend on-site collecting this data, allowing them to arrive prepared or even diagnose issues remotely without physical presence.
Data Source
AI summary
A service system permits remote personnel to service a local embedded device. In an exemplary application, the device being diagnosed communicates with a local computer system that interfaces to a remote computer system via, for example, the Internet. A service program may be downloaded to the local computer system that enables diagnostic interaction with the device by the remote computer system. In some instances, the device is automatically queried for model number and/or other identifying information such that the service program is matched to the particular device being diagnosed. In other embodiments, a local user might, for example, visit a designated Web page, enter identifying information, and the appropriate diagnostic program, such as a JAVA applet, downloads to the local system. The downloaded applet may be used by the remote computer system to, for example, query the device, control its operation, re-program it, receive real-time operational data, etc.