System and method for automatic configuration and management of home network devices using a hierarchical index model

Abstract

A system for automatically installing and managing devices in a home network implements automated configuration and maintenance of devices and peripherals. A service platform facilitates automated discovery and deployment of home networks and devices that interact with the network. The system includes a monitoring and learning processes for automatic issue detection and alerting. Activity of users and devices within the home are monitored, usage patterns are learned and applied back to the system to improve the digital performance of the home. This system leverages data center, service node, and agent software in the devices to access a knowledge base storing data regarding home entities. A hierarchical index model is used to assign intelligence levels to these entities based on certain parameters. The indices are used to direct alert messages, take an action, and implement a targeted facility for providing communications from network managers or service providers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of automatically detecting issues and facilitating the transmission of alert messages in a home network consisting of a plurality of consumer electronic devices coupled to a service node, the method comprising:
 storing information regarding home entities in an inventory database, the entities comprising the household, one or more users within the household, devices in the household, applications running on the devices, and a community of which the household is included;   defining usage classes for each entity, the usage classes denoting a primary function associated with an entity, and comprising networking, productivity, and entertainment;   assigning an index value to each usage class for each entity, the index value comprising an integer value within a fixed range, and reflecting a relative level of satisfaction associated with the entity for each respective usage class;   monitoring data regarding usage trends, performance characteristics, and external variables associated with the entities;   modifying one or more of the index values based on the monitored data; and   facilitating the transmission of messages regarding services or products related to the entities of the home from one or more parties, wherein the messages are conformed to index values.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the index values are arranged as an index matrix, and wherein the hierarchical index model comprises a psychological needs model. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the psychological needs model comprises the Maslow hierarchical model. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the external variables comprise market conditions associated with a respective entity. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the parties are selected from the group consisting of: a network administrator, a manufacturer or provider of one or more of the products or services, a retailer of one or more of the products or services, and an independent service provider associated with one or more of the products or services. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the messages comprise targeted solicitations regarding replacement or upgraded products or services. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the messages comprise one of: instructions, bug fixes, diagnostic information, or alert messages for one or more of the products and services. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the household comprises a network of electronic devices compatible with a defined communication protocol, the method comprising:
 executing a discovery routine to discover compatible devices of the plurality of devices in the network; 
 performing a search of devices in a database stored in a data center for devices in the network that are not compatible; 
 loading an agent process into each device of the discovered compatible devices for local execution on the respective device, the agent process communicating with the service to provide operational data relating to the respective device, and wherein the agent provides fail-over for critical communication and service systems of the service node and proxy communication to a data center; 
 storing device parameters of discovered compatible devices in a registry; and 
 determining logical and physical interconnections among the plurality of devices in the network; and 
 generating a network topography comprising the registry data and the logical and physical interconnection data. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein each device of the plurality of devices is coupled to the service node through one of a wired link or a wireless link, and wherein the compatible devices conform to one of the Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) protocol, UDP, TCP-IP, Zero-conf, HTTP, or HTTPS. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the agent process is configured to interact with a control process executed on the service node to allow management of the respective device by the service node, wherein management includes monitoring the respective device, detecting problems, performing device troubleshooting, removing the respective device, and updating the respective device. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising interfacing with at least one service provider, the interface providing the network topology to facilitate servicing of a device based on the network context of the device and the index values of the profile index matrix. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising interfacing the service node to the data center over a network, the data center including at least one server executing an automatic configuration process for provisioning and maintaining the service node, and an operational support software process for maintaining programs executed by the plurality of devices, the data center further comprising a data store configured to store operational data related to the plurality of devices. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus for facilitating management of a home network including consumer devices, comprising:
 a service node including one or more communication links to a plurality of devices deployed in a home environment, wherein each of the plurality of devices executes a respective agent process that provides configuration information regarding the device to the service node, and wherein the configuration information is stored in a device registry;   a data center coupled to the service node and configured to store device parameter information in the device registry, and to generate a network topology representing operational characteristics of the devices and interconnection information among the devices; and   an index generation process configured to
 define one or more entities within the home network and one or more usage classes for each entity, 
 extract data from the network corresponding to usage characteristics, and operational issues associated with the entities, 
 assign an index value to each usage class for each entity based on the extracted data to generate a profile index matrix, 
 obtain market data for at least one of the one or more entities, and 
 modify the index value for the at least one entity based on the market data. 
   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the index value is an integer value representing a relative level of satisfaction of an entity with a respective usage class. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the index matrix implements a hierarchical index model comprising a psychological needs model. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the entities are selected from the group consisting of household, users within the household, devices operated by the users, applications loaded onto the devices, and a community in which the household is located. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the usage classes represent a functionality associated with each entity of the one or more entities and comprise networking, productivity, and entertainment. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 13  further comprising an interface to one or more service providers providing device support information, the interface providing the network topology to facilitate servicing of a device based on the network context of the device and the index matrix, wherein the method further comprises facilitating the transmission of messages regarding services or products related to the entities of the home from one or more service providers, wherein the messages are conformed to index values. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18  wherein the messages are selected from the group consisting of targeted solicitations regarding replacement or upgraded products or services, instructions, bug fixes, diagnostic information, and alert messages for one or more of the products and services. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein at least a portion of the plurality of devices is coupled to the service node through one of a wired connection or a wireless connection, and wherein the interconnection information comprises at least one of physical interconnection information and logical interconnection information. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein each device of the plurality of devices is an active device that is capable of storing and executing software program, and wherein each of the plurality of devices is a consumer electronic device. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21  wherein the data center includes at least one server executing an automatic configuration process for provisioning and maintaining the service node, and an operational support software process for maintaining programs executed by the plurality of devices, the data center further comprising a data store configured to store operational data related to the plurality of devices and the network topology. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22  wherein the management tasks include discovering devices in the network, adding new devices to the network, removing devices from the network, and monitoring the plurality of devices in the network. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 13  further comprising:
 a plurality of device drivers, each device driver configured for integrated operation of a respective device of a plurality of devices within the home; 
 a registry data structure storing operating parameters for each device of the plurality of devices, the registry data structure used to generate a network topology representing operational characteristics of the devices and interconnection information among the devices; 
 a plurality of transmission modules, each transmission module configured to communication with a device of the plurality of devices using a corresponding transmission protocol; 
 a graphical user interface process for controlling the display of device parameters to a user; and 
 a kernel process coordinating processing tasks within the apparatus.