Methods for determining localized outages and distributed signal verification of set-top boxes

A server comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory that stores computer-readable program instructions that, upon execution by the processor, cause the server to facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
• receiving signal-reception-related information provided by a plurality of set-top boxes, wherein one or more set-top boxes of the plurality of set-top boxes are located in a particular geographical region, wherein the signal-reception-related information for a particular set-top box of the plurality of set-top boxes comprises location information;
• determining whether the particular set-top box is located in the particular geographical region based on the location information;
• after determining that the particular set-top box is located in the particular geographical region:
• determining whether the particular set-top box is undergoing an outage based on the signal-reception-related information for the particular set-top box, and
• in response to determining that the particular set-top box is undergoing an outage, incrementing a number of down set-top boxes in the particular geographical region;
• determining an outage status for the particular geographical region, wherein the outage status is based on the number of down set-top boxes in the particular geographical region;
• and
• determining an enhanced testing rate for receiving the signal-reception-related information for the particular geographical region, wherein the enhanced testing rate is determined based on the outage status for the particular geographical region;
• wherein the enhanced testing rate is more frequent than a standard testing rate for receiving other signal-reception-related information for another geographical region in which one or more of the set-top boxes of the plurality of set-top boxes is located.

A computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable program instructions that, upon execution by a processing system including a processor, cause the processing system to facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:

• receiving signal-reception-related information provided by a plurality of set-top boxes, wherein one or more set-top boxes of the plurality of set-top boxes are located in a particular geographical region, and wherein the signal-reception-related information for a particular set-top box of the plurality of set-top boxes comprises location information;
• determining whether the particular set-top box is located in the particular geographical region based on the location information;
• after determining that the particular set-top box is located in the particular geographical region:
• determining whether the particular set-top box is undergoing an outage based on the signal-reception-related information for the particular set-top box, and
• in response to determining that the particular set-top box is undergoing an outage, incrementing a number of down set-top boxes in the particular geographical region;
• determining an outage status for the particular geographical region, wherein the outage status is based on the number of down set-top boxes in the particular geographical region;
• and
• determining a reduced testing rate for receiving the signal-reception-related information for the particular geographical region, wherein the reduced testing rate is determined based on the outage status for the particular geographical region;
• wherein the reduced testing rate is less frequent than a standard testing rate for receiving other signal-reception-related information for another geographical region in which one or more of the set-top boxes of the plurality of set-top boxes is located.