# US 8,782,730 B2 · User assistance via customer premises equipment media files > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,782,730 B2 - Document ID: US8782730B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/964,540 - Filed: 2010-12-09 - Published: 2012-06-14 - Granted: 2014-07-15 - Earliest claimed: 2010-12-09 - Assignees: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. - Applicants: Shiv Kumar; Paritosh Bajpay; John Michael Donovan; Narendra Ravi - Inventors: Shiv Kumar; Paritosh Bajpay; John Michael Donovan; Narendra Ravi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8782730B2 ## CPC - H04N 21/6547: comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup - H04N 17/004: {for digital television systems} - H04N 17/04: for receivers - H04N 21/23614: {Multiplexing of additional data and video streams (arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28)} - H04N 21/478: Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application - H04N 21/6582: {Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number (arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38)} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A particular customer premises equipment (CPE) device includes a display interface, a processor, and a memory accessible to the processor. The memory includes a plurality of media files that include user assistance information. The memory also includes instructions executable by the processor to access a media file of the plurality of media files and, in response to a user request for assistance, send content of the media file to a display device via a display interface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: a display interface; a processor; and a memory of a customer premises equipment device, wherein the memory comprises: instructions executable by the processor; and a plurality of media files comprising user assistance information, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to perform operations including: accessing a particular media file of the plurality of media files; sending content of the particular media file to a display device via the display interface in response to a user request to tune to a troubleshooting television channel, wherein the particular media file indicates a set of troubleshooting steps; performing a diagnostic test in response to the user request to tune to the troubleshooting television channel; and storing, at the memory of the customer premises equipment device, a log associated with the user request for assistance, wherein the log includes a first subset of troubleshooting steps performed at the customer premises equipment device and a second subset of troubleshooting steps not performed at the customer premises equipment device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the customer premises equipment device is one of a set-top box device, a residential gateway, and a micro-cell device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operations further include accessing subscriber account information in response to the user request to tune to the troubleshooting television channel and sending to the display interface a message based on the subscriber account information. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operations further include sending the log to a service provider. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the operations further include receiving an updated user assistance media file from the service provider, wherein the updated user assistance media file is selected based on the log and information logged at other customer premises equipment devices associated with the service provider. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user request to tune to the troubleshooting television channel is received at the customer premises equipment device from a remote control device, a voice entry, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the media files comprise a video demonstrating power cycling the customer premises equipment device, checking a connection between the customer premises equipment device and a residential gateway coupled to the customer premises equipment device, checking a connection between the residential gateway and another network device, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the particular media file is selected based on the diagnostic test performed at the customer premises equipment device in response to the user request to tune to the troubleshooting television channel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic test comprises: testing a picture quality of an output signal of the customer premises equipment device by displaying a video clip and prompting a user of the customer premises equipment device for input regarding an observed problem, testing a connectivity between the customer premises equipment device and another customer premises equipment device, testing a connectivity between the customer premises equipment device and an internet protocol television network, testing a wireless connectivity associated with the customer premises equipment device, testing a local area network connectivity associated with the customer premises equipment device, testing a synchronization between audio data and video data, testing a telephone audio quality, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an audio processor, wherein the media files further comprise a benchmark audio file and wherein the diagnostic test comprises playing the benchmark audio file over a phone circuit and determining audio characteristics of the played benchmark audio file at the audio processor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the media files further comprise a benchmark video file and wherein performing the diagnostic test includes testing synchronization between video data of a program played at the customer premises equipment device and audio data of the program by: playing the benchmark video file; monitoring channel buffers for audio and video position markers that are embedded in the played benchmark video file; and matching an audio position marker to a video position marker. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic test comprises sending a video clip to the display interface and prompting a user of the customer premises equipment device for input regarding an observed problem. ### Claim 13 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the updated user assistance media files are selected in response to a problem being identified as a frequently occurring problem, wherein the updated user assistance media files are received independently of whether a user associated with the customer premises equipment device requests assistance with the problem. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise periodically sending logs to a service provider via a push mechanism or a pull mechanism. ### Claim 15 A method, comprising: at a customer premises equipment device that stores a plurality of user assistance media files: receiving a user request to tune to a troubleshooting television channel information; accessing a particular user assistance media file in response to the user request to tune to the troubleshooting television channel, wherein the particular user assistance media file indicates a set of troubleshooting steps; sending content of the particular user assistance media file to a display device; performing a diagnostic test in response to the user request to tune to the troubleshooting television channel; storing, at the customer premises equipment device, a log associated with the user request, wherein the log includes a first subset of troubleshooting steps performed at the customer premises equipment device and a second subset of troubleshooting steps not performed at the customer premises equipment device; sending the log to a content server; and receiving at the customer premises equipment device from the content server an updated media file in response to a problem being identified as a frequently occurring problem, wherein the updated media file is received independently of whether a user associated with the customer premises equipment device requests assistance with the problem. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the log indicates results of the diagnostic test, the method further comprising: transmitting the log information to a customer assistant agent associated with a customer service provider; and sending content of the updated media file to the display device. ### Claim 17 A processor-readable storage device comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations including: at a set-top box device that stores a plurality of user assistance media files, receiving a user request to tune to a troubleshooting television channel; accessing a particular user assistance media file in response to the user request to tune to the troubleshooting television channel, wherein the particular user assistance media file indicates a set of troubleshooting steps; sending content of the particular user assistance media file to a display device; performing a diagnostic test at the set-top box device in response to the user request to tune to the troubleshooting television channel; storing log information at the set-top box, wherein the log information includes results of the diagnostic test and wherein the log information includes a first subset of troubleshooting steps performed at the set-top box and a second subset of troubleshooting steps not performed at the set-top box; transmitting the log information to a customer service agent associated with a service provider; receiving an updated user assistance media file from the service provider; and sending content of the updated user assistance media file to the display device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The processor-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the operations further include: accessing subscriber account information; and transmitting a message based on the subscriber account information to the display device.