System, method and article of manufacture to enhance computerized alert system information awareness and facilitate real-time intervention services

An improved system, method and article of manufacture for facilitating computerized alert system information awareness, information presentation consistency and real-time intervention services is hereby disclosed. A transmitting, or monitored system central processing unit communicates alert related information to a second central processing unit. The second, or monitoring system central processing unit validates such alert information, apprises the operator of status modification with respect to all objects monitored, provides for historical, or precipitating event analysis, and facilitates the input of remedial entries by connecting to the monitored system as an operator console with input command authority. The invention additionally provides for the clearing of monitored object status indicators and a return to its intended monitoring function.

REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX
 This application is not referenced in any microfiche appendix.
 TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
 The present invention is directed to an improved system, method and article
 of manufacture for identifying, analyzing and responding to computerized
 alert system messages. More particularly, the present invention is
 directed to an improved system, method and article of manufacture to allow
 for the identification and determination of alert event precipitation
 factors, remedial course(s) of action and the immediate assumption of
 console level authority of those systems generating such messages to
 facilitate real-time problem resolution.
 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 Computerized alert systems are well known throughout the information
 technology sector and are used to monitor a multiplicity of diverse
 hardware and software platform components. Examples of such component
 monitoring include, environmental controls, home alarm systems, mainframe
 computer access authorization(s), database access restrictions,
 application program functionality and critical operating system modules.
 Typically, alert systems are operating system, or platform, specific and
 vary with respect to information presentation format. Consequently, an
 operator responsible for monitoring diverse alert applications would have
 to be familiar with the alert message formatting presentations of each
 system. This is a challenge addressed and greatly simplified by the
 instant invention.
 Lack of message presentation consistency pales, however, when compared to a
 far more pronounced deficiency inherent in today's computerized alert
 system applications. That is, applications represented by the present art,
 at best, simply notify the operator that a "monitored event" has occurred.
 Consequently, today's art proves woefully inadequate in providing adequate
 information to determine "why" an event has occurred, and even more
 importantly, lacks provision to immediately execute input entries to
 remedy a monitored and reported event. These are two deficiencies noted
 and addressed by the instant invention.
 Stated succinctly, a computerized alert system should advise a system
 operator when a monitored event has occurred, provide a vehicle to analyze
 information relevant to the occurrence of that event, and lastly, allow
 the operator to initiate remedial actions to minimize likelihood of
 adverse impact attendant to the monitored event. Today's systems only
 address the first of these three requirements. The present invention, in a
 comprehensive manner, addresses all three.
 BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 The present invention provides an improved system, method and article of
 manufacture for facilitating computerized alert system information
 awareness, information presentation consistency and real-time, remedial
 intervention services.
 A transmitting, or monitored system central processing unit (the term
 "central processing unit" hereafter alternatively referred to as "CPU")
 communicates alert related information to a second CPU. The second, or
 monitoring system CPU, validates such alert information, apprises the
 operator of status modification with respect to monitored objects,
 provides for historical, or precipitating event analysis and facilitates
 the input of remedial entries by connecting to the monitored system as an
 operator console with input command authority.
 An object of the present invention is to provide standardized or uniform
 presentation of information relating to change(s) in the status of a
 monitored object, irrespective of the alert system or computer platform
 from which the status change is reported. The invention satisfies this
 objective by displaying an icon representing the monitored object on a
 video display, otherwise referred to as a computer monitor. A change in
 object status warranting a system operator's attention is accommodated via
 a change in icon color. As an example, the color green would reflect the
 normal or routine operating state of a monitored object. Changing the
 icon's color to red would indicate that immediate attention is required.
 Another objective of the instant invention is to provide sufficient
 information to identify the cause of the monitored object event, or a
 corrective action to be employed whenever such an event occurs. As will be
 disclosed in detail, this objective is met by the invention's emulation of
 a transmitting or monitored system console. Such emulation provides an
 option for the operator to query externally maintained history logs,
 scroll monitored system console screens or execute previously supplied or
 self determined, scripted, manual or otherwise directed corrective
 action(s).
 Though limited function console management, emulation and historical data
 analysis techniques are known to those skilled in the art, the instant
 invention relies upon and employs advanced technology to address and
 satisfy its console management emulation and data analysis requirements.
 For example, such advanced technology is represented and disclosed in U.S.
 Pat. No. 5,689,637, entitled "Console Simulator, Multi-Console Management
 System and Console Management Distribution System", issued to Applicant,
 Nov. 18, 1997, and Applicant's application Ser. No. 08/942,993, filed Oct.
 2, 1997 and entitled "Emulation and Emulated Screen History". Both U.S.
 Pat. No. 5,689,637 and Applicant's application No. 08/942,993 are hereby
 cited and incorporated within the instant application by reference for
 purposes of providing a full, detailed and enabling disclosure.
 It is yet another objective of the instant invention to allow a system
 operator to directly input system entries into the monitored system CPU
 and to remedy those events precipitating the object alert. This objective
 is also addressed and satisfied by allowing the Improved Alert Monitoring
 System (the term "Improved Alert Monitoring System" hereafter
 alternatively referred to as "IAMS") to assume console command authority
 of the monitored system and emulate a transmitting or monitored system
 console.
 Consequently, given the deficiencies of the present art, what is needed is
 a system, method and article of manufacture to advise a system operator
 when a monitored alert object event has occurred, provide a vehicle to
 analyze information relevant to the occurrence of that event, and lastly,
 allow for the immediate execution of remedial actions to minimize adverse
 consequence potential associated with the event. Today's systems, at best,
 address only the first of these three requirements. The present invention,
 in a comprehensive and integrated manner, addresses and resolves all three
 requirements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
 While the making and using of various embodiments of the present invention
 are discussed in detail below, it should be appreciated that the present
 invention provides for inventive concepts capable of being embodied in a
 wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed
 herein are merely illustrative of specific manners in which to make and
 use the invention and are not to be interpreted as limiting the scope of
 the instant invention.
 The claims and the specification describe the invention and the terms that
 are employed in the claims draw their meaning from the use of such terms
 in the specification. The same terms applied in the prior art may be
 broader in meaning than specifically employed herein. Whenever there is a
 question between the broader definition of such terms used in the prior
 art and the more specific use of the terms herein, the more specific
 meaning should be assumed.
 While the invention has been described with a certain degree of
 particularity, it is to be noted that many modifications may be made in
 the details of the invention's construction and the arrangement of its
 components without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.
 It is understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments set
 forth herein for purposes of exemplification, but is to be limited only by
 the scope of the attached claim or claims, including the full range of
 equivalency to which each element thereof is entitled. The general
 features including hardware and software components of the Improved Alert
 Monitoring System are described and disclosed in association with
 accompanying FIGS. 1 through 8.
 Turning now to FIG. 1, a transmitting or monitored system central
 processing unit 5 communicates alert related information to a second
 central processing unit 2 executing an Improved Alert Monitoring System
 program 4. The transmitting or monitored system CPU 5 operates under the
 control of an operating system 30 which in turn, facilitates the execution
 input/output requests made by third party event monitoring software 25.
 The invention's interaction with a transmitting, or monitored system CPU 5
 is not limited by a particular CPU manufacturer or type, the number of
 CPU's to be monitored, or operating system 30 constraints. Diverse alert
 event monitoring software 25, also well known to those reasonably skilled
 in the art, is supported by the instant invention and may include any
 number of third party product offerings. Examples of such third party
 alert event monitoring programs include, such as but not limited to,
 Omegamon, Tivoli or TNG.
 Means of communication between a monitored system CPU 5 and a monitoring
 system CPU 2 are also well known to those reasonably skilled in the art.
 Such communication can be facilitated by way of a hard link, such as a
 coax cable 20, the World Wide Web or any other network configuration
 supporting inter-computer communication 15. It is to be understood that a
 secure connection can be established in various ways. One example is set
 forth in Applicant's co-pending application titled "A Secure Electronic
 Mail System", Ser. No. 09/239,425, filed Jan. 28, 1999. Input/Output
 requirements attendant to the Improved Alert Monitoring System are
 facilitated by way of an input device, such as a computer keyboard 45, and
 video display capability, such as a computer monitored 40. The Improved
 Alert Monitoring System 4 is also communicably attached to a database
 server 35 and utilizes this database server to retrieve control string
 connect parameter information in addition to other supplemental
 information as will be disclosed when discussing external database and
 event processing components of the instant invention as illustrated in
 FIG. 2.
 Turning now to FIG. 2, communication between the monitoring system CPU 2
 and the monitored system CPU 5 is further facilitated by way of a remote
 maintenance monitoring control system 50. As herein disclosed, the purpose
 of the remote maintenance monitoring control system 50 is to provide for
 historical event data analysis and assumption of monitored system CPU 5
 console command input capabilities. Detailed and enabling disclosure of
 such analysis and console command technology is referenced herewith by
 U.S. Pat. No. 5,689,637, entitled "Console Simulator, Multi-Console
 Management System and Console Management Distribution System", issued to
 Applicant, Nov. 18, 1997, and Applicant's application Ser. No. 08/942,993,
 filed Oct. 2, 1997 and entitled "Emulation and Emulated Screen History".
 Both U.S. Pat. No. 5,689,637 and Applicant's application Ser. No.
 08/942,993 are hereby cited and incorporated within the instant
 application by reference for purposes of providing a full, detailed and
 enabling disclosure. The objects to be monitored 6 within the context of a
 monitored system CPU 5 represent a limitless scope of monitoring
 potential. Examples of monitored objects might include hardware component
 functionality, water temperature, fire/smoke detection, mold curing
 processes, critical operating systems, components and indeed, even user
 written application programs. The means by which such objects are defined
 to third party alert event monitoring systems will quite typically be
 represented as input control parameters (a.k.a. "parm. fields") passed to
 the alert event software. Use of "parm. fields" is a long standing
 information systems processing technique and as such, is a practice well
 known to those reasonably skilled in the art.
 Continuing with FIG. 2, the Improved Alert Monitoring System provides for
 repository of relevant object information in the form of an IAMS database
 server 35 whereby entries 7 associated with each object to be monitored 6
 are created, referenced and maintained. Examples of such information would
 be connect string control parameters to allow connectivity of the Improved
 Alert Monitoring System 4 to a monitored system CPU 5 as a command
 console. Additional information created, referenced and maintained within
 the IAMS database server 35 would include corrective actions to be
 initiated during the occasion of an alert object event, scripts to be
 executed or indeed, any other information deemed relevant in the remedying
 of an object alert, or an object alert's precipitating factors. A
 representative icon 8 of each object monitored is presented to the
 Improved Alert Monitoring System video display capability 40 as a color
 coded icon 8 representing the dynamically modifiable status of each object
 to be monitored. Though the embodiment of the invention as illustrated in
 FIG. 2 allows for remote system connectivity to a monitored system as a
 command console, the Improved Alert Monitoring System also allows for a
 non-console oriented response, should such response be indicated via
 retrieval of IAMS object information 7 from the IAMS database server 35.
 Non-limiting examples of such nonconsole specific responses would be
 triggering of an external event such as the paging of a specific telephone
 number or the triggering of an alarm, or indeed any other event not
 requiring connectivity as a command console entry. As can be appreciated,
 the Improved Alert Monitoring System provides for multiple processing
 alternatives. Those alternatives are defined and disclosed as a logic flow
 summary in FIG. 3.
 Turning now to FIG. 3, the first step with regard to execution of the
 Improved Alert Monitoring System is the initializing of the system as
 shown at box 55. The initialization of the system calls for IAMS to be
 retrieved from auxiliary storage and read into the read access memory or
 RAM, of the monitoring system CPU 2. Once resident in the monitoring
 system CPU 2, the Improved Alert Monitoring System determines those
 objects to be monitored, the CPU's to which monitored objects are
 connected, and the methods to connect the IAMS video display capability 40
 and console entry input capability 45 to a monitored system CPU 5 as a
 console with input capability. To determine the objects to be monitored
 and the methods to connect to a monitored system CPU 5, a query is made of
 the IAMS database server 35 wherefrom such information is retrieved as
 illustrated at box 60. Connect string parameters representative of
 information required to connect to a monitored system CPU as a command
 console input capability are retrieved, as well as any other information
 deemed necessary to support the IAMS functional requirements. The Improved
 Alert Monitoring System next initializes its operator graphic user
 interface and activates its message processing component as shown at box
 65.
 At this point, the system is in a ready state and awaits communication from
 a monitored system CPU 5 indicating an alert object event has taken place
 70. Having once received an alert notification, the system next determines
 if the received alert is valid 75. If found invalid, the system advises
 the Improved Alert Monitoring System operator that an error has occurred
 71 and returns to await the next alert notification 70 from the monitored
 system CPU 5. Finding the alert information passed to it from the
 monitored system CPU valid, the Improved Alert Monitoring System next
 determines if the representative icon 8 warrants an object status
 modification 80. Such modification typically entails the changing of an
 icon color to reflect a transition of one status state to another. By way
 of example, a normal operating state of a given representative icon might
 be displayed in the color green. Should a critical event occur, however,
 information maintained in the data base repository 35 relating to the icon
 would likely indicate the color of the icon should be changed from green
 to red due to the critical nature of the alert. The Improved Alert
 Monitoring System would modify the icon accordingly 90.
 The system next determines if the operator has requested additional
 information as shown at box 95 relating to the alert event. Such a request
 is facilitated via IAMS graphic user interface and all information
 relevant to the highest level alert for a specific object 100 is returned
 to the operator and is displayed. If the operator has not requested
 additional information, the system awaits the next event as shown at box
 85.
 At this point, once the highest level alert has been displayed, the system
 determines if the operator has requested to connect to the monitored
 system CPU with console input capability 105. If the next request is not a
 connect command request, the system determines if the request received is
 a clear alert request 110. If neither of the preceding requests are
 received from the operator, the system returns to await the next alert
 object event issued by a monitored system CPU 5. If, however, a connect
 command has been received, the system retrieves the connect control string
 parameters previously retrieved from the IAMS data base server 35, passes
 that information to the remote maintenance monitoring control system 50
 executing within the monitoring system CPU 5, and connects the Improved
 Alert Monitoring System client as a console with command input capability
 to the monitored system 5. This step is shown at box 115.
 At this point, an optional request can be made to retrieve all relevant
 history information associated with the alert object event 120. Such
 information may be made available to the Improved Alert Monitoring System
 operator by way of technology as manifested and disclosed in Applicant's
 application Ser. No. 08/942,993, filed Oct. 2, 1997, entitled "Emulation
 and Emulated Screen History". It will be recognized that this is an
 optional and not required feature of the instant invention.
 Having once analyzed precipitating events relevant to the alert, the
 operator by way of command console authority inputs remedial entries
 resolving the underlying alert problem 125. The operator then clears the
 alert indicator causing a representative change in icon color (typically
 red to green), and clears the object status 130. Lastly the system
 disengages as a command console 135 and returns to await the next event to
 be sent from a monitored system CPU 5.
 Turning now to FIG. 4, an initialized IAMS startup screen 62 is illustrated
 where 64 represents an icon indicative of one or more objects to be
 monitored from within a monitored system CPU 5. A tool bar capability 66
 is provided to facilitate operator interaction.
 Turning now to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a GUI 68 presented
 by the Improved Alert Monitoring System is illustrated when a request for
 additional information has been made (shown as 95 in FIG. 3) following an
 alert object event. In this illustration, an "attention" level alert is
 designated 70 and information related to the highest level alert for a
 specific icon would be presented in the space provided within the GUI 72.
 Functionality options such as clearing an alert 78, connecting to a
 monitored system CPU as a command console entry 80, requesting high alert
 information 82, canceling the alert 84 and the transmitting of such
 information to the Improved Alert Monitoring System by way of depressing
 the OK key 76 is communicated by engaging the relevant option button.
 FIG. 6 represents a GUI, illustrating an emulated screen display having
 once connected to a monitored systems CPU as a command console input
 capability (shown at box 115 in FIG. 3). Actual monitored system messages
 are scrolled upon the console screen 88, while the tool bar 90 provides
 for retrieval of relevant history information 91 to allow an analysis of
 precipitating factors event factors.
 Turning now to FIG. 7, a GUI is illustrated which provides a history of
 precipitating factors and allows for scrolling of such information via the
 GUI's tool bar 94 causing the object alert event.
 The GUI also provides for a return to an active console display and input
 capability status by depressing the "GOTOLIVE" button 96.
 Turning now to FIG. 8, a GUI 62 is illustrated showing objects being
 monitored 64 with an overlapping request for additional information screen
 68.
 While this invention has been described in reference to illustrative
 embodiments, this description is not to be construed in a limiting sense.
 Various modifications and combinations of the illustrative embodiments as
 well as other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those
 skilled in the art upon referencing this disclosure. It is therefore
 intended that this disclosure encompass any such modifications or
 embodiments.